About This Program

Kent State's Ph.D. degree in Communication and Information offers a flexible and interdisciplinary curriculum that prepares you for a career as a faculty in higher education or as a researcher in communication, media, or information industries. Through coursework and research, you'll gain an integrative view of the disciplines of communication, media and information while specializing in research topics that intersect these disciplines. Read more...

Contact Information

• Miriam Matteson | mmattes1@kent.edu | 330-672-2464

• Connect with an Admissions Counselor

Program Delivery

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Applications to the Ph.D. degree in Communication and Information will not be accepted starting with the fall 2026 admission term. 

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*

^{* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.}

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

Applications to the Ph.D. degree in Communication and Information will not be accepted starting with the fall 2026 admission term. 

• Master's degree in one of the disciplines represented in the College of Communication and Information or a discipline closely related to the applicant's proposed course of study¹
• Minimum 3.300 graduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale (3.500 GPA or higher is recommended)
• Official transcript(s)
• Résumé or curriculum vitae
• Goal statement²
• Letters of recommendation from those in a position to evaluate graduate academic performance and potential
• Sample of superior scholarly writing (published paper, major term paper, thesis chapter, etc.).
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:³
  • Minimum 94 TOEFL iBT score
  • Minimum 7.0 IELTS score
  • Minimum 65 PTE score
  • Minimum 120 DET score

The Ph.D. degree is strongly research oriented. Applicants are expected to demonstrate previous research experience such as thesis or conference paper. Admission will be restricted to the most promising applicants. Applications are viewed holistically to evaluate the student's likelihood of success in the program. Applicants normally are accepted for admission only for the fall semester and for full-time enrollment. Applicants who do not meet all of the requirements listed above but who have otherwise exceptional credentials may apply and may be admitted conditionally.

¹

Applicants with academic preparation in other fields may be required to enroll in preparatory coursework at the master's level that will not count toward the Ph.D. degree.

²

The goal statement must describe the applicant's academic goals and intended topics of study that are compatible with the focus of the doctoral program including area of specialization. It is expected that this statement will clearly indicate why the applicant wishes to pursue doctoral education. Included in the statement should be an indication of the theoretical area or areas the applicant wishes to study and the line of research the applicant wishes to pursue. Statements that make reference only to the applicant's teaching or administrative goals are strongly discouraged. 

³

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores may be considered for conditional admission.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester
  • Priority deadline: January 1
    All application materials (including applicable fee, transcripts, recommendation letters, etc.) submitted by this deadline will receive the strongest consideration for admission.
  • Application deadline: March 1
    All application materials (including applicable fee, transcripts, recommendation letters, etc.) submitted after this deadline will be considered on a space-available basis.
  • Final deadline: April 15
    Applications will not be accepted after this deadline.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Major Requirements
CCI 80000	FOUNDATIONS OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION INQUIRY	3
CCI 80001	FOUNDATIONS OF RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP IN COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION	3
CCI 80097	COLLOQUIUM IN COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION (taken four times)	4
Advisor-Approved Theory Courses from the College of Communication and Information		6
Quantitative Research Methods Course		3
Qualitative Research Methods Course		3
Additional Methods Courses 1		6
Electives 2		12
Culminating Requirement
CCI 80199	DISSERTATION I 3	30
Minimum Total Credit Hours:		70

¹

Students choose two courses from any subject area.

²

Courses in the elective category are selected with the approval of the student's advisor and supervisory committee to support the student's research interests.

³

Each doctoral candidate, upon admission to candidacy, must register for CCI 80199 for a total of 30 credit hours. Thereafter, doctoral candidates will continuously register for CCI 80299 for each semester, until all requirements for the degree have been met.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation Requirements Summary

Minimum Major GPA	Minimum Overall GPA
-	3.000

• The Ph.D. degree in Communication and Information requires a minimum of 40 credit hours of graduate coursework beyond the master's degree and 30 credit hours of dissertation work for a total of 70 credit hours.

Candidacy Requirement

To achieve candidacy, doctoral students must pass the doctoral comprehensive examination.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of an area of expertise within one or more disciplines within the field of communication and information.
2. Produce research that advances existing areas of scholarly investigation within the field of communication and information.
3. Be prepared to succeed as research-oriented, tenure-track faculty at research universities.

Full Description

The Ph.D. degree in Communication and Information prepares individuals for traditional and emerging careers in teaching, research and administration in the converging fields of communication and information. The degree program consists of a prescribed core of interdisciplinary courses and varied selection of elective coursework within and across disciplines. The study is flexibly structured and designed to provide both an integrative and historical overview, as well as specializations in communication and information.