Students with an M.A. from another university should be able to complete the Ph.D. degree in approximately three years, although an extra quarter or two may be necessary. Those completing the Ph.D. at UCSB typically pursue teaching and research careers in academic settings, though some find employment in private or public research environments. Recent graduates of the doctoral program have obtained faculty positions at such distinguished institutions as Stanford University, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Hawaii, the University of Kansas, and the University of Cardiff in Wales. One of the strengths of our graduate program is that faculty routinely work in more than one of these three primary areas, and students are encouraged to explore overlaps between these traditional contexts. Mass communication examines issues involving the creation, distribution, and reception of mass media messages.
Organizational communication focuses on the nature of communication in the workplace.
Faculty working in this area explore topics such as how innovations are implemented and modified in organizations, the nature of embedded organizational groups, influence processes and organizational decision making, leadership, social networks, socialization processes for organizational newcomers, and communication technologies in the workplace. Graduate students may choose to add an interdisciplinary focus to their doctoral work in communication. Two programs currently exist on campus and can be added as a formal emphasis to the Ph.D. in Communication. Both programs offer students the opportunity to obtain crosstraining in the theories and methods of other disciplines that approach the same area of study, but from different perspectives. The program includes faculty and graduate students from Communication, Education, Linguistics, Psychology, and Sociology who are concerned with biological, sociocultural, and ethnic influences on human development.