Political Communication

The Brian Lamb School of Communication has political communication at its core, as its namesake, Brian Lamb, is the founder of C-SPAN. Studying political communication at Purdue means understanding how communication operates in a political context and to what effect. This area focuses on the role of communication in politics, particularly as it relates to media content, platforms, and systems. Our faculty are experts in the influence of media on political outcomes, the role of social media in current political systems, political crises and scandals, as well as different forms of political information and their spread and impact.

Why Purdue for Political Communication?

1. You’ll earn a degree from one of the top-ranked communication programs in the nation.
2. As a graduate student in the Lamb School, you’ll have the opportunity to work with some of the most prolific and groundbreaking scholars in the field.
3. You’ll work with faculty and other graduate students who utilize a diverse range of theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches.
4. As a graduate student and an educator, you’ll teach and/or assist with undergraduate course instruction. 

Program Faculty and Areas of Interest

• Robert Browning (Media and politics, U.S. Congress)
• Jessica Collier (Political communication, social media, political polarization, misinformation)
• Jennifer Hoewe (Political communication, media effects, media psychology, cognitive processing, identity)
• Diana Zulli (Strategic political communication, scandal and crisis communication, digital technology, communication theory)

Selected Graduate Course Offerings

Media and Public Opinion, Media Effects, Crisis Communication, Persuasion, Research Methods, Data Analysis

Interdisciplinary Connections

• You’ll have opportunities to work with the Center for C-SPAN Scholarship and Engagement (CCSE). The CCSE’s mission is to increase awareness, expand access, and increase utilization of the C-SPAN Video Library in higher education through initiatives that support research, learning, and engagement.
• You can engage in collaborative opportunities and learning events that are regularly hosted through the Purdue Policy Research Institute (PPRI). The PPRI convenes researchers and policy influencers to catalyze research that influences data-driven policymaking and assessment.
• The Center for American Political History and Technology (CAPT) includes faculty and students from a diverse range of scholarly backgrounds who all study American politics and technology. Fostering research and learning opportunities are at the core of CAPT and its goals.
• Students are encouraged to supplement their coursework with classes from Political Science, Psychological Sciences, and Sociology.