All applicants to the Ph.D. program must have completed a master's degree. The Ph.D. in mass communication is designed to prepare students for college teaching and research positions or research careers in mass-communication industries, advertising agencies, market- or opinion-research firms, business or government. We work closely with each student to develop a program of study that is both interdisciplinary, allowing the student to take full advantage of the University's rich academic offerings, and tailored to meet the specific needs and interests of the student. The goal of the program is to produce outstanding scholars who are highly knowledgeable about mass communication and highly skilled as researchers.

The program is small and very selective. Eight to ten new students are admitted each year. Admissions decisions are based not only on the standard criteria — GRE scores, grade averages and letters of recommendation — but also on a determination of whether the applicant's interests and goals fit with those of our program and faculty. For that reason, the statement of purpose and statement of research interests that must accompany an application are extremely important, and applicants are encouraged to be as specific as possible in outlining their research interests and career goals.

Requirements
Students are expected to attain a high degree of competence in research methodology and develop expertise in at least one substantive area of study as well as a broad range of knowledge concerning mass communication in modern society. The specific content of students’ programs will be determined by the students themselves and their committees, and will vary with the background, interests and goals of each student.

Students have considerable flexibility in designing their programs around a core of four courses, which should be taken during the first year of study. The four core courses are Mass-Communication Research Methods (JOMC 701), Theories of Mass Communication (JOMC 705), Mass-Communication Law (JOMC 740) and Readings in Mass-Communication History (JOMC 742).

Sixteen courses, totaling at least 48 graduate credits (400-level and above courses), in addition to at least six dissertation credits, are required for the doctorate. Those 16 courses must be arrayed into three groups of courses: (1) a substantive area of study, consisting of at least 15 hours of coursework, (2) research methods, consisting of at least four courses, and (3) if a student chooses to declare a secondary area, it must include at least 9 hours of coursework. Areas of specialization should be selected from the substantive areas of study. The research methods a student chooses to study must be appropriate to the student's areas of specialization and dissertation topic. Programs are reviewed and approved annually by the student's adviser and the Ph.D. program director.

If a doctoral student gets an L in a core course (JOMC 701, JOMC 705, JOMC 740, JOMC 742), he or she must pass a comprehensive examination given during the following semester. If the student fails the exam, he or she will be allowed to retake the course once. If the student again earns an L, he or she will not be allowed to continue in the program.

Any graduate student who receives any funding for his or her education from a School-based source is required to maintain at least a P average each year. This applies to both master's and doctoral students. Grades are reviewed each spring in order to make this determination. L grades must be balanced with H grades in order to maintain this average. If a student gets an L in one of the core courses, that L is not removed by passing the examination or by getting a P upon retaking the course. That L must be balanced with an H.

Other requirements include the following:

• At least eight courses, totaling at least 24 credits, at the 700- through 900-level within the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
  
  
• At least four semesters in residence, with a minimum of two semesters in continuous study at UNC-Chapel Hill.
  
  
• Satisfactory performance on written and oral comprehensive exams. Students must take both written and oral exams at the end of their doctoral coursework. The written exams consist of five exams of four hours each; each doctoral committee member is responsible for a four-hour question block. These exams come before the oral examination or the proposal defense, which may be combined. Students must pass all five of the written exams before they are allowed to go forward with the orals or the proposal defense. The Graduate School allows students to retake failed written questions one time only. Three months must elapse between the original examination and the retaking of the failed portion.
  
  
• Successful completion and oral defense of a dissertation.
  

Length of program
Students normally spend two years taking courses, then take comprehensive exams very early in their third fall semester. They then write their dissertation proposals. After the proposal is approved by the student’s doctoral committee, the student must be completed and defended. The nature of the dissertation research will govern the length of time a student spends on the project, but many students find it takes about one year to complete a dissertation. In general, it takes at least three years — and often more — to complete the Ph.D. The Graduate School requires students to complete the degree within eight years of entry into the program. Students who do not finish within eight years can petition for an extension.

Continuous enrollment policy
The Continuous Enrollment Policy of the Graduate School states that students are required to be registered whenever University resources (including faculty time) are being consumed to appropriately reflect work being done. This means that if you are away from campus (such as working on your dissertation at home or working in an academic or research job) and using any University resource(s), you MUST be registered.

Doctoral committee
Each doctoral student selects a five-member supervisory committee, which is approved by the associate dean for graduate studies. This committee consists of three School of Journalism and Mass Communication faculty members and two graduate faculty members from departments outside the School. The student's adviser serves as chair of the committee. The committee should consist of professors with whom the student has taken courses. The committee guides the student's academic development, administers and evaluates the comprehensive exams and approves the dissertation proposal and dissertation.


Ph.D. Degree Requirements   

Ideal Schedule for Doctoral Students