Program Curriculum and Concentrations

The program’s core curriculum helps students understand the common threads across College disciplines that span the communication and information fields. After completing the core, students choose a concentration area in advertising, communication studies, information sciences, journalism and electronic media, or public relations. Students also complete a cognate area that typically consists of a set of courses outside the College to further support the student’s focus area.

The content of the doctoral program consists of the following requirements:

• Core Courses (17 credit hours): CCI 605, CCI 631, CCI 635, CCI 620 (2 credit hours), CCI 611 or Advanced Statistics, Additional CCI Doctoral Level Course.
• Primary Concentration (12 credit hours): 3 credit hours of ADVT 680, CMST 680, INSC 680, JREM 680, or PBRL 680. Other concentration courses are defined by the student and his/her program committee.
• Cognate (9 credit hours): Defined by the student and their program committee.
• Dissertation (24 credit hours minimum).

Total credit hours must be no less than 62 credit hours. A student should anticipate at least three years of full-time study, which includes time for dissertation research. A comprehensive examination is given when the student has completed all required and prescribed courses.

The comprehensive examination must be taken within five years and all requirements must be completed within eight years from the time of a student’s first enrollment in the doctoral program.

CCI Program forms, Graduate Scholarship forms, Student Travel Approval forms, and Research forms are available on the CCI Graduate Form Central page.

Admissions Snapshot – Doctoral Program

Admission to the CCI doctoral program is limited to students of exceptionally high competence and promise. A completed master’s degree is required for entry into the doctoral program. Students lacking academic or professional experience in communication and information may be required to take prerequisite courses. All new doctoral students begin their classes in the fall semester.

Submit the following materials with your Graduate Admissions application:

• A Resumé or C.V. (Curriculum Vita).
• Official transcripts. A 3.00 (4.00 system) Grade Point Average (GPA) in undergraduate studies, and a 3.50 GPA for graduate studies is typically required for admission.
• The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are optional, beginning with Fall 2023 admissions.
• Research Statement, Writing Sample, and Personal Statement.
• Recommendation letters and/or rating forms from at least 3 former instructors, professional supervisors, or similar.
• A Statement of Interest in a CCI Graduate Teaching Assistantship position (optional).

Note:

• Personal interviews with the CCI PhD admissions review committee may be required.
• For students whose native language is not English and who have not earned an earlier degree at an English-language college or university, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), is required. The score must not be older than two years. Please see the Graduate School’s Admissions Requirements section of the Applying to Graduate School page for more information.
• Graduate School Admissions require that international students submit applications no later than February 1.

Details regarding these and other application requirements are included in the online application.

Application Process

To apply to the doctoral program, go to the University of Tennessee Graduate Admissions Application Online Submission site.

College formal review of applications begins January 10. Applicants who also want to apply for assistantship funding should do so by January 10, as preference is given to applicants whose materials are submitted by that date. A limited number of positions open each fall.