PhD Communication at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Programme overview

The Ph.D. at UNC is an inquiry-based degree, offering students the opportunity to build unique programs of study around their respective research interests. The program requires the student to define a program of study organized by an evolving research question or research problem. The program ensures foundational study in subdisciplines of communication studies, including rhetoric, performance studies, media arts, media and technology studies, interpersonal and organizational communication, and cultural studies.

Faculty: The Graduate School | Department: Communication | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chapel Hill, NC, United States

What you will study

Doctoral students (admitted with M.A. or equivalent) complete a minimum of 45 hours of coursework, including 4 core courses (12 hours), 10 research courses (30 hours), 2 professional development courses (COMM 702 and COMM 907 for 6 hours).

Career pathways

The program encourages interdisciplinary work across these areas and across disciplines to enhance one's ability to address the research question or problem, while at the same time helping to professionalize students for various employment opportunities.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate School minimum (applies to all graduate programmes): a four-year bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) from an accredited institution completed before graduate study begins and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) or better; application via the Graduate School online application with transcripts, three recommendation letters, statement of purpose and CV, plus any programme-specific tests/materials; international applicants add a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test score; admission decisions are made by each programme.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate applicants apply for a start term; fall is the main start term. Very few programmes admit new students for spring or summer terms.

Graduate applications and payment must be received by the deadline of the academic programme applied to, which varies by programme; the application closes at 11:59pm Eastern Time on the deadline date. The Graduate School recommends complete applications by December 15, 2026 for full fellowship consideration.

Apply through the official page: https://gradschool.unc.edu/admissions/instructions/

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