PhD Journalism and Mass Communications at University of South Carolina

Programme overview

If you’re looking for a career in teaching and research at the highest levels, or research and management with mass media companies, consider our small, selective and flexible Ph.D. program. This doctorate is intended to be an interdisciplinary program.

Faculty: College of Information and Communications | Department: School of Journalism and Mass Communications | Duration: 15 credit hours | Study mode: full-time | Location: Columbia, SC, United States

What you will study

You'll take 57 credit hours: 45 hours of coursework and a minimum of 12 dissertation hours. The 45 hours are divided among five core courses, seven electives in mass communications and nine hours of electives from another field of study. Your dissertation is a substantial research project conducted over the course of your enrollment.

Career pathways

Potential careers include Professor, University Researcher, Mass Communications Industry Researcher.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admissions (University of South Carolina Academic Bulletin): An applicant for admission to the doctoral program will be evaluated on a combination of factors: applicant’s academic record (especially work done at the master’s level), English proficiency scores (TOEFL or IELTS if international applicant), resume showing professional experience, recommendations, writing sample(s), and the applicant’s personal statement outlining reasons for applying for doctoral study and career hopes and expectations. Preference is given to applicants with at least 3.0 GPA for undergraduate and graduate work, at least one year of experience as journalism and mass communications professionals. International applicants, in addition to the above, must present a score of at least 100 on the TOEFL exam or 7.0 on IELTS. Those with a degree from an English-speaking institution are eligible for an exemption from this requirement. More information is available in the...

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 applications are accepted for Fall, Spring and Summer terms; Fall applications open the prior September, Spring applications open in January and Summer applications open in May.

The graduate application fee is $50 per primary application, reinstated effective August 1, 2026. Deadlines are programme-specific and listed per programme on the Degree Programs and Application Requirements pages.

Apply through the official page: https://www.sc.edu/admissions-at-sc/applications/index.php

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