Program Information
Ph.D. in Mass Communication
The Ph.D. degree is a research degree. The Ph.D. program is designed to help develop knowledge, attitudes, and skills so graduates can make important contributions to understanding mass communication. Faculty members help students lay the foundation for a lifetime of significant, creative work.
The doctoral program prepares students for a variety of opportunities in mass communication. Graduates are expected to teach at colleges and universities; conduct research for organizations in advertising, journalism, public relations, telecommunication, and other mass communication fields; do consulting; and conduct research and contribute to policy in government and private organizations. Doctoral students in the College of Journalism and Communications gain valuable experience in both teaching and research. Assistantships help prepare students for academic and other research positions. Students in the program have consistently been among the nation’s leaders in winning top-paper awards at national and regional scholarly meetings.
Master of Arts in Mass Communication (M.A.M.C.)
There are several specializations available for the Master of Arts in Mass Communication:
The Journalism specialization program in the UF College of Journalism and Communications combines study of the academic literature on the societal role and effects of mass communication in general and journalism in particular with courses designed to improve students’ practice of the journalism craft. The Journalism specialization at the master’s level is designed for students interested in all areas of non-broadcast journalism (i.e. newspapers, magazines and online publishing). Those who have an educational and /or professional background in journalism can enhance their understanding of the role of journalism in society, as well as improving reporting and writing skills. However, the program is also well-suited for students with a long-term interest in college-level journalism education, who can pursue the master’s degree as preparation for entry into a doctoral program. For more information, please see our website: http://www.jou.ufl.edu/academics/masters/mamc-journalism.
The Pro Master’s specialization: The Professional Master’s track is an on-campus program focused in four core/cross disciplines:
- applied theory;
- communication, technology and society;
- multimedia storytelling; and
- data creation/analysis/data visualization.
The track is designed specifically for those who want to develop additional skills to become more competitive in the job market. The program allows you to develop your own customizable curriculum from three key career areas: Data/Research, Creative or Management. Students can use our suggested curriculum or create your own path to reach your personal career goals.
The Professional Masters’ can be completed in one year, for those who want an accelerated program, or two years. Admission is for the fall semester only. For more information, please see our website: https://www.jou.ufl.edu/current-students/masters/promasters/.
The Public Relations specialization at the master’s level is a research-based program designed to prepare students for careers and advancement in the industry or for entering doctoral studies. Students learn the conceptual foundations of public relations and develop professional and research competency within the duration of the program. Courses in the public relations specialization focus on conceptual foundations of public relations, including mass communication and society; professional and managerial skills mastery; and research expertise. For more information, please see our website: http://www.jou.ufl.edu/academics/masters/master-of-public-relations.
The Telecommunication specialization program in the UF College of Journalism and Communications combines courses in Mass Communication, Telecommunication, and other areas relevant to the student’s goals. There is a thesis track, appropriate for students who will later seek the Ph.D. or who wish to learn the skills and knowledge associated with thesis research or project in lieu of thesis. The Telecommunication track is designed for students with the following interests:
- Operation or management of telecommunication outlets (broadcast stations, cable systems, program distributors, etc.) and emerging media
- Telecommunication regulation and policy
- Audience research
- Preparation for an advanced degree
For more information, please see our website: http://www.jou.ufl.edu/academics/masters/mamc-telecommunication.
The International/Intercultural Communication specialization: The field of international communication encompasses the study of international journalism (both print and broadcast) and international business and marketing communication. The field of intercultural communication focuses on the interactions between people of different cultures, values and histories. Through their study, students learn to appreciate and engage diverse cultures and media, gaining the knowledge and skills you need to thrive in today’s challenging global community. The international/intercultural track in mass communication culminates with the student writing a thesis on an international/intercultural topic in communication, applying one or more of the methods used in communication research. For more information, please see our website: http://www.jou.ufl.edu/academics/masters/mamc-internationalintercultural-communication-specialization.
The Science and Health Communications specialization program is designed to teach scientists and health specialists to communicate effectively via media, and to teach mass media specialists the background science to translate the language of science and health into meaningful and understandable stories for their audiences. These goals are achieved through theoretical writing and applied courses. At least two aspects of the program make it unique among science communication programs nationwide. First, other existing science communication programs in the U.S. focus on training journalists. UF’s program is open to journalists who want to specialize in covering science and health, offers training for people planning to work as public affairs or public information officers for science and health organizations, for other communication specialists, and for scientists who need to be able to communicate with the public about their work. Second, the program focuses on training students to understand and communicate effectively about science and health policy. For more information, please see our website: http://www.jou.ufl.edu/academics/masters/mamc-sciencehealth-communication.
For more help with any of our graduate degree programs, please refer to our website: http://www.jou.ufl.edu/academics.
Degrees Offered with a Major in Mass Communication
- Doctor of Philosophy
- without a concentration
- concentration in Clinical and Translational Science
- Master of Arts in Mass Communication
Requirements for these degrees are given in the Graduate Degrees section of this catalog.
College of Journalism and Communications Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ADV 5005 | Advertising Planning | 3 |
| ADV 5407 | Content Marketing | 3 |
| ADV 6006 | Theories of Advertising | 3 |
| ADV 6325 | Advertising and Social Media | 3 |
| ADV 6405 | International Advertising | 3 |
| ADV 6503 | Advertising Creative Strategy and Research | 3 |
| ADV 6505 | Advertising Research Methods | 3 |
| ADV 6602 | Advertising Management | 3 |
| COM 5256 | Translational Com Science | 3 |
| COM 6255 | Science and Health Policy | 3 |
| COM 6315 | Advanced Research Methods | 3 |
| COM 6338 | Advanced Web Topics I: Advanced Design | 4 |
| COM 6715 | Grant Writing | 3 |
| COM 6940 | Supervised Teaching | 1-3 |
| JOU 5007 | History of Journalism | 3 |
| JOU 6391 | Seminar in Journalism as Literature | 3 |
| MMC 5006 | Introduction to Multimedia Communication | 3 |
| MMC 5046 | Presentation Power | 3 |
| MMC 5165 | Influence and Selling | 3 |
| MMC 5206 | Advanced Law of Mass Communication | 3 |
| MMC 5215 | Technology Policy | 3 |
| MMC 5259 | Customer Management and the Nurturing of Enduring Relationships | 3 |
| MMC 5277 | Web Design Principles | 4 |
| MMC 5279 | UX Design Theory | 3 |
| MMC 5306 | International Communication | 3 |
| MMC 5308 | Communicating for Success | 3 |
| MMC 5406 | Selling Today | 3 |
| MMC 5422 | Customer Research and the Fundamentals of Online Testing | 3 |
| MMC 5427 | Research Methods in Digital Communication | 3 |
| MMC 5435 | Messaging Strategy and the Centrality of the Value Proposition | 3 |
| MMC 5436 | Messaging Methodologies and the Practice of Conversion Optimization | 3 |
| MMC 5449 | Consumer and Audience Analytics | 3 |
| MMC 5465 | Communication Leadership | 3 |
| MMC 5468 | Understanding Audiences | 3 |
| MMC 5636 | Introduction to Social Media | 3 |
| MMC 5648 | Public Affairs Communication | 3 |
| MMC 5708 | Foundations of Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| MMC 5717 | Cross Platform Media Selling | 3 |
| MMC 5731 | Digital Sales and Engagement | 3 |
| MMC 5737 | Lead Generation and Management | 3 |
| MMC 5739 | Social Media Advertising for Conversions | 3 |
| MMC 6135 | Data Visualization | 3 |
| MMC 6145 | Web Interactivity and Engagement | 3 |
| MMC 6205 | Social Media Ethics | 3 |
| MMC 6213 | Strategic Communication Ethics and Concepts | 3 |
| MMC 6278 | Advanced Web Topics II | 4 |
| MMC 6400 | Mass Communication Theory | 3 |
| MMC 6402 | Seminar in Mass Communication Theory | 4 |
| MMC 6406 | Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Mass Communication | 3 |
| MMC 6409 | Science/Health Communication | 3 |
| MMC 6417 | New Media, Health Behavior and the Health Environment | 3 |
| MMC 6421 | Research Methods in Mass Communication | 3 |
| MMC 6423 | Content-Analysis Methods | 3 |
| MMC 6426 | Qualitative Research | 3 |
| MMC 6428 | Collaborative Communication Research | 3 |
| MMC 6455 | Mass Communication Statistics | 3 |
| MMC 6456 | Data Storytelling and Visualization | 4 |
| MMC 6457 | Mass Communication Statistics 2 | 3 |
| MMC 6466 | Digital Persuasive Communication | 3 |
| MMC 6475 | Audience Research Methods | 3 |
| MMC 6476 | Understanding Audiences | 3 |
| MMC 6485 | Advanced Qualitative Methods: Narrative Health Methods and Analyses | 3 |
| MMC 6486 | Family Communication and Health Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| MMC 6487 | Interpersonal Health Communication Theory | 3 |
| MMC 6566 | Communicating Privacy | 3 |
| MMC 6568 | Communication in Healthcare | 3 |
| MMC 6612 | New Media and a Democratic Society | 3 |
| MMC 6615 | Race, Class, Gender, and Media | 3-4 |
| MMC 6618 | Survey of Political Communication | 3 |
| MMC 6638 | Global Activism and Social Change Communication | 3 |
| MMC 6647 | Financial Business Essentials for Communication Professionals | 3 |
| MMC 6660 | Communication, Technology and Society | 3 |
| MMC 6665 | Seminar in First Amendment Theory | 4 |
| MMC 6666 | Seminar in Research in Mass Communication Law | 4 |
| MMC 6725 | Social Media and News | 3 |
| MMC 6726 | Social Media and Emerging Technology | 3 |
| MMC 6727 | Social Media Metrics | 3 |
| MMC 6728 | Branding Using Social and Mobile Media | 3 |
| MMC 6730 | Social Media Management | 3 |
| MMC 6738 | Digital Promotions/Campaigns | 3 |
| MMC 6746 | Developing Intercultural Competence | 3 |
| MMC 6905 | Individual Work | 1-3 |
| MMC 6910 | Supervised Research | 1-3 |
| MMC 6929 | Communication Colloquium | 2 |
| MMC 6930 | Seminar in Mass Communication Teaching | 3 |
| MMC 6936 | Special Topics in Mass Communication | 1-3 |
| MMC 6949 | Professional Internship | 1-3 |
| MMC 6951 | Masters Project Seminar | 1 |
| MMC 6971 | Research for Master's Thesis | 1-15 |
| MMC 6973 | Project in Lieu of Thesis | 1-9 |
| MMC 7979 | Advanced Research | 1-12 |
| MMC 7980 | Research for Doctoral Dissertation | 1-12 |
| PUR 5507 | Persuasion Theory and Research | 3 |
| PUR 6005 | Theories of Public Relations | 3 |
| PUR 6006 | Public Relations Foundations | 3 |
| PUR 6206 | Public Relations Ethics and Professional Responsibility | 3 |
| PUR 6403 | Crisis and Risk Management | 3 |
| PUR 6409 | International Issues and Crisis Communication | 3 |
| PUR 6416 | Public Relations and Fund Raising | 3 |
| PUR 6446 | Public Relations and Philanthropy | 3 |
| PUR 6475 | Digital Social Advocacy | 3 |
| PUR 6506 | Public Relations Research | 3 |
| PUR 6607 | Public Relations Management | 3 |
| PUR 6608 | International Public Relations | 3 |
| PUR 6616 | Corporate Reputation and Communication | 3 |
| PUR 6934 | Problems in Public Relations | 3 |
| RTV 6508 | Audience Analysis | 3 |
| RTV 6801 | Media Management and Theory | 3 |
| RTV 6807 | Telecommunication Outlet Systems and Practices | 3 |
| RTV 6973 | Project in Lieu of Thesis | 1-9 |
| VIC 5315 | Corporate and Brand Identity on the Web | 3 |
| VIC 5325 | Digital Imagery in Web Design | 4 |
| VIC 5326 | Digital Media Layout and Design | 3 |
| VIC 6316 | Brand Management | 3 |
mass communications (PHD)
SLO 1 Knowledge
Develop a thorough identification and review of mass communication theory and proficiency in research methods surrounding a specific area of expertise in the mass communication field.
SLO 2 Knowledge
Discuss and translate mass communication theory and proficiency in research methods surrounding a specific area of expertise in the mass communication field.
SLO 3 Skills
Explain and report communication subject matter and methodology, successfully complete research studies through conceptualization, methodological expertise, analysis and submission to professional conferences and publication in peer-reviewed journals.
SLO 4 Professional Behavior
Display of ethical behaviors, cultural sensitivity and appreciation for diverse viewpoints, leadership, independent and creative thinking.
SLO 5 Professional Behavior
Participate in professional and academic service activities that develop leadership skills.
Mass Communications (MAMC)
SLO 1 Knowledge
Identify, describe, explain, and apply communication theory research methods, aiding in a synthesized perspective for evaluating and addressing professional or theoretical problems
SLO 2 Skills
Address communication subject matter and issues through application, analysis, or synthesis of subjects, theories and methodologies
SLO 3 Professional Behavior
Display ethical behaviors, teamwork, cultural sensitivity/appreciation for diverse viewpoints, and meet professional standards for effective and ethical decision making