Graduate
Degree Programs
Communication Studies
The Department of Communication Studies offers a Ph.D. in Health Communication and an M.A. in Applied Communication with optional concentrations in corporate communication, health communication, media criticism or public communication. This unique applied program provides students with theoretical understanding of communication processes as well as with the competencies and skills necessary to address specific communication issues and problems by applying discipline-specific knowledge. The program readies the advanced student for professional career paths and future academic pursuits.
Ph.D. in Health Communication
The Ph.D. program in health communication includes the following main program objectives. Students will:
- Obtain competency for teaching and research in areas that include: health and interpersonal relationships, intercultural health, and mediated communication in healthcare contexts including health campaign development. Ethical questions regarding each of these health communication contexts will be explored as well.
- Initiate, participate, and develop competency in research on health and medical communication issues.
- Gain skills in understanding clinical problems affected by communication.
- Develop the capabilities necessary to translate research on clinical problems impacted by communication into practice.
- Receive training for academic jobs and healthcare professional positions.
Requirements for Admission
Students entering the program must:
- Have at least a Master’s degree (minimum of 30 credit hours) in a related social science or health discipline, completed with a GPA of 3.5 or higher (on a 4.0 scale). Preference will be given to those students with degrees from communication studies programs.
- Take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test (Quantitative, Verbal, and Analytical Writing).
- Submit a written statement of purpose for entering into this Ph.D. program,
- Provide three letters of recommendation from individuals in professional positions able to judge success
- Submit a curriculum vitae
- Provide graduate and undergraduate transcripts
- Submit a writing sample demonstrating academic writing ability
- Non-native English speakers who did not complete a degree at a college or university in the U.S. mush also take an English competency test, either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Degree Requirements
IU requires a minimum of 90 credit hours of approved graduate coursework beyond the Bachelor’s degree. A maximum of 30 credit hours of approved graduate work completed with a grade of B or better may be transferred with the approval of the advisory committee and the Dean of the University Graduate School. All coursework taken for the Ph.D. must be completed within seven years prior to the passing of qualifying exams, including any transfer courses.
Overall, the requirements include:
- Core Courses (15 credit hours)
- C500 Advanced Communication Theory (3)
- C592 Advanced Health Communication (3)
- C680 Doctoral Qualitative/Rhetorical Methods (3)
- C690 Doctoral Quantitative Methods (3)
- C695 Seminar in Communication and Healthcare (3)
- Seminars in Content Areas (at least 15 credit hours) – Students may select from the courses offered within Communication Studies. In addition, other cross-listed seminars from affiliated faculty in departments or programs such as the Indiana Center for Intercultural Communication (ICIC), Medical Humanities, Medical Sociology, and other health-related areas may count toward the student's degree with approval from the student's advisor.
- Minor (9-12 credit hours) -- All students must complete a minor in an area related to their primary health communication focus. Minor areas of Ph.D. study might include public health, health informatics, philanthropic studies, law & health, industrial organizational psychology, bioethics, nursing, bioinformatics, clinical psychology, medical sociology, marketing, social work, health economics, science, or any area in the health and life sciences disciplines or the Liberal Arts disciplines connected to the student’s area of primary focus. An interdisciplinary minor can be developed in consultation with the student’s advisor and advisory committee as well as a minor in research methods/tools. The minor area of emphasis must be approved by the student’s advisor and advisory committee and contain a minimum of three graduate level courses (9 credit hours) in accordance with the department or unit in which the minor is housed. Some departments require a 12 credit hour minor.
- Field Work/Research (6-9 credit hours) -- All students are required to complete 6-9 credit hours of fieldwork and/or additional coursework in research methods selected in consultation with the advisor.
- Dissertation (12 credit hours).
In addition, all students must take written examinations that cover both broad knowledge of the health communication field as well as specialized knowledge of a chosen area of health communication. Comprehensive exams are taken after the student has completed a minimum of 39 credit hours (beyond the Master’s) including the required core, seminars, and minor coursework.
M.A in Applied Communication Program Goals
The overarching goal of this unique program in applied communication is to provide students with the competencies and skills necessary to address specific communication issues and problems that are socially relevant and to suggest or implement change. The primary intellectual goal of the program is to increase our students’ understanding of the theoretical implications of discipline-specific knowledge and to enhance their ability to understand and predict human interaction relative to realistic, applied outcomes associated with contemporary social problems. A practical goal of the program is to train a cohort of the population who will satisfy society’s increased need for professionals who grasp the complexities of communication problems and who are able to develop and execute strategies and programs to address such issues.Requirements for Admission
Applicants should have:
- a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
- official transcripts from all Universities and Colleges attended
- three letters of recommendation
- a personal statement
In addition, evidence of strong analytical and writing skills, a background in research methods, and experience in the analysis of communication phenomena are highly recommended. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test with satisfactory scores in the three areas is required for applicants who wish to be considered for University fellowships.
Degree Requirements
Completion of 36 credit hours, including:
- 12 credit hours of core requirements. These include:
- COMM C500 Advanced Communication Theory
- COMM C501 Applied Communication Research
- One of COMM C502, COMM C530 or COMMC531
- COMM C503 Applied Learning Project, OR COMM C597 Thesis
- 24 credits of electives Students may take as many as 6 credit hours of approved coursework at the graduate level from outside the Department of Communication Studies
The student must maintain a B+ average (3.3) or higher in order to graduate. In addition, the student must pass the comprehensive examination and complete either a thesis or an applied learning project in order to complete the degree requirements.