QUESTIONS ABOUT THE Ph.D. PROGRAM
- How many students do you accept each year into the Ph.D. program?
- What are the areas of research emphasis in the Ph.D. program?
- How long does the program take to complete?
- What is tuition for the Ph.D. program?
- How do I establish residency to qualify for in-state tuition?
- What funding opportunities exist for Ph.D. students (e.g., fellowships, assistantships)?
- How can I learn more about the program?
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS
- When is the application deadline?
- What materials are required with the application?
- Are GRE scores required?
- What is the application fee, and how do I pay?
- I cannot afford the application fee. Is it possible to request a waiver?
- What are the minimum requirements for admission?
- If I am an international student, must I take the TOEFL or IELTS exam?
- Can letters of recommendation be sent electronically? May I submit more than three letters?
- What are the guidelines for the statement of purpose?
- What are the guidelines for the writing sample?
- How do I go about sending in my transcripts?
- Do I need to make arrangements for a faculty advisor during the admissions process?
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE Ph.D. PROGRAM
How many students do you accept each year into the Ph.D. program?
Typically, five to nine students are offered admission each year. Annual enrollment in the program, which can be completed in three years, totals about 30 students.
What are the areas of research emphasis in the Ph.D. program?
The Ph.D. program is focused on five substantive areas of study:
- Media processes and production
- Legal and regulatory issues in communication
- Media uses and effects
- Health communication
- Political, social and strategic communication
Visit our curriculum page to read about these research areas and the affiliated faculty members
How long does the program take to complete?
Most students complete the Ph.D. program in three to four years. The program requires 48 hours of coursework (typically four classes each fall/spring semester in the first two years). In the third year, doctoral students take comprehensive exams, defend their dissertation proposals and complete their dissertations. Some students elect to stay a fourth year in order to compete more effectively for research-intensive positions at Research 1 universities or to pursue more ambitious dissertations.
What is tuition for the program?
Tuition and fees are detailed on our page about program costs and funding.
How do I establish residency to qualify for in-state tuition?
If you indicate in your online application that you claim North Carolina residency for tuition purposes, you will be prompted to complete a residency determination form online. Guidelines for residency consideration are available from the North Carolina Residency Determination Service.
What funding opportunities exist for Ph.D. students (e.g., fellowships, assistantships)?
The Roy H. Park Fellowship program is the primary source of funding for our doctoral students. This funding is reserved for U.S. citizens.
We typically have a limited number of additional funding packages for which all applicants are eligible, regardless of citizenship. Eligible applicants are considered for these opportunities automatically; no additional application is required.
How can I learn more about the program?
We offer online info sessions every fall for prospective students. Our graduate program staff and Ph.D. program director are available to answer your questions and connect you with more resources. Contact the Office of Graduate Studies at mjgrad@unc.edu or (919) 843-9471 to be added to our program email list or ask a question.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS
When is the application deadline?
Our application deadline to start the program in fall 2023 is Tuesday December 13, 2022. More information on the application timeline is available on our admissions page.
What materials are required with the application?
The following materials are required with your online application:
- Unofficial undergraduate and master's or J.D. transcripts
- Statement of purpose
- Letters of recommendation, submitted by recommenders
- Resume/CV
- Writing sample(s)
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- Application fee
Are GRE scores required?
GRE scores are not required. You may elect to submit GRE scores if you feel the scores will benefit your application.
What is the application fee, and how do I pay?
The $95 application processing fee can be paid online with your application via credit/debit card (Visa or MasterCard). You may also send a check drawn on a U.S. bank in U.S. dollars, payable to UNC-Chapel Hill to:
The Graduate School – Admissions
Campus Box #4010, 200 Bynum Hall
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC, 27599
I cannot afford the application fee. Is it possible to request a waiver?
Please visit The Graduate School's website to determine whether you are eligible for an application fee waiver and for instructions on how to request an application fee waiver.
What are the minimum requirements for admission?
Minimum criteria include:
- A recognized undergraduate degree
- A recognized master’s degree or J.D.
- Undergraduate and graduate GPAs of “B” or better (3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale)
For more information, please visit our admissions page.
Applicants below these standards will need to demonstrate substantial compensatory qualifications to be considered. Meeting the above criteria is not a guarantee of admission.
If I am an international student, must I take the TOEFL or IELTS exam?
International students who have not graduated from a degree program in which English is the sole language of instruction must take the TOEFL (including the iBT Home Edition) or IELTS exam and achieve the following scores:
- Internet TOEFL exam: 105 or higher
- Computer TOEFL exam: 260 or higher
- Paper-based TOEFL exam: 620 or higher
- IELTS exam: 7.5 or higher
The Graduate School's application instructions outline the specific conditions under which this requirement is waived.
Can letters of recommendation be sent electronically? May I submit more than three letters?
Yes, all application materials, including letters of recommendation, must be submitted electronically through The Graduate School’s online application system. Applicants will be prompted to provide the names and contact information for a minimum of three people who will write letters of recommendation. Each recommender will receive an email with instructions on how to upload the letter of recommendation into the online system or how to mail a sealed, hard-copy of the recommendation directly to The Graduate School. You may have more than three letters sent on your behalf.
What are the guidelines for the statement of purpose?
The statement of purpose should describe your background, career goals and areas of research interest, and how they fit with those of the program and specific faculty. It should be double-spaced and no more than four pages long.
What are the guidelines for the writing sample?
Upload a writing sample in the Supplemental Document(s) - Required section of the Program Supplement page of the online application. You should submit an academic paper or a chapter from your master's thesis.
How do I go about sending in my transcripts?
One unofficial transcript from each university attended must be uploaded into the application by the application deadline. We only accept unofficial transcripts for application evaluation. Please do not mail transcripts. If you are offered admission, you will be requested to obtain one official transcript for each university attended and given instructions on how to submit those official transcripts.
Do I need to make arrangements for a faculty advisor during the admissions process?
No. You are welcome to contact faculty members whose research interests align with yours to learn more about their work, you should not seek their agreement to serve as your advisor. We assign each incoming student an initial advisor. The student then typically identifies a permanent advisor in the first year of the program.