Communication and Media Studies PhD Program News

digital collage of JD Vance surrounded by social media posts and graphics
Media Studies Professor Discusses Vance’s Digital Posts
Whitney Phillips, assistant professor of media studies at the SOJC, was quoted in the Washington Post comparing the impact of the average millennial’s digital footprint to that of a vice-presidential candidate.
A student walks away from the camera towards a campus building with trees covered in golden leaves out front
SOJC Research: Climate Change Can Catalyze Activism
The looming uncertainty and dangers of climate change can be paralyzing, but they can also be a motivating force to inspire activism, according to research by Communication and Media Studies PhD candidate Emmanuel Maduneme.
a person's hand holding a cell phone displaying a UO themed word game
SOJC Research: Brain Games May Boost Mental Health
Digital challenge games like Wordle or Sudoku may help restore psychological well-being, according to a study led by 2024 Ph.D. graduate Waseq Rahman and co-authored by Assistant Professor Maxwell Foxman.
Ruby Wool and Zachary Jones Neuray, student journalists representing the SOJC at the World Press Freedom Day conference, make O shapes with their hands while standing in front of a bright blue banner and a colorful mural
Student Journalists Cover Press Freedom Event
A SOJC contingent of students and faculty attended World Press Freedom Day in Santiago, Chile, where student reporters produced blogs, podcasts and photography for the UO-UNESCO Crossings website.
portrait of Emrakeb Woldeargay
SOJC PhD Candidate Profiled in Alumni Article
Media and women's rights activist Emrakeb Woldearegay shares her journey traveling from Ethiopia to Eugene with her family to pursue her dream of earning a doctorate in communication and media studies.
Two SOJC students review an augmented reality experience designed with Snapchat in the SOJC immersive media lab
Spreading Ideas with Augmented Reality Storytelling
Snap AR Scholars, a student-led agency made up of designers and researchers, created an augmented reality storytelling experience to promote the nonprofit Hope for Haiti while building job skills.
image of Nahla Bendefaa with the text "Phd Research: Journalism and Global Media"
Ph.D. candidate studies how governments influence media
Doctoral candidate Nahla Bendefaa began researching how political regimes affect media in different countries after comparing her experiences as a journalist in Morocco to her experiences in the U.S.
portrait of Ivy Fofie
Making an impact with feminist media studies
Doctoral candidate Ivy Fofie was a successful journalist and PR pro in Ghana. Now she’s fulfilling her dream of becoming a researcher while uncovering women’s unrecognized contributions to media.
Gretchen Soderlund and students wear purple gloves while handling materials from the UO Libraries' Special Collections
Critical thinking and research core to communication and media studies programs
Undergraduates majoring in media studies learn how to examine the media’s social, cultural and economic impact from an ethical perspective while gaining research and media production skills.
Tewodros "Teddy" Workneh
A life in global communication: From Ethiopia to Oregon
Prior to moving to Eugene to join the doctoral program at the UO School of Journalism and Communication, Teddy Workneh had no knowledge of Oregon and hardly any about the United States, but he was passionate about the research opportunity.