Doctoral Program

Our doctoral program is among the best programs in journalism and media in the U.S.  Led by faculty with distinguished research and publication records – many with professional journalism or media experience – our program is designed to equip students with a strong theoretical grounding and versatile research methods.  Graduates of our four-year program can go on to positions in the academy, and they also may join think tanks, advocacy and non-governmental organizations and professional associations working with information and media systems.   

We offer a far-reaching array of electives and research opportunities. The faculties’ fields of interest broadly include news and media engagement; online incivility; digital media; mis and disinformation; the digital divide and information equity; media law and policy, including the impact of Artificial Intelligence and algorithms on media; journalism and democracy; global media systems; media and representation; visual communication studies; critical data studies; social media and platform studies; media economics, among other topics.  Please look at faculty bios and our description of research opportunities to learn more about current projects.   

Our program incorporates many opportunities to undertake research independently or to work with groups associated with research centers or institutes or research groups, and we have an excellent record of participation with the major professional associations including the Association for Education in Journalism and Media Communication (AEJMC), the International Communication Association (ICA),  the International Association of Media and Communication Research, the Association of Internet Research (AoIR), as well as smaller highly focused forums such as The Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy. 

Our students also participate with the many interdisciplinary Portfolio Programs on campus.  Moody College is home to three such programs, including the Communication, Information and Cultural Policy program focused on media systems and directed by some of our faculty.  Additionally, summer internships with professional or research programs are sometimes sponsored by associated research institutes.  Students have taken advantage of UT’s Archer Program, and the multi-University COMPASS program associated with the Technology and Information Policy Institute.