Media and Public Affairs - Doctorate

The Manship School of Mass Communication offers the nation’s only graduate program focused exclusively on media and public affairs, with a Master of Mass Communication (M.M.C.) and a Ph.D. in mass communication and public affairs. Students gain experience through studying real-world strategic problems. They explore how political communication, journalism, advertising, and public relations shape perceptions and public discourse locally, nationally, and globally. Collaborative programs with other departments, such as political science, provide access to a broad range of related courses. Students can tailor some courses to focus on a particular area of interest. Highly selective small classes allow students to work closely with senior faculty members from a wide range of disciplines: journalism to advertising, political science to public relations, sociology to history. Students and faculty members collaborate on innovative research projects; graduate students regularly publish in peer-reviewed journals and present at premier conferences. Recent renovations to the School have created a world-class environment, with dedicated office space for graduate students, a $1.5 -million broadcast studio, multimedia classrooms, computer labs, and a state-of-the-art forum that provides space for academic, professional, and community events. The School’s commitment to the study of media and public affairs extends beyond the classroom, with a network of resources to support faculty and graduate research. The Manship School Research Facility helps faculty members, graduate students, University departments, state organizations, and businesses conduct research studies through its free-standing facilities including the Public Policy research lab and the Media Effects Lab. The Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs within the Manship School is dedicated to tackling ideas and issues that explore the role of the media and democracy.