加州大学圣塔芭芭拉分校的传播系提供高级研究，可获哲学博士学位（博士学位）。该系引以为豪的是，这些系的学者都积极参与传播研究，教学和服务。UCSB的研究生课程旨在为学生提供有关人类交流过程的理论知识。该系对交流领域进行社会科学指导。教职员工使用经验方法研究有关人类交流的重要社会问题。研究生课程为学生提供必要的理论准备，分析和研究方法，以进行交流方面的原创奖学金。
The M.A./Ph.D. program in Communication provides students with a theoretical and practical understanding of the process of human communication. The department embraces a social science orientation that includes quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research. Students work alongside faculty employing empirical methods to study important societal issues concerning human communication. Our program is small by design and it provides students with essential preparation in theory construction, analysis, and research methodologies for conducting original scholarship in communication. Our primary areas include interpersonal-intergroup, media-digital, and organizational-group communication, and also many subareas.