About the Program

The department's doctoral program is designed to achieve scientific and academic leadership and excellence locally and globally and to contribute to building a knowledge society by qualifying academics capable of raising the efficiency of the performance of governmental and private academic and media institutions. Preparing a new generation of distinguished researchers in communication studies and digital media who are able to provide scientific and research production characterized by originality and innovation, and contribute to serving society and building the knowledge economy, through theoretical and methodological study of the latest productions of Arab and international minds, and in accordance with Arabic and Islamic teachings, values ​​and culture. And at the same time it is linked to the issues of Saudi and Arab society, and meets the required research needs academically and professionally.

Objectives of the Program

•     Providing male and female students with the necessary skills to prepare solid scientific research characterized by originality and innovation in the field of communication and digital media, and qualifying researchers capable of employing the most important theoretical, cognitive and methodological innovations in the service of scientific research and serving societal issues.
•     Developing the interdisciplinary approach to the study of communication sciences for male and female students.
•     Developing scientific research by updating the agenda of research priorities and supporting distinguished scientific projects in communication and digital media.
•     Supporting the scientific partnership between the Mass Communication Department and other Mass Communication Departments in other local and international universities, and between it and media institutions and decision-making centers in society.
•     Feeding universities, scientific research centers and decision-making centers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with qualified researchers and academics for university teaching and the production of scientific knowledge.
•     Providing governmental and private media institutions and various business institutions with distinguished academic and scientific leaders to advance and develop them.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the admission conditions contained in the unified regulations for postgraduate studies in Saudi universities and the organizational and executive rules and procedures for postgraduate studies at King Saud University, the department requires the following:

1.      The applicant must have a Master’s degree in Communication and Digital Media with specializations: (Journalism, Radio and Television, Public Relations) from King Saud University or its equivalent with a grade of no less than Very Good if it is from a university that grants it with grades.
2.     The applicant must have a score of no less than (45) in the TOEFL IBT test, (450) in the TOEFL PBT, (4) in the IELTS, or (60) in the STEP.
3.      Published or accepted for publication of at least one paper in a peer-reviewed journal, whether this research is an extract from a master’s thesis or a new research in the field of communication and digital media. 

Degree Requirements

The student must pass (34) academic units of the program’s courses and pass the comprehensive exam successfully, before completing the doctoral thesis (12) credit hours and passing it successfully.