UW-Madison ranks as one of the top universities for communication and media studies in the world. Our doctoral program in mass communication, jointly administered with the Department of Life Sciences Communication, is internationally recognized for our faculty and areas of research. Our program offers: engaged advising and mentoring; training in quantitative and qualitative research methods; and opportunities for collaborative research.
Top 5
university for communication and media studies worldwide.
Faculty & Staff
Internationally recognized faculty
Research and Teaching Strengths
- Civic and political communication
- International & inter-cultural communication
- Information technologies
- Health, environmental and science communication
- History of communication
- Law and ethics of media
- Social networking and digital media
- Journalism studies
- Processes and effects of mediated communication
Explore our Graduate Programs
MASS COMMUNICATIONS Ph.D.
The Ph.D. degree in Mass Communications provides future academics and professionals with rigorous training in theory and research with highly individualized programs that students develop in consultation with their advisors.
Research M.A.
The Research M.A. focuses on developing tools in mass communication research and typically leads to enrollment in a doctoral program.
Professional M.A.
The professional M.A. typically leads to careers in news and information production.
Graduate Program News
Graduate Student Highlight: Yiping Xia
Ph.D. student Yiping Xia, was recently awarded a Mini Fellowship from UW-Madison's Holtz Center for Science and Technology Studies. We caught up with Yiping to hear more about him and what he hopes to do after graduation.
Graduate Student Highlight: Professional M.A. Class of December 2020
This semester, four of our Professional Track M.A. students completed their degrees and showcased their portfolios of published work. Here’s a look at our four graduating ProTrackers, and what they hope to do next!
Curb Pause: Reflections on a Year Interrupted
Curb Pause emphasizes that we all should take an intentional pause to recognize injustices, reflect on historic parallels and amplify voices that have been muted for generations.