Ohio University, School of Communication Studies
overview of program
The doctoral program in Communication Studies (COMS) is designed for students who want to become excellent teachers, researchers, and/or practitioners in the Communication discipline. Across an array of contexts, faculty and students in COMS strive to understand messages, communication processes, and implications and/or outcomes of communicative events. We actively strive to inspire our doctoral students to become effective and ethical teacher-scholars. The School of Communication Studies expects its graduates to develop a specialist’s depth in the study of human communication as well as a generalist’s perspective. All doctoral students complete a common set of core courses and then proceed to take specialized courses relevant to their professional objectives.
The School offers the Ph.D. degree with primary areas of study in Health Communication, Rhetoric and Culture, and Interpersonal and Organizational Communication. These areas combine existing research areas while adjusting to the contemporary trends in the communication discipline. Doctoral students select their primary area, research courses, and electives in consultation with their program of study committee.
The COMS doctoral program is designed to take approximately four years for full-time students.
Carnegie Classification: R1
Professional Development Funding:$500– travel to professional conventions
Ph.D. Degrees per Year: 8
Communication doctorates conferred between 2010-19: 158
Contact information
Benjamin R. Bates
400 Schoonover Center
20 E. Union Street
Athens, OH 45701
- Health Communication
- Interpersonal Communication
- Organizational Communication
- Rhetoric
- QS World University Rankings—Communication & Media Studies
- #151-200 of 200 World Universities
- URAP University Rankings—Language, Communication & Culture
- #196 of 300 World Universities
The Graduate Committee evaluates applications on several dimensions.
- How well the applicant will fit with our School and how well the resources of the School will enable the applicant to reach their professional goals. Applicants are encouraged to articulate their fit with the School and their specific area of interest in their personal statement.
- Prior academic success, both at the bachelor’s level and the master’s level. Students who have completed or are enrolled in a master’s program in communication or a related field are preferred. Students holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and who show extraordinary potential as a graduate student can apply for direct admission to our doctoral program following normal admission procedures.
- Writing skills. All samples of writing should be authored only by the applicant. Applicants are encouraged to use their personal statement to demonstrate strong compositional skills and ability to tell a compelling narrative about themselves and their future goals. They are also encouraged to use their writing sample to display their ability to use theory and methodology in academic writing.
- Prior research, teaching, professional, and/or services or community engagement experience. Applicants should highlight in their curriculum vita/resume previous experience that is substantial and related to success as a researcher, teacher, and/or practitioner of communication in academic, professional, or community contexts.
- Letters of support. Letters that are highly indicative of the potential for success as a doctoral student are invited. Usually these letters are from a personal who holds a post at a university, non-profit organization, corporation, or governmental office who can attest to the scholarly abilities of the applicant. Three letters of support should be arranged by the applicant.
Our competitive program fills approximately ten funded positions each year. We do offer admission without funding to qualified individuals who have secure funding through other resources. However, we try to maintain a cohort size of 12 students or fewer. We expect all full-time students to begin the program Fall semester.
The deadline to apply for the COMS Doctoral Program is January 1, 2025.
- Woolbert Research Award, 2001, 2003
- Cushman Memorial Award, 2011, 2016
- Ehninger Distinguished Rhetorical Scholar Award, 2006