About the Department

Since its inception in the 1920s, the University of Oklahoma Department of Communication has been committed to a social scientific approach to the study of the nature, processes and effects of human communicative behavior.

The OU Department of Communication provides a broad-based liberal arts education and promotes communication research and development.

Communication courses explore the process of human interaction in interpersonal, intercultural and political contexts. Graduates from the OU Department of Communication find challenging careers in higher education, management, public relations, consulting and government.

Our graduate program is ranked among the finest in the country and is considered to be one of the major centers of communication research in the world. Our faculty and graduate students take pride in the department's excellent reputation among peer doctoral-granting departments throughout the United States. The department offers both a master of arts program and a doctor of philosophy program.


Through grants, publications, honors, and research projects, the faculty represents the finest combination of excellence in teaching and research. Professors in OU's Department of Communication have won numerous awards, including severaI prestigious university teaching awards. The department also is home to three Fulbright Scholars. OU communication scholars have produced a prolific amount of research, with more than 50 books, nearly 200 journal articles and book chapters, and more than 250 convention papers in the last ten years-ranking them among the top 20 programs in the nation.

To be eligible for enrollment for graduate study in the Department of Communication, the student must be admitted to the University, the Graduate College, and the Department of Communication. Students seeking admission in full standing must meet the admission requirements of the Department of Communication as well as the requirements established by the Graduate College.

Requests for application forms for admission to the University and the Graduate College should be sent to:

University of Oklahoma
Office of Admissions and Records
1000 Asp Ave.
Norman OK 73019-0430

Requests for application to the Department of Communication should be sent to:

Director of Graduate Studies
University of Oklahoma
Department of Communication
Burton Hall, 610 Elm Ave.
Norman, OK 73019-2081

Master of Arts
[more information on our graduate program]
The master's student may follow one of the two options in planning his/her program: (1) the non-thesis program requiring a minimum of 32 hours of course work and a comprehensive examination or (2) the thesis program requiring a minimum of 26 hours of course work and a thesis with oral examination. Students are encouraged to take course work outside the department; however, a minimum of 24 hours must he in Communication.

Doctor of Philosophy
[more information on our graduate program]
The Ph.D. in the Department of Commnnication requires at least 90 semester hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. The 90 or more hours must be in a planned course of study approved and overseen by the student's advisory committee. The student's planned program will often contain more than the minimum 90 hours. Additionally, completion of a minimum of six to nine semester hours in each of two research tools normally is required.

The Office of Admissions and Records has charge of all matters pertaining to general admission to the University. Admission and enrollment in the Graduate College are governed by the college's dean, and in most cases, students also must he recommended for admission by the Department of Communication. The deadline for applicants seeking admission to graduate study is February 1 for Fall semester admittance. Students are only admitted during the Fall semester. It is the policy of the department to accept qualified applicants without regard to race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age or national origin.