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[applause]

You folks were kind enough to show me that pursuing an OB PhD would be a mistake. I was also considering a PhD in Political Communication. I have much less hesitation about this field. I could really picture myself enjoying the material and sharing it with others. Still, I had a few questions:

Can one steer clear of Marx and Postmodernism in pursuing the PhD in this field? I'd like to avoid these concerns to the extent that it is possible.
 Could anyone shed some light on the condition of the job market in that field?
 Since these programs are five years in length, does it make sense/ Is it advisable to work for a few years and save some money so that it can compound while pursuing a PhD? Or, is it better to pursue the PhD and then enter the workforce from a financial vantage?
I have heard good things about programs at Stanford,Penn and USC. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Of course, I'd welcome any other opinions/perspectives.

Thanks Again,
Applause

[dr_stones]

You folks were kind enough to show me that pursuing an OB PhD would be a mistake. I was also considering a PhD in Political Communication. I have much less hesitation about this field. I could really picture myself enjoying the material and sharing it with others. Still, I had a few questions:

Can one steer clear of Marx and Postmodernism in pursuing the PhD in this field? I'd like to avoid these concerns to the extent that it is possible.
 Could anyone shed some light on the condition of the job market in that field?
 Since these programs are five years in length, does it make sense/ Is it advisable to work for a few years and save some money so that it can compound while pursuing a PhD? Or, is it better to pursue the PhD and then enter the workforce from a financial vantage?
I have heard good things about programs at Stanford,Penn and USC. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Of course, I'd welcome any other opinions/perspectives.

Thanks Again,
Applause

Comm has quality doctoral programs in good COL places, like U. Missouri, U. Oklahoma, U. Florida, and Madisonand some programs in ridiculously expensive places like UCLA and Penn.  The nice thing is that one can go from someplace as awful as Norman or Columbia to someplace really nice, and not be totally broke.

[brunhilde]

I don't know anything the political communication field, but given the recent thread on student debt and that you asked about finances, I wanted to add that you should not take on loads of debt to get a PhD. From a financial standpoint, it really does not make sense as your income will not be greatly enhanced.

Go to a program that will fund you. You will not be living it up on a grad student stipend, but you should be able to get by with frugal living. If the program will not fund you, it may be a sign that they don't support students in other ways or that the field is really overcrowded and thus the chances of getting a good job are slim.