All students must complete the following core courses: 

• COMM 5000: Fundamentals of Theory, Research, and Design. 

• COMM 5001: Introduction to Graduate Communication Research. 

• COMM 5002: Communication Research Methods. 

• COMM 5003: Advanced Communication Research Methods or COMM 5004: Qualitative Research Methods in Communication. 

Students must complete two elective methodology courses from the following list or a similar course with the approval of their committee: 

• AH 6005: Multilevel Mediation and Moderation Modeling*  

• COMM 6001: Proseminar in Communication Research*  

• EPSY 6615: Structural Equation Modeling*   

• HDFS 5002: Special Topics: Longitudinal Methods*  

• HDFS 5005: Qualitative Research Methods  

• MKTG 6203: Intro to Qualitative Methods in Nursing  

• NURS 6165: Mixed Methods in Nursing Research  

• PSYC 5702: Causal Modeling in Social Psychology*  

• PSYC 5131: Meta-Analysis: Theory and Practice  

• PSYC 6130: Measurement and Scaling  

• SOCI 5231: Qualitative Methodology  

• STAT 5515: Design of Experiments 

Please note:  

• COMM 5003 or COMM 5004 may count as an elective methodology course if not used to fulfill the methodology requirements listed above. 
• At least one elective methodology course must be an advanced course, as indicated by (*). 

As part of the 60-credit requirement, students select courses within one of the following tracks, which align with the department’s research specialties: 

• Interpersonal Communication. 

• Marketing Communication. 

• Mass Communication. 

• New Communication Technology. 

• Nonverbal Communication. 

• Persuasion.  

Students must take: 

• Three required communication theory classes determined by track. 3 Required Communication Theory Courses (determined by track—see options below) 

• Five emphasis area courses determined by track; at least one must be a COMM course.  

Students who have previously completed a required course at another institution with a grade of B or higher may request a substitution. If approved by the advising committee, a different course within the same requirement area (e.g., methods, content, theory) may be taken in its place. 

Students may add a secondary sub-track as their emphasis area by completing any of the required courses for that track to fulfill the emphasis area requirements. 

Students must pass COMM 6800: Seminar and Directed Research in Communication, which requires participating in and presenting at least two research projects mentored by faculty. These projects provide students with the necessary research experience before beginning the independent research required by the dissertation. They also put students in a better position to enter the Ph.D. job market. 

Students must take and pass the doctoral comprehensive examinations in communication theory and research methods. After passing both examinations, students must successfully defend their dissertation proposal. Students culminate their Ph.D. program by submitting and successfully defending their doctoral dissertation.