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The Ph.D. degree requires the completion of 84 credits: 18 credits of core requirements; 18 credits of course work in the student's Program Area; 24 credits of dissertation research; and a maximum of 24 credits of Master-level course work, as described below. NOTE: Although 24 credits may be transferred from the master's level, the general practice of the program is to accept no more than 18 credits. These courses must be theoretical or research-based courses in communication, information science, library studies, media, or closely related fields. Applied or professional courses (such as internships, video production or newswriting) are not acceptable. For further information, request a copy of the transfer credit policy. 1. Core Requirements (18 credits)The core requirements include foundation courses in communication and information, research methods, and attendance at the Ph.D. Colloquium. Core Courses - 16:194:600: Colloquium (0 cr.) - Taken during each semester of enrollment
- 16:194:601: Information and Communication Processes (3 cr.)
- 16:194:602: Research Foundations (3 cr.)
- 16:194:603: Qualitative Research Methods (3 cr.)
- 16:194:604: Quantitative Research Methods (3 cr.)
- 16:194:605: Current Research Issues (3 cr.)
- 16:194:698: Research Practicum (3 cr.) (Independent Study)
The Research Practicum requirement is met by a student's registering for Independent Study with a member of the Program Faculty who has agreed to supervise the student's participation in a research project of interest to the faculty member. Each semester, prior to registration for the next semester, faculty who would like to supervise one or more Research Practica will publicly list the topics and/or projects they are interested in. The expected outcome of the Research Practicum is a paper (authored or co-authored by the student) which will be submitted to a recognized conference or refereed journal. The results of the Research Practicum will be presented by the student at a Ph.D. Colloquium. Statistics Prerequisite
At least 3 credits of statistics must be completed prior to enrollment in 16:194:604 Quantitative Research Methods. Credits earned for prerequisite statistics course work do not count toward the course work required. Courses which satisfy the statistics requirement are: 17:610:511: User and Use Studies (3 cr.) and 16:960:532: Statistical Methods in Education II (3 cr.) The three credit statistics course requirement can be waived by the instructor of 16:194:604 based on competency demonstrated through successful completion of a Statistic Prerequisite Examination. Notice of approved waivers will be placed in the student's file. 2. Program Options Requirements (18 credits)Each Program Area sets its own curriculum and course requirements. Please consult the Area Descriptions below for details. 3. Dissertation Research (24 crs.)Students must complete a minimum or 24 credits of dissertation research under the supervision of their dissertation advisor. 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 and Satisfactory Progress to the Ph.D. DegreeThe Graduate School-New Brunswick allows the following grades to be given for course work (the definitions are those of the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies): 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 Prospective candidates for the doctorate should understand that they will not ordinarily be permitted to proceed to the qualifying examination unless their record in course work shows evidence of distinction, meaning in general, a B+ or better average. In the Ph.D. Program in Communication, Information and Library Studies, it is expected that no more than 9 credits offered in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the doctorate, and for which letter grades have been given, shall bear grades of C or C+, with no more than 6 credits with the grade of C. Students' progress is reviewed annually by the Program Faculty, and they are informed by the Director if their performance does not meet Program standards. Incomplete work may be made up, and a change of grade may be authorized by the instructor, within any period agreed to by the instructor and the student up to two additional terms beyond the original course registration, excluding summer session. Incomplete grades generated in a summer session must be completed by the end of the following summer session. Students with two or more incomplete grades are not permitted to register for additional courses after one term until the incomplete grades are completed. For research credits, which are taken after the qualifying examination has been passed the grades are: S: Satisfactory
U: Unsatisfactory Twenty-four credits of Satisfactory grades must be completed before submission of the Dissertation. Upon completion of the eighteen credits of core requirements, at least eighteen credits of course work as approved by the Program Area, and the transfer of up to twenty-four credits from Master's Degree studies (i.e. 60 total course credits), the candidate is eligible to take the qualifying examination(s). Qualifying exams cover the Program Area of specialization. A qualifying exam consists of both a written and oral portion. Qualifying exams are offered once per semester. If a student does not pass any portion of the exam, one additional opportunity is provided for the student to retake the exam. In such instances, the exam must be repeated one semester hence. Within 12 months of completion of qualifying exams, a dissertation advisor and partial dissertation committee must be composed, and a preliminary dissertation proposal approved and scheduled for public presentation. The final dissertation proposal must be completed and approved by the dissertation advisor and committee within 18 months of completion of the qualifying exams. The Graduate School-New Brunswick specifies that all requirements for the Ph.D. degree, including successful defense and presentation of the Dissertation, be completed within seven years of matriculation in a Program of the Graduate School. The Faculty of the Ph.D. Program in Communication, Information and Library Studies meets each Spring semester to review the progress of all students in the Program. The Director of the Program and the Program Area coordinators are responsible for keeping students informed of their progress. Program Area RequirementsCommunication ProcessesPh.D. students in the Communication Area select a major and minor focus of study. 12 credit hours are required for the major area, and 6 for the minor. With the assistance of their advisors, students may designate major and minor areas that fit their interests. These may include foci within the Communication area: 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 course work. Required Courses (any 2 of the following 3) - 16:194:620 - Interpersonal Communication
- 16:194:621 - Organizational Communication Research
- 16:194:633 - Mediated Communication
Elective Courses: - Topics in Social Interaction
- Topics in Organizational Communication
- Topics in Mediated Communication
- Topics in Health Communication
- Topics in Communication Theory
Library and Information SciencePh.D. students in the LIS Area must have two areas of study. Study in LIS must consist of at least twelve credits, and study in the second area must consist of at least six credits. With the assistance of their advisors, 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 Library and Information Science 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. Courses Required For All Students in the LIS Area - 16:194:610 Seminar in Information Studies (3 cr.)
- 16:194:612 Human Information Behavior (3 cr.)
Courses Recommended for an Information Science Concentration include any two of the following four: - 16:194:614 Information Retrieval Theory (3 cr.)
- 16:194:617 Knowledge Representation for Information Retrieval (3 cr.)
- 16:194:619 Experiment and Evaluation in Information Systems (3 cr.)
- 16:194:641 Information Policy and Technology (3 cr.)
Courses Recommended for a Library Science Concentration include any two of the following three: - 16:194:641 Information Policy and Technology (3 cr.)
- 16:194:645 Advanced Concepts in Management of Information Organizations (3 cr.)
- 16:194:656 Theories and Issues in Library Studies (3 cr.)
Media StudiesStudents in the Media Criticism Area must take 18 credits approved for the Area. All students in the Area must take one required course: - 16:194:631 Mass Communication Theory and Research
And three or more courses from the list below: - 16:194:660 Audience Studies
- 16:194:662 Media Criticism
- 16:194:663 Media History and Institutions
- 16:194:664 Media and Culture
- 16:194:665 Media and Politics
- 16:194:666 Social Construction of News
The remaining two courses (six credits) may be taken from the Media Studies Area, from other areas in the SCILS Ph.D. Program, or from other courses at the University, as approved by the student's advisor.
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