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Ph.D. Program

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The Ph.D. degree is research-oriented and all graduate students engage in independent research projects, including the Ph.D. dissertation.

 

Currently, most students admitted into the Ph.D. program aspire to academic careers as scholars and teachers, with some pursuing professional careers in government, non-profit organizations or the private sector. The program currently admits only full-time students who are funded by teaching assistantships, administrative assistantships and/or university fellowships. Check out the Admissions Ambassadors page to learn more about our current graduate students and explore our graduate student placement here.

Graduate Student Handbooks

 

Statement on Graduate Student Mentoring

COMM Graduate Learning Outcome Assessment (GLOA) 

Good Standing/Satisfactory Progress Towards Degree

M.A. Criteria for Good Standing

  • Maintaining minimum of 3.0 GPA.
  • Filing approved plan of study by semester of 6th credit (first semester for full-time students).
  • Submitting all work specified within an incomplete contract by the end of the semester following the awarded incomplete unless otherwise specified in the contract.
  • Not found responsible for breaching ethical principles of scholarship (e.g., violations of academic integrity and/or intellectual property rights or non-compliance of protocols for protection of human subjects).
  • See M.A. Handbook for “Procedures for Good Standing/Satisfactory Progress Review.”

Ph.D. Criteria for Good Standing

For Students Entering Ph.D. Program with B.A./B.S. Degree

  • Maintaining minimum of 3.0 GPA and B or better (including B-) for courses that are required.
  • Filing approved plan of study by semester of 12th credit (second semester for full-time students).
  • Submitting all work specified within an incomplete contract by the end of the semester following the awarded incomplete unless otherwise specified in the contract.
  • Finalizing coursework by the end of the 5th semester is encouraged; finalizing coursework by the end of the 6th semester is required.
  • Taking the comprehensive examination by the semester following completion of coursework in approved plan of study; passing comprehensive examination by second semester following completion of coursework in approved plan of study.
  • Defending a dissertation prospectus by the second semester following completion of the comprehensive examination.
  • Passing the dissertation examination within four years following advancement to candidacy and nine years following matriculation.
  • No judgment of breaching ethical principles of scholarship (e.g., violations of academic integrity and/or intellectual property rights or non-compliance of protocols for protection of human subjects).
  • See Ph.D. Handbook for “Procedures for Good Standing/Satisfactory Progress Review.”

For Students Entering Ph.D. Program with M.A. Degree

  • Maintaining minimum of 3.0 GPA and B or better (including B-) for courses that are required.
  • Filing approved plan of study by semester of 6th credit (first semester for full-time students).
  • Submitting all work specified within an incomplete contract by the end of the semester following the awarded incomplete unless otherwise specified in the contract. Finalizing coursework by the end of the 3rd semester is encouraged; finalizing coursework by the end of the 5th semester is required.
  • Taking the comprehensive examination by the semester following completion of coursework in approved plan of study; passing comprehensive examination by second semester following completion of coursework in approved plan of study.
  • Defending a dissertation prospectus by the second semester following completion of the comprehensive examination.
  • Passing the dissertation examination within four years following advancement to candidacy and nine years following matriculation.
  • No judgment of breaching ethical principles of scholarship (e.g., violations of academic integrity and/or intellectual property rights or non-compliance of protocols for protection of human subjects).
  • See Ph.D. Handbook for “Procedures for Good Standing/Satisfactory Progress Review."

Timelines

These timelines contain both department and graduate school deadlines. Completing appropriate paperwork by these times is necessary to maintain satisfactory progress and graduate as scheduled.

Ph.D. Degree

DATE/DEADLINE ACTION DUE FORM

By semester of 12th credit (second semester for full-time students)

 Approval of advisor and advisory committee Request for appointment of program advisor and advisory committee (Department form)

By semester of 12th credit (second semester for full-time students); M.A. students are strongly encouraged to do so by the 1st semester

 Approval of plan of study Plan of Study and approval of Plan of Study Form (Department form)
Anytime (requires unanimous committee and Graduate Director approval) Change in plan of study Request for change in plan of study (Department form)
No later than the final semester of coursework required in the Plan of Study Approval of plan for comprehensive examination Plan for comprehensive examination (Department form)

Completed by Friday of the 6th week (Fall) or 10th week (Spring). Must be finished by the 2nd semester following coursework.

 Written portion of comprehensive examination (Major Area, Methods, and Dissertation Research Literature; 12 hours total). Place copy of written answers in graduate file.
Completed by Friday of the 8th week (Fall) or 12th week (Spring)

Oral portion of comprehensive examination (2 hours)

 Report of Advisory Committee on Comprehensive Examination (Department form)

After passing comprehensive examination: Within 5 years of matriculation and at least 6 months before degree is awarded

 Admission to candidacy Application for admission to candidacy (Graduate School form)
No later than 6 weeks before the defense Approval of dissertation advisor and examining committee

Request for appointment of dissertation advisor and dissertation prospectus committee (Department form)

AND

Nomination of thesis or dissertation committee (Graduate School form)

By 2nd semester following Comprehensive Exams (Must receive prospectus 2 weeks prior)

 Prospectus meeting (2 hours; Fall/Spring only) Report of Dissertation Prospectus Committee on Dissertation Prospectus Meeting (Department form)
At least 5 working days prior to examination Announcement of dissertation defense Publicized via email/newsletters to Graduate Faculty and students.

Sample copy of announcement (Department form)

Consult Graduate School for specific semester deadlines (Approximately 2nd week of semester student plans to graduate)

 Application for graduation Application for graduation (Graduate School form)

Consult Graduate School for specific semester deadlines (Typically 3 weeks prior to commencement)

 Submit dissertation electronically Directions for electronic submission (Graduate School form)

After successful defense and any required revisions:

Consult Graduate School for specific semester deadlines

(Typically 3 weeks prior to commencement)

 Approval of dissertation sent to Graduate School by advisor Report of Examining Committee (Graduate School form)

Additional Resources