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Dec 11, 2024
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2024-2025 Graduate Catalog
Communication and Information Major, PhD
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 Return to: College of Communication and Information
The PhD with a major in communication and information is intended to prepare scholars for research, teaching, administration, and service in the fields of communication and information. The goal of the PhD program is to prepare graduates for positions in research-intensive institutions. This preparation will also enable them to work at other types of educational institutions and industry positions. Doctoral students develop publishable research in their coursework and provide evidence of publishable research prior to taking comprehensive exams. Graduates are expected to be competent in using at least one research method and should be literate in statistics. The program includes training in the foundational origins and contemporary literature of communication and information theories and professions. The program offers the opportunity for students to learn to be good teachers and to participate in service and outreach activities.
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Concentrations (Required)
- Advertising
- Public Relations
- Communication Studies
- Information Sciences
- Journalism and Media
Campus Code
Knoxville Campus Admissions Standards/Procedures
- The master’s degree is required for entry into the doctoral program. Students lacking academic or professional experience in communication and information may be required to take prerequisite courses.
- The following are normally minimal requirements for admission to full potential candidate status.
- A 3.00 (4.00 system) grade point average in undergraduate studies and 3.50 for graduate work are typically required for admission.
- The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are optional.
- Recommendation letters and/or rating forms from at least 3 former instructors, professional supervisors, or similar.
- A Research Statement, a Writing Sample, and a Personal Statement are to be included as part of the application. Personal interviews with members of the PhD Admissions Review Committee may be required. Professional experience in some field of communication and/or information is a desirable criterion for admission.
- The College follows the University’s Graduate School English Language Certification requirements.
- New doctoral students begin classes only in the fall semester.
- The application submission deadline is December 15. Applicants who also want to apply for assistantship funding should do so by December 15, as preference is given to applicants whose materials are submitted by that date.
Academic Standards
- A student in the College of Communication and Information whose graduate grade point average is below 3.00 after the end of 9 hours of graduate credit will be placed on academic probation. A student will be allowed to continue graduate study in subsequent semesters if each semester’s graduate grade point average is 3.00 or greater. Upon achieving a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.00, the student will be removed from probationary status. A student must achieve a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.00 in order to graduate. A student who earns less than a grade of C in a required course will have his/her program terminated. A graduate student cannot repeat a course.
Advertising Concentration
Credit Hours Required
Minimum of 62 credit hours approved graduate coursework beyond the master’s degree Additional Course Requirements
- Within the combined primary concentration and cognate areas, a total of 6 graduate credit hours must be from theory-focused courses and 6 graduate credit hours must be from methods courses.
- Courses both inside and outside the college (including graduate-level courses in the schools) may be identified as theory and/or method courses.
- Courses will be selected in consultation with the major professor and guidance committee.
Non-Course Requirements
- All courses require the approval of the student’s program committee and the Associate Dean for Academic Programs.
- A preliminary program plan must be submitted to the associate dean’s office by April 1st of the second semester of study.
- A final program plan must be submitted before the student undertakes his/her comprehensive exam.
- On the Admission to Candidacy form, master’s coursework does not have to be listed.
- Students complete their comprehensive exam prior to working on the dissertation.
- Preparation and defense of the dissertation.
Public Relations Concentration
Credit Hours Required
Minimum of 62 credit hours approved graduate coursework beyond the master’s degree Additional Course Requirements
- Within the combined primary concentration and cognate areas, a total of 6 graduate credit hours must be from theory-focused courses and 6 graduate credit hours must be from methods courses.
- Courses both inside and outside the college (including graduate-level courses in the schools) may be identified as theory and/or method courses.
- Courses will be selected in consultation with the major professor and guidance committee.
Non-Course Requirements
- All courses require the approval of the student’s program committee and the Associate Dean for Academic Programs.
- A preliminary program plan must be submitted to the associate dean’s office by April 1st of the second semester of study.
- A final program plan must be submitted before the student undertakes his/her comprehensive exam.
- On the Admission to Candidacy form, master’s coursework does not have to be listed.
- Students complete their comprehensive exam prior to working on the dissertation.
- Preparation and defense of the dissertation.
Communication Studies Concentration
Credit Hours Required
Minimum of 62 credit hours approved graduate coursework beyond the master’s degree Additional Course Requirements
- Within the combined primary concentration and cognate areas, a total of 6 graduate credit hours must be from theory-focused courses and 6 graduate credit hours must be from methods courses.
- Courses both inside and outside the college (including graduate-level courses in the schools) may be identified as theory and/or method courses.
- Courses will be selected in consultation with the major professor and guidance committee.
Non-Course Requirements
- All courses require the approval of the student’s program committee and the Associate Dean for Academic Programs.
- A preliminary program plan must be submitted to the associate dean’s office by April 1st of the second semester of study.
- A final program plan must be submitted before the student undertakes his/her comprehensive exam.
- On the Admission to Candidacy form, master’s coursework does not have to be listed.
- Students complete their comprehensive exam prior to working on the dissertation.
- Preparation and defense of the dissertation
Information Sciences Concentration
Credit Hours Required
Minimum of 62 credit hours approved graduate coursework beyond the master’s degree Additional Course Requirements
- Within the combined primary concentration and cognate areas, a total of 6 graduate credit hours must be from theory-focused courses and 6 graduate credit hours must be from methods courses.
- Courses both inside and outside the college (including graduate-level courses in the schools) may be identified as theory and/or method courses.
- Courses will be selected in consultation with the major professor and guidance committee.
Non-Course Requirements
- All courses require the approval of the student’s program committee and the Associate Dean for Academic Programs.
- A preliminary program plan must be submitted to the associate dean’s office by April 1st of the second semester of study.
- A final program plan must be submitted before the student undertakes his/her comprehensive exam.
- On the Admission to Candidacy form, master’s coursework does not have to be listed.
- Students complete their comprehensive exam prior to working on the dissertation.
- Preparation and defense of the dissertation.
Journalism and Media Concentration
Credit Hours Required
Minimum of 62 credit hours approved graduate coursework beyond the master’s degree Additional Course Requirements
- Within the combined primary concentration and cognate areas, a total of 6 graduate credit hours must be from theory-focused courses and 6 graduate credit hours must be from methods courses.
- Courses both inside and outside the college (including graduate-level courses in the schools) may be identified as theory and/or method courses.
- Courses will be selected in consultation with the major professor and guidance committee.
Non-Course Requirements
- All courses require the approval of the student’s program committee and the Associate Dean for Academic Programs.
- A preliminary program plan must be submitted to the associate dean’s office by April 1st of the second semester of study.
- A final program plan must be submitted before the student undertakes his/her comprehensive exam.
- On the Admission to Candidacy form, master’s coursework does not have to be listed.
- Students complete their comprehensive exam prior to working on the dissertation.
- Preparation and defense of the dissertation.
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Return to: College of Communication and Information
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