PhD in Communication in Davis United States | University of California Davis

The doctoral of philosophy (Ph.D.) program within the UC Davis Department of Communication requires 56 units of coursework and involves qualifying examinations, a dissertation and a final oral examination. Some of our doctoral students come to us after obtaining their master's degree at another institution. A master's degree is not required, however, for admission into our doctoral program. If you are interested in doctoral-level studies, you may apply to the Ph.D. program even if your highest educational credential is a bachelor's degree. The program focuses on the social scientific study of human communication using quantitative research methods with a concentration in mediated communication and digital society. Students gain advanced knowledge of how people create, transmit, interpret, evaluate and respond to messages to inform, relate to, and influence one another interpersonally, in small groups, in organizations, in public settings and across cultures. Students graduate with the qualitative and quantitative skills necessary for professional research and teaching in the strategic aspects of social interaction, mediated communication, and the development of communication theories. The program prepares students for careers in research, teaching, industry and government.