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Communication

Important Note: This is the archived version of the 2012–2014 Graduate Catalog. The information on these pages was archived on August 22, 2012 and will not be updated as requirement and/or program changes are approved.

Admission Requirements Degree Requirements

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) 996-3187

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, Latin American and Latino Studies, and Survey Research Methodology.

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 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. Besides the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

Master of Arts

Doctor of Philosophy

Degree Requirements

Besides the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

Master of Arts

Doctor of Philosophy

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.

Interdepartmental Graduate Concentration in Survey Research Methodology

Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling in a concentration in Survey Research Methodology. See Interdepartmental Graduate Concentration in Survey Research Methodology in the Graduate College section for more information.