Ph.D. in Communication

Our alumni network is one of the most closely integrated in the field, and our graduates are highly sought after in academic and industry positions, such as these recent placements:  The Ohio State University; Albion College; University at Buffalo; University of North Carolina; Montana State University; University of Georgia; Bethany Lutheran College; Yale Program on Climate Change Communication; California State Long Beach; Georgia State University; Sam Houston State University; The MITRE Corporation; Guangming School, China University; University of Hawai'i at Manoa; StoryFit; University of Arkansas; Haworth Inc.; University of Massachusetts, Boston; University of Alabama at Birmingham

The Michigan State Department of Communication has been directly associated with the careers of more ICA Fellows than any other university, including current faculty members Monique Turner, Ron Tamborini, and Jim Dearing, and former faculty members Patrice Buzzanell, Sandi Smith, Everett Rogers, Steve Wilson, Charles Berger, Michael Burgoon, Joe Cappella, Akiba Cohen, Brenda Dervin, Randy Harrison, Judee Burgoon, Peter Monge, Byron Reeves, Joe Walther, Frank Boster, William Donohue, Marshall Scott Poole, Jim McCroskey, Brad Greenberg, GR Miller, James Dillard, Edward L. Fink, Robert Craig and Mike Roloff.

Current and former COM faculty have won one-third of ICA mentor awards for doctoral advising, more than any other university: GR Miller, Brad Greenberg, Frank Boster, Judee Burgoon, Edward L. Fink and Peter Monge.

With a longstanding combination of renowned faculty, productive scholars and successful alumni, our doctoral program continues to receive key awards and consistently ranks at the top in terms of reputation and journal productivity. In the 2004 NCA reputation survey of "effectiveness of Ph.D. program", MSU ranked #1 in health communication, #1 in communication and technology, #2 in mass communication, #4 in interpersonal and small group communication, and #4 in international and intercultural communication. MSU had the top average rating score among the subset of comprehensive doctoral programs with at least five specialties.