Grad Life in the Department of Communication
Graduate education is at the core of our mission. Graduate students at Pitt find a vibrant and diverse intellectual culture at the seminar table and beyond.
The department mixes classic approaches to the study of communication with cutting-edge scholarship in a cauldron of intellectual curiosity and political engagement. There are many intangibles to graduate student life -- conversations after seminar or in the teaching assistant offices between classes. But Pitt faculty and graduate students have also built a unique departmental culture.
Professional Development
We mentor our students as teachers and scholars. We offer introductory pedagogy seminars for first-time teachers, and many students have the opportunity to work with a professor as a teaching assistant in a course related to their area of expertise. Our graduate students routinely present at national and international conferences, and many graduate students publish in scholarly venues by the time they graduate. We have an excellent placement record, and many of our graduates have gone on to become important scholars in the field of Communication Studies.
The Agora
Named for the ancient Greek practice of mixing intellectual and economic exchange in a central public gathering place, the departmental Agora is more than a mere lecture series. Approximately six times a semester, the entire department is invitied to a Friday afternoon event. Agoras range from presentations of current research by faculty, graduate students and distinguished guests, to performances of classic and modern plays, panel discussions, and debates.
