Communication (PhD) Fall 2026
When is the application deadline?
The application deadline for the PhD in Communication is December 1, 2025. New students are admitted to the fall term only. Late applications will not be accepted.
Should I submit a résumé or curriculum vitae?
Submit a current résumé. However, if you have presented at conferences and published papers and/or articles, a CV is expected.
What is the personal statement and what must be included?
The personal statement is an expression of three areas: (1) research experience, (2) professional background and (3) conceptual questions and phenomena of interest to you. In addition to addressing these three areas, your statement must include a detailed explanation of why you would like to work with the USC Annenberg faculty members that you identify in your application as possible mentors and/or committee members. Limit this statement to five pages.
What type of writing sample is required?
Select a 10-page representative sample from an essay, article, or book chapter that you solely wrote that demonstrates a research area of interest that you wish to pursue in the doctoral program. This sample must be entirely your own writing and not co-authored. Please describe why you wrote the piece and where it was submitted.
What is the questionnaire?
This required questionnaire is designed to identify your interests in doctoral program faculty, research and courses.
How many letters of recommendation are needed and from whom?
Three faculty recommendations are required. However, if you have substantial work experience, you may provide one professional reference (a direct manager or supervisor only) in place of one faculty recommendation.
What admission test scores are required?
All international student applicants are expected to demonstrate adequate English-language proficiency. To learn more about how to satisfy this requirement, click here.
Contacting Faculty
While prospective students and applicants are welcome to reach out to individual faculty members, applications to the Annenberg PhD program are reviewed holistically by a faculty admission committee. Accepted students are offered placement in the program as a whole, rather than in any individual faculty member’s lab or under their advisement. This means that applicants may apply to the PhD degree program without seeking agreement to work with or be supervised by any faculty member.
The application will ask you to list several faculty members with whom you may be interested in working. Please note that applicants with a broad interest in various faculty best demonstrate potential fit with the PhD degree program as a whole.
FAQs
Q: Do you review GRE scores?
A: No, GRE scores are not considered as part of the application.
Q: When are English-language scores required?
A: English language scores must be submitted by the December 1, 2025 deadline.
Q: Do I need to get an Annenberg School of Communication faculty member to agree to serve as my advisor before applying?
A: No, you don’t need agreement from a faculty member to serve as your advisor before applying. If your application is successful you will be assigned a first-year mentor. During your second year, you will have the opportunity to either continue working with your first-year mentor or request a change to another faculty advisor.
Q: Is a master’s degree required to apply or do you accept applicants with a BS/BA only?
A: A Master’s degree (or equivalent) is not required to apply. However, applicants with a Bachelor’s degree only must demonstrate preparation to undertake graduate level courses and equivalent research skills.
Q: If I have substantial work experience, may I provide a professional reference instead of an academic reference?
A: Yes, you are welcome to submit one (but no more than one) professional reference instead of an academic reference letter.
Q: When are references required?
A: Reference letters should be submitted by the December 1, 2025 deadline.
Q: May I submit a non-academic writing sample?
A: Yes, you may submit a non-academic writing sample. However, bear in mind that the program is academically oriented and therefore applicants are expected to demonstrate strong academic skills in their application.
Q: Do you accept multimedia work as part of the application?
A: Yes, you may submit multimedia work as part of your application. However, bear in mind that the program is academically oriented and therefore applicants are expected to demonstrate strong academic skills in their application.
Q: Do you interview applicants?
A: No, interviews are not part of the admissions process for the PhD program.
Q: May the PhD program be done part time, remotely, or in a hybrid modality?
A: No, the PhD program is offered fully in person at the USC University Park campus in Los Angeles. Admitted students must enroll full time, and are expected to be in person for coursework and teaching or research assistant duties.
Q: May I work while I’m in the program?
A: No, the University does not allow PhD students to work outside the program during the academic year.
Application Requirements
The online USC Graduate Admission Application opens August 1, 2025. Go to https://usc.liaisoncas.com to access the application.
Assemble the following documents and program materials which must be uploaded to your application:
- Résumé or CV
- Personal Statement
- Writing Sample
- Copies of all Official College/University Transcript(s)
All program materials must be in English and uploaded to the online application.
Once your application has been submitted, you may not edit or change any document or program material. Also, all submitted documents and program materials become the property of USC and will not be returned.
Official Transcripts
Copies of official transcripts (with registrar’s signature, stamp, or seal) from all colleges and universities attended (including USC) must be uploaded to your application in the Academic History section. If you do not possess copies of your official transcripts, request to have official transcripts with legend or grading scale emailed to you from your previous colleges/universities.
After submitting your online application, request to have e-transcripts sent from your degree conferring institutions to USC Graduate Admission at etrans@usc.edu.
Note:
- International transcripts must include the original language and the English translation as one document.
- Transcripts from your institution’s student portal are unacceptable.
Recommendations
Create online profiles in the Program Materials section of the application by providing the names and email addresses of your recommenders. Instructions and forms will be emailed from the CAS application to your recommenders. If you or your recommenders encounter difficulties, contact the CAS help desk.
Graduate Admission Testing
GRE scores are not required for admission to fall 2025.
TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores are required from international student applicants unless waived; see below for the exception. English-proficiency scores must be dated within 2 years (24 months) of the date you submit your graduate application. To be considered official, USC must receive scores electronically from the testing service. Applicants are encouraged to take exams by November 30, 2024. Photocopies or paper copies of scores are unacceptable.
- For TOEFL, request to have your scores sent to USC institution code 4852.
- For IELTS or PTE, select “University of Southern California” from the list of available institutions when you register for the test. Alternatively, provide this information to your testing center after you have taken the test.
Exception:
- If you completed your entire bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in the United States or another Anglophone country where English is both the language of instruction and the only official language of the country, TOEFL and IELTS are waived.
Email USC Graduate Admission at askUSC If you have questions or concerns.
Application Fee
Pay the $105 non-refundable application fee with a credit card or request an application fee waiver prior to submitting an application.
Fee Waiver
If you plan to request a fee waiver, initiate your application at least seven (7) business days before the application deadline.
Review the fee waiver requirements at USC Graduate Admission website: https://gradadm.usc.edu/tools-resources/fee-waivers/. Applicants seeking a fee waiver must start the online application and then wait for the fee waiver approval from USC Graduate Admission before submitting the application.