Communication Studies
About Communication Studies
The graduate program in Communication Studies offers M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. The program is concerned with the study of communication phenomena through interdisciplinary training that draws on a variety of fields including cultural studies; critical media and technology studies; feminist media studies; Black media studies; public policy and governance; queer theory; and sound studies. The program strives to offer a balance of humanities and social sciences approaches to the analysis of communication, and its orientation is primarily qualitative (rather than quantitative) in nature. The M.A. and Ph.D. degrees are academic in character, and do not include professional training in journalism, organizational communication, or media production. The Communication Studies program offers courses and directs project research in preparation for the M.A.(Thesis) and Ph.D. in Communication Studies. A graduate option in Gender and Women’s Studies is available via the Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies.
Students enter our graduate programs from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds, though all have a history of documented academic excellence and aptitude for advanced scholarly research. Over the past 30 years, the Graduate Program in Communication Studies has trained many of Canada's leading communications scholars. Graduates of the program may be found working in all levels of government, within the cultural industries, and in dozens of university Communication Studies departments around the world.
McGill is situated in one of the most vibrant cities in North America. Our Montréal locale offers myriad opportunities for graduate students to engage with local arts and media venues. We have long-standing relations with institutions such as the Musée d'art contemporain, the Musée des beaux arts de Montréal, the Canadian Centre for Architecture, and the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec offer grants and research opportunities for our graduate students. We collaborate with a variety of independent contemporary art galleries, feminist arts spaces, and media collectives. In addition to McGill's own Visual Arts Collection, our students often work in and for university-based venues including the Redpath Museum and the McCord Stewart Museum (which houses the Notman Photographic Archives and the McGill University Archives). Through initiatives including Le séminaire des nouveaux modernes, our faculty and students maintain close relationships with researchers at Montréal's three other major universities: Concordia University, Université de Montréal, and Université de Québec à Montréal. Combined with institutional relationships, these informal links connect our students to a broad network of additional courses, lectures, and colleagues across the city.
To obtain financial aid information, please consult the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website.
Further information is available on the Art History and Communication Studies website.
Communication Studies Admission Requirements and Application Procedures
Admission Requirements
M.A.
To apply to the M.A. program in Communication Studies, candidates are expected to have a B.A. degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.3. An undergraduate degree in Communication Studies is not required although demonstrated ability in a related area of study is an asset. Potential applicants are encouraged to consult the program description to determine whether their interests and qualifications align with those of the program, as this is an important factor in admissions.
Ph.D.
Applicants to the Ph.D. program are expected to have completed an M.A. degree or the equivalent thereof. Admission to the Ph.D. program is conditional on a strong fit between a candidate's research interests and those of our faculty. It is not required that applicants contact potential supervisors, or establish a supervisory committee, prior to application. However, applicants may wish to contact faculty members in order to gauge their interest and availability to supervise, as this can be a factor in admissions decisions. A positive response from an individual faculty member regarding supervisory interest does not guarantee admission.
English Language Proficiency
International applicants whose first language is not English should consult the proof of proficiency requirements.
Application Procedures
McGill’s online application form for graduate program candidates is available at mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/apply.
See University Regulations & Resources > Graduate > Graduate Admissions and Application Procedures > Application Procedures for detailed application procedures.
Applications will be considered until the deadline of January 15.
Inquiries regarding the program should be addressed to the Graduate Administrative Coordinator, Department of Art History and Communication Studies.
Additional Requirements
The items and clarifications below are additional requirements set by this department:
- Research Proposal – at least 500 words
- Written Work – two examples of academic writing
- CV
Application Dates and Deadlines
Application opening dates are set by Enrolment Services in consultation with Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (GPS), while application deadlines are set by the Department of Art History and Communication Studies and may be revised at any time. Applicants must verify all deadlines and documentation requirements well in advance on the appropriate McGill departmental website; please consult the list at mcgill.ca/gps/contact/graduate-program.
Information on application deadlines is available at mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/how-apply/application-steps/application-deadlines.
Admission to graduate studies is competitive; accordingly, late and/or incomplete applications are considered only as time and space permit.
Location
Department of Art History and Communication Studies
McCall MacBain Arts Building, Room 155-B
853 Sherbrooke Street West
Montreal QC H3A 0G5
Telephone: 514-398-2850
Fax: 514-398-8557
Email: graduate.ahcs@mcgill.ca
Website: mcgill.ca/ahcs