Patrick Hadley

Associate Dean, Associate Professor & Graduate Studies Coordinator
Department of Mass Communications School of Communication, Film, and Media

678-839-4931
phadley@westga.ejyxiKfVdu

Miller Hall - Room 2310
Office Hours
Mon & Wed 1:00-3:30 pm
(other times available by appointment in-person or via Zoom)

Download curriculum vitae for Patrick Hadley in PDF
Patrick Hadley
Biography

Greetings!  My name is Patrick Hadley.  I am an associate professor here in the School of Communication, Film, and Media.

Before entering academia, I attended law school and worked as an attorney at the Federal Communications Commission and for Citibank doing telecommunications law and policy.  Wanting to learn more about the communications industry, I decided to return to graduate school and earned a Ph.D. in Communication at Ohio State University.

After teaching at Michigan State University and Florida State University, I worked again in government in health information privacy for the Indiana State Department of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  

After leaving the federal government I returned to academia, joining the faculty at UWG in 2008. 

As a teacher I believe that practical, applied learning is important, not only to maintain student engagement in class or online, but also to make sure that you’re learning content that is going to prepare you for the real world.  

At UWG I teach a range of undergraduate courses, including

  • Media Law
  • Mass Communication Research Methods
  • Digital Social Media and Society
  • Digital Media Industries
  • Diversity and Mass Media
  • Introduction to Mass Communication

At the graduate level, I teach Digital and Social Media Communication Law, as well as our Digital and Social Media Communication Capstone course.

My scholarly and professional interests include the policy and legal aspects of digital and social media communication, including

  • online freedom of speech
  • copyright law
  • regulation of social media influencers
  • digital strategies for building and engaging with online audiences
  • best practices for teaching applied statistics and media analytics

If you would like more information about my work or our programs, please let me know.  

Best wishes!

Education / Degrees
  • B.S., Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences, Northwestern University, 1985
  • J.D., Law, UCLA School of Law, 1988
  • Ph.D., Communication, Ohio State University, 1997
Courses Taught
Course Sections and Syllabi

Fall 2025 Sections

Summer 2025 Sections

Spring 2025 Sections

Fall 2024 Sections

Summer 2024 Sections

Spring 2024 Sections

Fall 2023 Sections

Summer 2023 Sections

Spring 2023 Sections

Fall 2022 Sections

Summer 2022 Sections

Spring 2022 Sections

Fall 2021 Sections

Summer 2021 Sections

Spring 2021 Sections

Fall 2020 Sections