Hear from your peers about how they benefited from their graduate studies in the UC Davis Department of Communication.
Students as well as alumni recognize the value of their close interactions with the dedicated faculty of the UC Davis Department of Communication graduate program.
The professors are genuinely interested …
"I feel so fortunate to have been part of this program. I benefited a lot from those small classes. The professors are genuinely interested in the success of every student and are always willing to help. By working closely with several professors, I was able to acquire hands-on research skills. At the same time, they allowed me the intellectual freedom to develop my own research program. With their relentless support, I was able to publish several first-authored articles before I graduated."
Dr. Siyue (April) Li, (Ph.D., UC Davis, 2015)
Assistant Professor, Ohio State University
I have built invaluable relationships …
“I had an amazing experience as a graduate student in the Department of Communication at UC Davis. The coursework not only gave me a strong foundation in communication theory and quantitative methods, but also afforded me the opportunity to explore my research interests. I have built invaluable relationships with my adviser, faculty, and my peers where I feel both supported and challenged."
Dr. Katherine Grasso (Ph.D., UC Davis, 2015)
Assistant Professor, DeSales University, Center Valley, PA
Collaborations led to several publications …
"The Department of Communication at UC Davis provided me with a remarkable graduate student experience. The small class sizes afforded me greater access to the faculty as well as my peers and helped me build productive working relationships. These collaborations led to several publications in high-impact journals. I felt not only supported but nurtured and challenged. My advisers and the faculty took their time to help me develop my skills as a teacher and a researcher. A larger program would not have been able to provide such dedicated one-on-one access to the faculty and the research process."
Dr. Jeanette Barajas Ruiz (Ph.D., UC, Davis, 2015)
Lecturer, UC Davis
Genuinely interested in pushing us toward success …
"During the three years in Department of Communication, I have been able to immerse myself into a supportive and rigorous research environment through a wide array of course offerings, as well as the rewarding interactions with my adviser, faculty and fellow students. All of the professors have a unique specialty within their field that they are more than willing to share with us, and they are genuinely interested in pushing us toward success. Besides these positive aspects, two years of teaching training and hands-on experience will serve me well in my future career. The three years I have spent in this program thus far are among the best years of my life."
Meng Chen (class of 2016)
Sense of community and productive collaboration …
"Attending UC Davis' graduate program in communication has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Through the coursework, I've developed a diverse expertise in research theories, empirical methods, and statistical/data analysis. By engaging in an independent and collaborative research process with multiple faculty members, I've learned how to apply these new skill sets. As both critical and supportive mentors, the faculty stress theory-driven academic scholarship and publication. I've also had many opportunities to teach undergraduate courses and develop my public speaking. In my opinion, the program's greatest strength is the shared sense of community and productive collaboration, rather than competitiveness, between both the faculty and graduate students."
Grace Benefield (class of 2017)
Helping me explore and develop my true potential …
"The Ph.D. program at UC Davis has acted as my launch pad, where I've been able to chase my academic and career goals with the confidence that the department has my back. I particularly appreciate the interdisciplinary atmosphere at the Department of Communication, where the faculty are experts in diverse research areas, ranging from social science and communication to information research. I'm fortunate to work with an adviser who inspires me every day with his energy and passion for research, and who in turn takes a personal interest in my successes. My Ph.D. program at Davis is helping me explore and develop my true potential, with its rigorous training modules and high standards of expectations. I especially cherish the chance to discuss and brainstorm my ideas with some of the most prolific researchers in the field today. This is the beginning of my academic journey, and I'm glad it is happening at Davis."
Saif Ahmed (class of 2018)
Has allowed me to … find my own voice as a scholar…
"My professors and colleagues in the doctoral program at UC Davis' Department of Communication continually enable me to pursue my academic goals and grow professionally. The diverse background of the faculty and the relatively small size of the program has allowed me to work directly with multiple professors in different lines of research in order to find my own voice as a scholar. The attention and guidance I've received from my adviser has also helped me gain national attention for my research. Beyond research, I was also given the opportunity to help design and implement the department's online and hybrid undergraduate teaching program. This experience helped me cultivate skills that are becoming increasingly valuable in a contemporary educational setting. I would recommend this graduate program for students who have diverse areas of interest, want one-on-one support from faculty, and are looking to excel in leadership positions."
Dr. Jannath Ghaznavi (class of 2016)
Instructional Designer, California State University, Northridge