Overview
The PhD in Communication program offers a unique interdisciplinary path for individuals who are interested to explore the dynamic intersections of human communication, media, technology, social sciences, and cultural studies. Leveraging on the expertise of faculty members across the School of Communication and Media Studies, this program develops academic and professional excellence in graduates equipped to tackle regional and global challenges in communication and media. Through rigorous research supervision and mentorship from researchers at the forefront of their fields, graduates emerge as next generation of changemakers — driving innovation and impact across academia, industry, and society.
- Strategic Communication Consultant
- Media strategist
- Corporate communications director
- Policy communication strategist
- Academia
- RM61,100
for Malaysian students
- USD15,547
for international students
Programme Structure
Module
The student is required to complete one taught module – Research Methods – before proceeding to the Proposal Defence. This core module introduces students to the fundamentals of academic research and methodologies at the postgraduate level to conduct an independent research project.
Class Schedule for Research Methods
This is a 14 to 16-week course that prepares part-time or full-time students for the demands of independent, high impact research that contributes to the advancement of communication scholarship. Weekly schedules may vary.
Thesis
During the course of their studies, students will independently design and carry out an extensive research project with the assistance of the supervisor. The emphasis between theory and practice will vary according to the project. Students will develop significant research outcomes that are of national and international significance, and publicly disseminate these results to engage with the scholarly community.
Research Areas
- Environmental and Political Communication Studies
- Human Communication
- Organisational and Employee Communication
- Interpersonal Communication
- Strategic Communication
- Cross-Cultural Communication
- Small Group and Nonverbal Communication
- International Business Communication
- Integrated Marketing Communication
- Communication and Psychology
- Computer/ Mobile-Mediated Communication
- Digital Media and Politics
- YouTube Studies
- Online Communities
- Transnational Education
- Global Media Flow
- Mobile Technologies
- Social Media
- Technology-Enhanced Learning
- Social Media Marketing
- Digital Marketing
- Radio and audio media
- Pop culture and emerging media
- Advertising and marketing
- Journalism
- Southeast Asian cinema
- Media literacy
- Advertising design
- Propaganda and disinformation
- Brand identity
- Issues and crisis communication
- Brand experience
- Brand and reputation management
Entry Requirements
- A Master’s degree in the relevant field or its equivalent with a minimum CGPA of 3.00; OR
- Any other qualifications will be considered on a case-to-case basis, as accepted by the University Senate; AND
- Applicants are required to pass an interview, which will be conducted by a panel from the School of Communication and Media Studies. This is to assess the candidate's communication abilities and research interest.
English Language Requirements
- IELTS 6.0 or equivalent
Contact Information
For more information, please email:
Application Procedure
Candidates are required to send the following documents to @email for an eligibility check:
- Sunway postgraduate application form
- A photocopy of NRIC (applicable for Malaysian applicants)
- A photocopy of full set passport, including hardcover (applicable for international applicants)
- One passport-size photo (for Student ID card)
- Certified true copy of Bachelor's degree transcript
- Certified true copy of Bachelor's degree completion certificate
- Certified true copy of Master's degree transcript
- Certified true copy of Master's degree completion certificate
- Curriculum vitae
- Letter of references from 2 professional referees
- Softcopy of thesis / sample of individual written work
- IELTS 6.0 or its equivalent
(For international students: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 600, International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.0, or its equivalent is required) - A 2,000-word research proposal that includes the following sections:
- Introduction
- Problem statement
- Research questions
- Research objectives
- Literature review
- Methodology
- Proposed timeline
- Potential proposed main supervisor
Scholarships and Financial Aid
For more information about the scholarships and financial aid, please visit the SEG Scholarships website.
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