Ph.D. students will follow one of the following three sets of requirements, based on their M.A. preparation. Group 1 requirements are for students who earned an M.A. in the UMass Department of Communication; Group 2 requirements are for students who earned an M.A. in Communication at another university; Group 3 requirements are for students who earned an M.A. in a field other than Communication. All courses carry three credits unless otherwise specified.
Group 1 Requirements (PhD students with a UMass MA in Communication)
A. Department Core Courses (12 credits)
Comm 611: Introduction to Theories and Concepts of Human Communication
Comm 620: Research Methods I
Comm 621: Research Methods II
One course (3 credits) from the following: Comm 691B: Seminar in Media Theory; Comm 613: Introduction to Theories of Social Interaction; or Comm 665: Contemporary Rhetorical Theory (or its equivalent)
B. Research Tool (6 credits)
Two courses designated as "tool courses" beyond 620 and 621 are required. Tool courses facilitate the student's dissertation research. It will be up to the student's Guidance Committee to specify particular competencies. For example, students doing quantitative research will probably need advanced work in statistics; students doing historical, critical or interpretive scholarship will probably need additional courses in qualitative research.
C. Additional Course Requirements:
A minimum of 9 UMass graduate course credits taken outside the department.
12 dept. course credits at the 700-800 level, exclusive of independent study credits.
Maximum of 9 independent study credits and 6 tutorial credits in the department across the two degrees (counted toward the 66).
42 hours of Communication credits; 33 of which must be exclusive of independent study.
Group 2 Requirements (Ph.D. students with an M.A. in Communication from another University)
A. Department Core Courses (12 credits)
Comm 611: Introduction to Theories and Concepts of Human Communication
Comm 620: Research Methods I
Comm 621: Research Methods II
One course (3 credits) from the following: Comm 691B: Seminar in Media Theory; Comm 613: Introduction to Theories of Social Interaction; or Comm 665: Contemporary Rhetorical Theory (or its equivalent)
[Note on core courses: Students with prior preparation in the content areas covered in the core courses may seek a waiver from the Graduate Program Director, but this will not reduce the overall number of credits required.]
B. Research Tool (6 credits)
Two courses designated as "tool courses" beyond 620 and 621 are required. Tool courses facilitate the student's dissertation research. It will be up to the student's Guidance Committee to specify particular competencies. For example, students doing quantitative research will probably need advanced work in statistics; students doing historical-critical research in rhetoric will probably need an additional course in historiography and/or rhetorical or cultural criticism; students doing fieldwork will need advanced work in ethnography.
C. Additional Course Requirements/Guidelines:
May transfer up to 30 graduate credits from another University.
Minimum of 6 UMass graduate course credits earned outside of the department are required.
12 department course credits at the 700-800 level, exclusive of independent study credits are required.
Maximum of 6 hours of independent study credit and 6 hours of tutorial credit (counted toward 66) are allowed.
30 hours of Communication credits, 24 of which must be exclusive of independent study, are required.
Group 3 Requirements (Ph.D. students with an MA in a field other than Communication)
A. Department Core Courses (12 credits)
Comm 611: Introduction to Theories and Concepts of Human Communication
Comm 620: Research Methods I
Comm 621: Research Methods II
Two courses (6 credits) from the following: Comm 691B: Seminar in Media Theory; Comm 613: Introduction to Theories of Social Interaction; or Comm 665: Contemporary Rhetorical Theory (or its equivalent)
B. Research Tool (6 credits)
Two courses designated as "tool courses" beyond 620 and 621 are required. Tool courses facilitate the student's dissertation research. It will be up to the student's Guidance Committee to specify particular competencies. For example, students doing quantitative research will probably need advanced work in statistics; students doing historical-critical research in rhetoric will probably need an additional course in historiography and/or rhetorical or cultural criticism.
C. Additional Course Requirements/Guidelines:
May transfer up to 30 hours although fewer hours are recommended.
Minimum of 3 UMass graduate course credits taken outside the department are required.
12 department course credits at the 700-800 level, exclusive of independent study, are required.
Maximum of 6 hours independent study credit and 6 hours tutorial credit (counted toward 66) are allowed.
33 hours of Communication credits, 27 of which must be exclusive of independent study, are required.
