Admission Requirements

• Master of Arts
• Doctor of Philosophy

Degree Requirements

• Master of Arts
• Doctor of Philosophy

Mailing Address:
Department of Communication (MC 132)
1007 West Harrison Street
Chicago, IL 60607-7137

Campus Location: 1140 BSB
Program Codes: 20FS1113MA (MA); 20FS9953PHD (PhD)
Telephone: (312) 996-4460

E-mail: comm@uic.edu
Web site: http://www.uic.edu/depts/comm/
Head of the Department: Zizi Papacharissi
Director of Graduate Studies: Kevin G. Barnhurst

The Department of Communication offers work leading to degrees at the master’s and doctoral levels and participates in the interdepartmental concentrations in Gender and Women’s Studies and in Latin American and Latino Studies.

The department goal is to produce scholars and researchers who will be critical consumers and producers of research about communication, whether in academic or applied settings, and who will contribute to the growth of knowledge in those settings.

At the master’s level, study and research are available in two general areas, media studies and cultural diversity. Because the areas often intertwine, program emphasis is on breadth and integration. Inquiry in media studies ranges, for example, from journalism ethics to electronic media and computer-mediated communication. Cultural inquiry includes language and symbolic representation, critical theory, social inequality and racism, and cross-cultural differences.

At the doctoral level, the program focuses on communication and technology. Students develop thorough understanding of the field, expertise in its theories, skills needed to conduct effective research, and experience teaching in a university setting. They also acquire a specialty from among those recognized in scholarly societies and reflected in current research emphases among department faculty.

A signature feature of department programs is their flexibility. Students pursue individual and professional aims with guidance from an advisor, designing a course of study to reach their own educational goals. Because the department strongly encourages interdisciplinary work, students may study with scholars in allied disciplines.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Complete transcripts of all undergraduate and any graduate work must be submitted. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must also meet the following program requirements:

Master of Arts

• Baccalaureate Field No restrictions. Applicants must have the equivalent of 20 semester hours of study in communication or related programs of social inquiry, like political science and sociology.
• Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study.
• Tests Required GRE General.
• Minimum English Competency Score
  • TOEFL 600 (paper-based); 250 (computer-based); 95, with minimum subscores of Reading 24, Listening 24, Speaking 24, and Writing 22 (iBT Internet-based TOEFL).
  • IELTS 7.0, with subscores of 6.5 for all four subscores.
• Letters of Recommendation Three required, at least two of which must be of an academic nature.
• Personal Statement Required; 600 words. The statement should address the way in which graduate study in the department relates to the applicant’s career or other aims.
• Writing Sample Recommended.
• Other Requirements Students are only admitted for the fall semester.
• Nondegree Applicants Rarely accepted. Nondegree applicants must submit all credentials and meet the same admission requirements as degree applicants. Nondegree students may not take individual study courses.

Doctor of Philosophy

• Prior Degrees A master’s degree in communication or a related field is required. Applicants who have earned (or are completing) a bachelor’s degree and plan to pursue doctoral work should apply to the MA program.
• Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study, and 3.50 for any graduate study. When other data warrant, the department may grant conditional admission to students with lower grade point averages.
• Tests Required GRE General.
• Minimum English Competency Score
  • TOEFL 600 (paper-based); 250 (computer-based); 95, with minimum subscores of Reading 24, Listening 24, Speaking 24, and Writing 22 (iBT Internet-based TOEFL).
  • IELTS 7.0, with subscores of 6.5 for all four subscores.
• Letters of Recommendation Three required, preferably from professors.
• Personal Statement Required; 250–300 words.
• Writing Sample Required; MA thesis or similar sustained writing.
• Other Requirements Students are only admitted for the fall semester.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must also meet the following program requirements:

Master of Arts

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 32. Students may elect one of two options: examination or thesis. Students declare their intention for either the thesis or nonthesis option at the beginning of their second year of full-time studies, after completing 24 hours of course work.
• Course Work At least 20 hours (excluding thesis hours) must be at the 500-level. Credit in COMM 474 and COMM 498 cannot be applied to the degree. Students who receive more than one grade below B in their graduate course work, or four incompletes that have not been made up within the regulatory one term, will be dropped from the program.
• Required Courses: COMM 500 and 501; and either COMM 502 or 503. COMM 500 must be taken before COMM 501 unless a petition for exception is granted.
• Electives: No more than 8 hours may be taken in courses outside the department, except for students in the concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies. No more than 4 hours may be in COMM 596. Students taking a 400-level course as an elective should note that additional work may be required by the instructor and higher standards will be applied than for undergraduate students.
• Comprehensive Examination Required only for students who elect to pursue the nonthesis option. The students must also complete 8 additional credit hours of course work.
• Thesis, Project, or Course-Work-Only Options Thesis or course work only.
• Thesis: Required only for students who elect the thesis. These students must earn at least 8 hours in COMM 598.
• Course Work Only: Students who elect this option must successfully pass a comprehensive examination.

Doctor of Philosophy

• Minimum Semester Hours Required 96 semester hours from the baccalaureate degree; 64 hours from the master’s degree.
• Course Work At least 32 semester hours numbered 500 or higher. Credit in COMM 474, 490, 491, or 498 may not count toward the degree. No more than 16 hours may come from outside the department, and no more than 8 hours may be in independent studies.
• Required Courses: COMM 500 and 501 or their equivalents, either 502 or 503, plus 504, 508, and 580. Students must complete required courses with a grade of B or better. At least 20 and no more than 24 hours are required in COMM 599. Students who have taken any required course as part of the MA program at UIC will substitute another course approved by the graduate advisor.
• Specialization: Students must develop expertise in one or more specialized subfields of communication. Specialties reflect the organization of the discipline in scholarly societies as well as the current interests and strengths of department faculty. Courses in one or more allied discipline are necessary for most specializations, and students normally take two courses in specific research techniques related to their chosen specialty.
• Examinations Departmental Qualifying Examination: None.
• Preliminary Examination: Required; no later than three calendar years after admission or upon completion of 40 semester hours (whichever comes first).
• Dissertation Required.

Interdepartmental Concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies

Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling in a concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies after consulting with their graduate advisor. See Gender and Women’s Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for more information.

Interdepartmental Concentration in Latin American and Latino Studies

Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling in a concentration in Latin American and Latino Studies. See Latin American and Latino Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for more information.