Doctoral Programs

Whether you seek a career in academia, the industry, or governmental and non-governmental organizations, you will become a critical educator and researcher of communication through rigorous coursework, independent and collaborative research projects, and teaching opportunities.

You will work side by side with your peers and our distinguished faculty to advance knowledge in the field while creating interdisciplinary solutions to complex societal and organizational problems. At the same time, you will build a professional network of worldwide and lifelong connections with fellow scholars and practitioners.

USC Annenberg’s location at the heart of a top-tier research university and in the dynamic city of Los Angeles provides you with the ideal setting to explore ways to inventively fuse your scholarship and expertise in communication studies with disciplines such as political science, international relations, sociology and information sciences as well as gender, media and popular culture studies.

The core objective of the computational social science (CSS) PhD program is to train graduate students to be professional computational social scientists in academia, government, or business.

The program offers a unique and innovative interdisciplinary academic environment for systematically exploring, discovering, and developing skills to successfully follow careers in one of the areas of computational social science.

The aim of the Computational Social Science program is to provide our students with the relevant tools and skill set to investigate this new and exciting field through our unique degree programs. 

The Doctor of Philosophy in Information Studies (PhD) program at the UMD College of Information (INFO) prepares students to address the hardest social and technical problems of today and tomorrow. Working side-by-side with world-renowned faculty and at internationally recognized research centers and labs, students conduct research on pressing information issues, which often entwine social and technical innovation. We draw on core values of information studies, including justice, inclusion, and access, and use these principles to facilitate the discovery of new knowledge.

Students also master research methodology/design, interdisciplinary theory, knowledge of previous research in their area, the ability to synthesize and apply this knowledge, and how to create and disseminate original research.

With a multidisciplinary faculty focusing on diverse information science research areas such as online communities, information systems, information policy, human-computer interaction, and digital cultural heritage, the UMD INFO College cultivates doctoral students from a wide range of backgrounds. Today’s hardest social and technical problems have information at their core. We’re seeking PhD students who have hard, unanswered questions about information problems. Explore our Expertise Areas.

We guarantee funding for all admitted full-time students. We also welcome self-funded part-time students working in areas that complement their doctoral research.

Communication is the thread that holds the social quilt together, and that interconnects individuals with society as a whole. Scholars and students in the UC Davis Department of Communication analyze the production, distribution, processing and impact of messages as a means of understanding and improving interactions among individuals, technologies, organizations and societies.

The Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering is a world leader in education, research, and innovation through the creation, expansion, and communication of knowledge for the design, operation, integration, and improvement of products, processes, and socio-technical systems.

With one of the nation's premier doctoral programs in Communication, the Annenberg School is a tight-knit, supportive community of scholars committed to advancing knowledge of our media environment.

Founded through the generosity and vision of publisher, diplomat, and philanthropist Walter Annenberg, the Annenberg School for Communication is devoted to furthering our understanding of the role of communication in public life through research, education, and service. Our five-year doctoral program has a strong reputation as one of the best in Communication, based on Annenberg’s unparalleled combination of world-class faculty, students, and alumni, as well as access to the larger intellectual and cultural resources of the University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia.

Through coursework and practica, Ph.D. candidates develop a strong foundation in information science, learning to identify critical problems and rigorously researching their solutions. Students become well versed in the scope, origins, methods, issues and theoretical framework that define the iSchool’s uniquely interdisciplinary approach to the study of information. Ph.D. students at the iSchool come from a variety of professional experiences and academic backgrounds, such as information science, social sciences, computer science, library services, law, and information technology.

The Ph.D. program is a theoretical, research-based doctorate that focuses on creating and advancing new knowledge that will make a significant, positive difference. Research focuses on understanding human involvement with information and its social and technological ramifications. It addresses issues that affect the communication of knowledge and knowledge records among people in social, institutional and individual contexts. To learn more about Research Areas, visit that area of our website.

As a Ph.D. student, you will benefit from a combination of mentoring, involvement in research projects with faculty as principal investigators and a culture of close collaboration with their peers. The breadth of expertise of doctoral students and faculty supports the School’s goal to produce rising academics that make original and meaningful contributions to the discipline of information science.

Formulate and explore novel research questions at the intersection of computational and social sciences with the DPhil in Social Data Science.

In this programme, you will pioneer new approaches to studying how technologies are designed and used, exploiting fast-expanding possibilities in large-scale data collection, artificial intelligence, and statistical modelling. You will develop and adapt techniques such as network science, machine learning, experimental studies, and algorithm auditing.

The programme is delivered by the OII’s multidisciplinary faculty, working in collaboration with departments across Oxford including Engineering Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science, and Sociology. It combines personalised supervision and advanced training in both computational and social science methods with access to the University’s world-class academic resources.

Throughout the degree, you will build technical expertise while developing a strong grounding in social science theory, research design, and the ethics of AI and data-driven technologies. Graduates go on to careers in academia, policy, industry, and the civil sector, applying advanced methods and critical perspectives to the challenges and opportunities of a data-rich society.

The Information Science Ph.D. program studies technological systems and how people use them, from both technical and social perspectives. The field examines computing and communication technologies alongside their broader contexts — social, cultural, economic, and political. This interdisciplinary approach combines diverse methodologies, from computer modeling and system design to experimental studies and critical social analysis.

Information Science spans both the Ithaca and Cornell Tech campuses, with faculty and students in both locations.

Technology and Social Behavior (TSB) is a joint Ph.D. program in Computer Science and Communication that draws on Northwestern's strong support for interdisciplinary research, benefits from talented faculty who contribute to a tradition of collaboration, and attracts unique students who are eager for academic experiences that cross traditional departmental boundaries.

The rise of digital technology has revolutionized every subfield in humanities and social science (HSS). Applying digital technology to HSS has become an unavoidable global trend in the future. The MPhil-PhD Programme in Computational Social Science is designed for students who wish to pursue an academic career in the broad area of computational social science and humanities. It will train students to identify interesting and promising research topics and conduct research projects by bridging the gap between computational techniques and traditional studies in humanities and social sciences. They are expected to become leading scholars and practitioners in academia and industries, making original and substantial contributions to their fields of research and to humanity and society. This programme aims to attract two types of applicants who have, 1) a computer science background with a strong interest in humanities and social science, and 2) a social science and humanities background with a strong interest in social computing. 

When you study at the undergraduate level, you are introduced to a field and gradually become aware of its unexpected nuances and complexities. At the doctoral level, you acquire an intellectual framework that allows you to embrace and accommodate that complexity as you strive to make sense of the world. As you progress, your novel insights help others make sense of the world as well. When that occurs, you are contributing to knowledge. Doctoral study is rigorous and immersive — but it is rewarding.

In the Kellogg Ph.D. program, you will master an academic discipline — economics, psychology, sociology, operations research, or data science — and apply that mastery to real-world problems facing managers and policymakers. This discipline-based approach prepares you to challenge conventional wisdom with new ideas, models, and empirical findings that have an enduring impact on businesses, organizations, and communities. After leaving Kellogg, you can look forward to a career leading and inspiring others through teaching and research.

The Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Communication and Information Sciences integrates the fields of communication, computer science, library studies, and management information systems. Because of the broad knowledge required to support this interdisciplinary approach, the program draws from such fields as political science, economics, engineering, operations research, and behavioral sciences. This unique program is sponsored by four academic faculties: Communication, Information and Computer Sciences, Information Technology Management, and Library and Information Science.

Are you interested in exploring and understanding how the parts of a system interact with each other to drive the behavior of the system as a whole, in areas as diverse as social networks, the human brain, a language, power grids, financial markets, or gene regulatory networks? The complex networks and systems (CNS) track may be for you.

When you study CNS, you’ll explore new solutions for problems in computer science, physics, math, biology, health, and cognitive and social sciences. You might determine what makes a certain YouTube video go viral, examine Instagram data to discover adverse reactions caused by drug interactions, or develop a model that can accurately predict the spread of misinformation online.

At UMSI, the PhD program allows you to deep-dive into research methods and topics you’ll use throughout your scholarly career. You’ll receive individual attention from our world-class faculty members as part of the application process. Working closely with them, you’ll learn a wide variety of research methods and conduct your own scholarly inquiry.

The University of Arizona PhD in Information prepares students to excel as researchers and thought leaders in academia, government and industry.

Offered at our main campus in Tucson, Arizona, the PhD in Information is typically completed in five years, requiring 54 units for primary work plus 9-15 units for the PhD minor.

The College of Information Science is committed to creating an inclusive intellectual space for all, irrespective of background or characteristics, and we seek a wide range of students with diverse research interests and experiences, including machine learning, natural language processing, artificial intelligence, virtual/mixed reality, game development, immersive technologies, new media and internet studies, human-computer interaction, digital curation, archival studies and the future of work.

As the state's only member of the iSchools consortium, we foster interdisciplinary understanding, preparing students for advanced information and data careers as professors, scientists, consultants, directors and more.

We invite you to join an exciting interdisciplinary field of study at the intersection of the social sciences, humanities, and technology. We develop and apply transformative knowledge about all media systems, society and evolving information and communication technologies. This STEM designated program (09.0702 Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia) engages students to become leaders in academia, government, and industry in the media and information fields.

Our approach is multidisciplinary, combining faculty members with degrees in communication, advertising, public relations, journalism, economics, information studies, sociology, law, marketing and computer science, all pursuing teaching and research opportunities in three participating departments.

The PhD in Information Science at CU Boulder is for students who want to not only imagine what today’s technology makes possible, but to invent new things society can do with technology.

Whether conducting empirical investigations of existing technologies and cultures or designing and building new systems and approaches, students will work in an interdisciplinary, collaborative environment to address real problems and create an impact on our society.  

Our research program is exceptionally strong in human-computer interaction, data science, and social and collaborative computing, and our faculty expertise covers a broad range of areas including interaction design, recommender systems, technology ethics, health informatics, education and learning, marginalization and identity, and more!

The doctoral program is a research-oriented program in which the student chooses specific fields of specialization, prepares sufficiently in the literature and the research of those fields to pass a qualifying examination, and completes original research culminating in the written dissertation. The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is conferred in recognition of a candidate's grasp of a broad field of learning and distinguished accomplishment in that field through contribution of an original piece of research revealing high critical ability and powers of imagination and synthesis.

The work of our faculty defines the field and puts scholars like you at the forefront of the information society. When you join the iSchool, you'll benefit from the excellence and reputation of the nation's leading school in library and information studies. Our interdisciplinary research program responds to new social and technological opportunities for producing, analyzing, disseminating, and accessing information.

PhD students are guaranteed financial support for five academic years (excluding summers) through research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and fellowships. Our students come from a variety of academic backgrounds and professional experiences, creating a collaborative, innovative, and vibrant community of scholars.

The Information Sciences PhD program is a residency program. Students are required to complete all coursework while located in Champaign-Urbana. Students may choose to complete their research outside of Champaign-Urbana at the discretion of the faculty advisor. Please note that if an international student leaves Champaign-Urbana at any point during their study, this may impact funding opportunities through the iSchool.

Broad’s Ph.D. in Information Technology Management prepares candidates to be successful information systems researchers and teachers at prestigious universities.

Our world-class information systems faculty set the foundation for our innovative Ph.D. in Information Technology program. These faculty are nationally renowned for their publications, editorial positions, research grant funding and information systems community leadership.

The PhD degree in MS&E is intended for students primarily interested in a career of research and teaching, or high-level technical work in universities, industry, or government.

The PhD is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ability to conduct independent research. Through course work and guided research, the program prepares students to make original contributions in Management Science and Engineering and related fields.

The PhD in Media, Technology, and Society (MTS) program is an innovative, interdisciplinary, and flexible curriculum focusing on the dynamic media and technology environment and its impact. The program encourages students to pursue their passion by designing individualized programs of study that incorporate relevant classes from across Northwestern University. The program faculty are internationally renowned for their research in areas such as:

• Digital media use and effects
• Health and well-being
• Human-computer interaction
• Innovation and change
• Media institutions
• Networks and organizing
• Social media

The MTS faculty undertake research in these areas using a wide array of traditional and innovative research methods. In addition, they actively pursue opportunities to make positive economic, cultural, and social impact through their research in businesses, nonprofit, and government agencies.

The PhD in Network Science is an interdisciplinary program supported jointly by the Bouvé College of Health Sciences, College of Arts, Media and Design, College of Science, D’Amore-McKim School of Business, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, and Khoury College of Computer Sciences. Our interdisciplinary program provides the conceptual and mathematical tools needed to describe and predict networks in an ever-evolving field. Students will learn a range of network-based approaches, and will become proficient in relational (graph-based), mathematical, and algorithmic techniques, as well as fundamental network theories that can be used to explain mechanisms and processes of networks across domains—in physical, technological, informational, and social systems.

As the only Network Science doctoral program based in the U.S., our curriculum provides a scholarly experience that is truly one of a kind. The program fosters intellectual and quantitative agility, enabling students to combine theoretically-driven inquiries with data collection and analytic tools and theories—while also understanding when, and in what contexts, particular techniques are appropriate and meaningful.

The Ph.D. program in Communication, Information, and Media provides doctoral training in theoretical and research skills for scholarly and professional leadership in the fields of communication, library and information science, and media studies. The strategic combination of these areas helps prepare you to address key questions facing our society in the 21st century. We focus on the nature and function of communication, information, and media institutions, policies, processes, and systems, examining their impact on individuals and social, organizational, national, and international affairs. Interdisciplinary approaches to these issues are strongly supported and encouraged.

The Doctoral Program in Social and Engineering Systems (SES) is a unique graduate research program focused on addressing concrete and societally significant problems by combining the analytical tools and methods of statistics and information sciences with engineering and the social sciences.

We offer a PhD programme in Quantitative and Computational Social Science (QCSS). The structured PhD programme includes (2) extensive training in cutting-edge research methods, (2) regular contact with a Research Studies Panel composed of academic staff with expertise related to the student’s interests, and (3) the writing of a doctoral thesis based on original research. 
This programme is built around quantitative and computational social science methods and tools applied to substantive and methodological research questions in the social sciences. The programme brings together the perspectives and research methods of various disciplines such as Economics, Politics, Sociology and Statistics. The QCSS programme provides students with rigorous training in quantitative research and methods, including quantitative text analysis, machine learning, computer vision techniques, agent-based modelling, network analysis, and causal inference. Students will apply these methods in their PhD thesis to answer substantive research questions in Social Sciences.  Successful candidates are invited to join the Connected Politics Lab, an interdisciplinary hub for researchers using computational methods to study politics and society, the UCD Geary Institute for Public Policy, and/or the UCD Behavioural Science and Policy group, a centre for research and collaboration on integrating behaviourally-informed ideas into public policy.

The Ph.D. Specialization in Computational Social Science brings together classes and community across the School of Social Sciences. The CSS Specialization supplements social science Ph.D. curricula with technical coursework and practice leveraging modern computational modeling methods and large naturalistic datasets. These skills, in turn, deepen understanding of the core theories and applications of their home department field, and provide marketable, technical, project-based expertise that can be applied to problems across academic, public sector, NGO, and business worlds. This specialization contributes to a more integrated and supportive CSS ecosystem at UC San Diego.

The PhD specialization in data science is an option within the Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, and Statistics departments.

Only students already enrolled in one of these doctoral programs at Columbia are eligible to participate in this specialization. Students should fulfill the requirements below in addition to those of their respective department's PhD program. Students should discuss this specialization option with their PhD advisor and their department's director for graduate studies.

The Societal Computing PhD program at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science equips students to address the complex interplay of technology and society. As computational systems grow in scope and impact—powering everything from data security to online markets—new societal, managerial, and policy challenges emerge. Our program meets this moment with a rigorous computer science foundation paired with interdisciplinary insights, preparing graduates to lead at this critical intersection.

Unlike traditional computer science or policy programs, Societal Computing bridges these fields to train innovative researchers. Here, you’ll master cutting-edge computation while exploring its human and organizational dimensions—unlocking solutions to issues like privacy, cybersecurity, and socio-technical systems.