Graduate Research Program
Faculty in the Science Communications Lab are committed to training graduate students in the areas of agriculture and natural resources communications, science communications, and strategic communications.
Graduate Degrees
The Master of Science degree is a research and practice-oriented degree that emphasizes theory and practice. Students leave our program prepared for jobs in academia and in the fields of communications, public relations, advertising and marketing, agriculture sciences, teaching, and Extension.
The Doctor of Philosophy degree provides a wide range of educational and research experiences. Doctoral students in the Lab are trained as social and behavioral scholars and practitioners who can address complex, contentious issues in the domains of food, agriculture, natural resources, and life and human sciences. Students will graduate with a strong foundation in theoretical and conceptual frameworks, advanced research methods, and writing and research skills necessary for careers in the public and private sector.
Graduate students can interact with the Science Communications Lab through paid and unpaid graduate research positions, which are described below in the Research Assistantships section.
Application Process
1: Indicate Interest
To indicate your interest in obtaining a graduate degree from the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, email Clarice Fulton, ALEC program coordinator.
2: Identify Advisor
Admissions requires you to find an ALEC faculty member who commits to be your advisor before you can be admitted. Before applying with an interest in communications, identify a Lab faculty member in which your work aligns.
3: Indicate Interest in Lab
If our work aligns, complete the SciComm Graduate Program Interest survey. Once you complete the interest survey, a member of the Lab will reach out to you about scheduling a meeting.
4: Apply to ALEC’s Graduate Program
Work with Clarice Fulton to complete the admissions application. Once the admissions committee receives your application, Lab faculty will receive notification of your application.
5: Review by the Lab Faculty
While the admissions committee reviews your application, Lab faculty will review your application and interest survey to determine if there is an opening in the Lab for someone with your expertise.
6: Admissions Decision
Lab faculty will provide feedback to the ALEC graduate coordinator and admissions committee about the candidate’s acceptance into the Lab. An acceptance into ALEC’s graduate program is not an automatic acceptance into the Lab.
Research Assistantships
The Science Communications Lab offers paid and unpaid graduate research positions. Unpaid positions are available upon request and are offered as students indicate interest in specific Lab projects. Paid positions are tied directly to a funded research project and are posted below as they become available. For more information about paid and unpaid research position, email Dr. Holli Leggette.