Simon Fraser University offers Communications: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), a doctorate in Media Studies & Mass Media programme in Burnaby, Canada. The programme runs for 18 semesters, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 2,193 per semester (CAD 2,193 per semester for local students).
The PhD in SFU's School of Communication trains scholars to produce original critical research on urgent social and political problems facing contemporary societies, locally and globally. Students complete five graduate courses, among them a required seminar in design and methodology in communication research plus courses in theory and history, then demonstrate mastery of two distinct fields within communication studies through written comprehensive examinations and an oral defence. A detailed research proposal, and ethics review where human subjects are involved, precede the dissertation, which is defended publicly before a committee that includes an external examiner. The program is structured across eighteen terms and prepares graduates to work independently as researchers.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Applicants normally hold a master's degree in communication or an equivalent degree in the social sciences or humanities, and admission is contingent on a good fit between the proposed research and available faculty expertise and supervision. The application requires a 1,000-word statement of interest, a research proposal and bibliography of up to 2,000 words naming two or more faculty members whose expertise is relevant, a 250-word abstract with five keywords and two or more potential supervisors, electronic transcripts, two samples of scholarly writing, an academic CV, and three reference letters (at least two from people familiar with the applicant's academic work). Non-native English speakers must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores per SFU's Graduate English Language Requirements; the university's current minimums are IELTS Academic 6.5 overall (6.0 per band) or TOEFL iBT 90 overall (20 per section). Applicants who do not meet SFU's standard graduate admission requirements but have significant relevant experience or expertise may still contact the Graduate Program Coordinator. The application fee is CAD 110 (Canadian transcripts) or CAD 150 (international transcripts); the 2026 cycle deadline was January 15, 2026.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC, with one set of dates per applicant type rather than by citizenship. Fall 2027 entry: high-school-route applications open 1 October 2026 and close 31 January 2027, while transfer applications open 1 March 2027 and close 15 April 2027 (Education and Contemporary Arts transfer applicants may apply from 1 October 2026). Spring 2027 entry runs 1 July to 15 September 2026, and Summer 2027 entry runs 1 December 2026 to 15 January 2027. Admission documents are generally due 28 February 2027 (Fall) and offers must be accepted by 1 May. International applicants use the same EducationPlannerBC dates and portal; SFU publishes no separate international deadline. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
