Doctoral Student Plan of Study It is important for doctoral students early in their coursework to consider the area of study they wish to become proficient in, both in service to their dissertation and so that they may claim a clear expertise in the field. To that end, students are encouraged to provide their advisor a doctoral plan of study. The plan of study should include three components: a narrative that describes the specific area of expertise the student seeks and identifies the student s planned primary concentration and secondary concentration areas a Ph.D. Curriculum/Checklist document that tracks the student s completion of coursework in all required areas, and other degree requirements (up through admission to candidacy), including o How the student proposes to meet the Pedagogy Requirement o How the student proposes to meet the Research Tool Requirement o How the student proposes to meet the Proseminar Requirement (for full-time students, this may simply be by regular attendance; for part-time students, this should be negotiated with the student s advisor) a timeline document that identifies for each semester the courses the student would plan to take to fulfill his/her goals and research objectives, timing of comprehensive exams, dissertation research, and expected date of graduation This plan of study should be developed in close consultation with the student s faculty advisor and approved by two other faculty members in the department. Typically, the student and advisor prepare a proposed draft, circulate it to the other members of the Plan of Study committee, and then a meeting is arranged to discuss the proposed plan. Plan of study documents serve as a guideline for the student and may be amended as necessary; they should be updated each semester, during the advisement process, to reflect actual courses enrolled in or changes to the student s plans. Assignment of advanced standing credit will be determined at the time the student receives initial approval of the Plan of Study.
Name ID# Began Advisor Ph.D. Curriculum/Checklist Department of Communication A MINIMUM OF 60 CREDITS, INCLUDING: Core Courses (18 credits): Theory Courses (9 credits) COM 502 COM 503 Communication Theory and Practice Persuasion/Message Design and Social Influence Additional Theory Course Methods Courses (9 credits) COM 525 Communication Research Methods Two additional quantitative or qualitative methods courses* Breadth Courses (6 credits) (within the Department but outside of Substantive Area) COM COM
Substantive Area (15 credits, at least 12 inside the Department): Cognate Area (9 credits): Independent Research Project (6 credits): COM 697A COM 697B Guided Research Project Guided Research Project Electives (6 credits ):
Research Tool: Pedagogy Requirement: Proseminar Requirement: Notes:
Suggested Timeline through the Ph.D. (please supply your own proposed timeline using this format, and update with your advisor each semester, along with the Curriculum/Checklist document) Semester One Semester Two Com 502 (3) Course in Substantive Area #2 (3) Com 525 (3) Course in Substantive Area #3 (3) Course in Substantive Area #1 (3) 2nd Methods Course (3) Total = 9, Cumulative = 9 Total = 9, Cumulative= 18 Semester Three Semester Four Com 503 (3) Breadth Course #1 (3) Com 697A Guided Research Project (3) Course in Substantive Area #4 (3) 3rd Methods Course (3) Com 697B Guided Research Project (3) Total = 9, Cumulative = 27 Total = 9, Cumulative = 36 Semester Five Semester Six Course in Substantive Area #5 (3) Cognate Course #1 (3) Elective #1 (3)* Cognate Course #2 (3) Advanced Theory Course (3) Elective #2 (3)* Proseminar Total = 9, Cumulative = 45 Total = 9, Cumulative = 54
Semester Seven Semester Eight Breadth Course #2(3) Com 899 (1) Cognate #3 (3) Dissertation Proposal Comprehensive Exams Total = 6, Cumulative = 60 * Electives may take the form of Independent Study (Com 696), Readings in preparation for Comprehensive Exams (Com 693), or coursework inside or outside of the Communication Department, selected in consultation between the student and the advisor.