Catalog Navigator : Course Requirements

The Ph.D. program requires the completion of a minimum of 81 credits of coursework, including 57 credits of graduate coursework and 24 credits of dissertation research. Coursework credits are as follows:

15 credits of program core requirements
18 credits within the student's selected area of study within the program
24 additional credits of graduate coursework (including, but not limited to, master's degree transfer of credits)

Upon completion of at least 57 total course credits, including the 15 credits of core requirements, at least 18 credits of coursework as approved by the program area, and the 24 additional credits (including the transfer of no more than 24 credits from a master's program as approved by the program area and program director), the candidate is eligible to take the qualifying examination (see later section).

1. Core Requirements (15 credits)

The core requirements include 15 credits of coursework, including four 3-credit core courses (12 credits), the successful completion of one research practicum (3 credits), and attendance at the Ph.D. colloquia. With the exception of the 0-credit colloquium, and dissertation research credits, all courses are 3 credits.

Core Courses (12 credits)

REQUIRED: 16:194:600 Ph.D. Colloquium (0) (taken during each semester of coursework)

REQUIRED: 16:194:601 Communication, Information, and Media Theory (3)

REQUIRED: 16:194:602 Research Foundations (3)

TWO OF THREE REQUIRED (Program areas may specify which combination of core methods courses is required for their students):
16:194:603 Qualitative Research Methods (3)
16:194:604 Quantitative Research Methods (3)
16:194:605 Interpretive Research Methods (3)

Research Practicum (3 credits)

16:194:608 Research Practicum (3)
This requirement is met by a student registering for this course with a member of the program faculty who has agreed to supervise the student's participation in a research project of interest. Some semesters, prior to registration for the next semester, faculty who would like to supervise one or more Research Practica will publicly announce the topics and/or projects in which they are interested; in many cases, students are expected to contact faculty directly with practicum projects/ideas. The expected outcome of the Research Practicum is a paper (single or co-authored) submitted to a recognized conference or refereed journal. The results of the Research Practicum will be presented by the student at a Ph.D. Interactive Display Session Colloquium typically held at the end of each semester.

2. Program Area Course Requirements (at least 18 credits)

Each program area sets its own curriculum and course requirements.

Communication. Ph.D. students in the communication area select a major and minor focus of study. Twelve credit hours are required for the major area and 6 for the minor. With the assistance of their advisers, students may designate major and minor areas that fit their interests. These may include foci within the communication area (e.g., organizational communication, social interaction, mediated communication, or health communication), but are not limited to these areas of communication study. Students may choose as a minor area one of the other areas of the Ph.D. program. Alternatively, students may choose a minor area elsewhere in the university. A qualifying exam in each area will be taken once the student has completed all coursework.

Core Methods Restriction:
Must take 16:194:604
Must take at least one of either 16:194:603 or 605
Required Courses (any two of the following three):
16:194:620 Interpersonal Communication (3)
16:194:621 Organizational Communication Research (3)
16:194:633 Mediated Communication (3)
Elective Courses (several courses under the following general headings):
Topics in Social Interaction (e.g., Basic Structures of Social Interaction, Persuasion and Social Influence, Communication and Gender)
Topics in Organizational Communication (e.g., Conflict and Collaboration, Dynamics of Global Organizations, Leadership, Organizational Change, Communication Networks)
Topics in Mediated Communication (e.g., Mobile Communications, Communication Design, Work and Technology)
Topics in Health Communication (e.g., Health Campaigns, Interpersonal Health Communication, Professional Practices and Issues of Health)
Topics in Communication Theory

Library and Information Science (LIS). Ph.D. students in the LIS area must have two areas of study. Study in LIS must consist of at least 12 credits, and study in the second area must consist of at least 6 credits. With the assistance of their advisers, students select a relevant second area from one of the other areas of the Ph.D. program or from elsewhere in the university. Ph.D. students in the LIS area may choose to specialize in one of two areas of concentration: information science or library studies, but are not required to restrict their study to either of these concentrations.

Core Methods Restriction:
Two of three core methods courses required, combining 604, and either 603 or 605, one of which may count toward LIS or secondary area credits.
Courses Required for All Students in the LIS Area:
16:194:610 Seminar in Information Studies (3)
16:194:612 Human Information Behavior (3)
Courses Recommended for an Information Science Concentration (include any two of the following four):
16:194:614 Information Retrieval Theory (3)
16:194:617 Knowledge Representation for Information Retrieval (3)
16:194:619 Experiment and Evaluation in Information Systems (3)
16:194:641 Information Policy and Technology (3)
Courses Recommended for a Library Science Concentration (include any two of the following three):
16:194:641 Information Policy and Technology (3)
16:194:645 Advanced Concepts in Management of Information Organizations (3)
16:194:656 Theories and Issues in Library Studies (3)

Media Studies. Students in the media studies area must take 18 credits approved for the area, including one 3-credit required course, three of six additional 3-credit area courses, and two 3-credit elective courses approved by the area. With the assistance of their advisers and the area coordinator, students may designate major and minor areas that fit their interests. Students may choose as a minor area one of the other areas of the Ph.D. program. Alternatively, students may choose a minor area elsewhere in the university. A qualifying exam in each area will be taken once the student has completed all coursework.

Core Methods Restriction:
None beyond program requirements
All Students in the Area must take the following required 3-credit course:
16:194:631 Media Theory (3)
Three courses from among the six 3-credit courses listed below:
16:194:660 Audience Studies (3)
16:194:662 Media Criticism (3)
16:194:663 Media History and Institutions (3)
16:194:664 Media and Culture (3)
16:194:665 Media and Politics (3)
16:194:666 Social Construction of News (3)

Two 3-credit elective courses
The remaining two courses (6 credits) may be taken from the media studies area, from other areas within the Ph.D. program, or from other courses at the university, as approved by the student's adviser.

3. Transfer of Approved Master's Degree Course Credits (24 credits maximum)

Up to 24 credits may be transferred from master's-level courses taken elsewhere or at the School of Communication and Information (SC&I). Students should consult their adviser before applying for transfer of credits. The program director will then recommend to the graduate school which and how many courses are approved for transfer. It is not uncommon to limit transfer credits to 18-21 hours (depending on the program area and individual student circumstances). Transferred courses must be theoretical or research-based courses in communication, information science, library studies, media, or closely related fields. Students must have received a B or better on any coursework to be transferred, and courses should have been taken within the previous six years. Applied or professional courses (such as internships, video production, or news writing) are not acceptable. For further information, request a copy of the transfer credit policy from the Graduate School–New Brunswick.

The Application for Transfer of Credit form should be completed as soon as the student has finished 12 hours of doctoral studies in the program. Failing to do so in a timely manner could result in additional coursework requirements and/or delays in taking qualifying exams.

4. Dissertation Research Credits (24 credits)

Students must complete a minimum of 24 credits of dissertation research under the supervision of their dissertation adviser. Credits are variable; the number taken during a particular semester should reflect the degree of involvement of the student and faculty during that semester.

Grading Policy

SC&I and the Graduate School–New Brunswick allow the following grades to be given for coursework:

A Superior work of the highest standard, mastery of the topic
B+ Very good work, substantially better than the minimum standard, very good knowledge of the topic
B Good work, better than the minimum standard, good knowledge of the topic
C+ Minimum standard work, adequate knowledge of the topic
C Work barely meeting the minimum standard, barely adequate knowledge of the topic
F Wholly inadequate work
IN Incomplete

For research credits, which are taken after the qualifying examination has been passed, the grades are:

S Satisfactory
U Unsatisfactory

Students are allowed 9 credits in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the doctorate (and for which letter grades have been given) to bear grades of C or C+ (with no more than 6 credits with the grade of C). However, it is generally considered unacceptable to receive a C or C+ in this program; students who do so may be advised to consider withdrawing from the program.