The program is built around three broad approaches of doctoral faculty to studying mass communication. Humanities, focusing on historical and cultural perspectives. Law and Policy, with stress on mass media law and telecommunication policy. Social Sciences, especially information processing, media effects, and public opinion. Students may apply theories and methods of the approaches to any of several mass communication emphases in advancing knowledge of the field.
Most emphases focus on mass communication industries and activities.
Emphases in which faculty members have expertise include advertising, health communication, international communication, journalism, political communication, public relations, and broadcasting and other forms of telecommunication. New information technologies also may be addressed under any one of the three approaches. Students may elect to pursue a general theoretical orientation rather than an emphasis on a specific mass communication industry or activity. Often master's students concentrate on one of the emphases. A student's Ph.D. program of study is tailored to serve the individual.