DOCTORATE
Doctoral students have flexibility in designing their program of study. A student must take a minimum of 90 hours of graduate coursework (including his or her Masters degree), with at least 60 hours beyond the Masters. At least 48 of those 90 hours must be in primary Communication or Mass Communication graduate courses, and at least 18 hours must be in an external concentration area. Across the major and concentration, students are also required to take a minimum of 12-15 credit hours each in appropriate theory and methods coursework, to complete a comprehensive examination, and to write a dissertation that draws on and synthesizes the program coursework.
There are two ways to break down the credit hours for the doctorate. The first way is by major and concentration. Note that the 66 minimum hours of coursework includes up to 30 hours from your MA degree.
Coursework by Degree & Discipline
| Credits from MA | 30 maximum |
| Hours in Comm/Mass Comm | 48 minimum (including MA) |
| Hours in Concentration Area | 18 minimum (including MA) |
| Sub-total of Degree & Discipline Hours | 66 credit hours minimum |
| Dissertation Hours | 12-24 credit hours |
| Total Hours in the I.Ph.D. Program | 90 credits minimum |
The second way to break down the credit hours for the doctorate is by course type. Note that students are required to take an appropriate number of theory and methods courses in their concentration so as to be conversant and competent in the forms of research particular to that concentration. The student’s advisory committee will help determine what “appropriate” means in his or her case.
Coursework by Course Type
| Methods: | Comm/Mass Comm + Concentration | 12-15 credit hours |
| Theory: | Comm/Mass Comm + Concentration | 12-15 credit hours |
| Content: | Comm/Mass Comm + Concentration | 36-42 credit hours |
| Sub-total of Method, Theory and Content Hours | | 66 credit hours minimum |
| Dissertation Hours | | 12-24 credit hours |
| Total Hours in the I.Ph.D. Program | | 90 credit hours minimum |
General Information
In the first semester, a temporary advisor will be appointed. Students work with this faculty member in developing their plans for the program of study. The official program must be turned in to the Graduate School after completing 12 hours of course work or prior to the third registration (i.e., during the second semester of a two-year or four-semester program). During the first year (semesters one and two) students select their official advisory committee for either a thesis or non-thesis program. For Master’s students, three faculty members are required for the official committee; at least two must be members of the Graduate Faculty in Communication. For doctoral students, five faculty members are required for the official committee; three Graduate Faculty in Communication are required, as well as two Graduate Faculty from the student’s external concentration. All members of a student’s official committee must approve the program of study. The official committee must also approve changes to the program of study once it has been submitted. Students may change members of the committee as necessary and appropriate.
Master’s Program Research Options
Research Paper and Exam Option. This option requires the following:
- The student must prepare and present a research project. Although the non-thesis project is not as extensive as the thesis, the research paper must evidence critical thinking.
- A synthesizing exam and an oral defense will be scheduled during the student’s final semester.
Thesis Option. Students electing the thesis option enroll in CMJ 699 for a maximum of six (6) hours. The student’s official advisory committee must approve a thesis prospectus prior to the student undertaking the research. After the thesis is completed, the student defends the research in an oral examination.
Doctoral Program Research Option
Dissertation. After completing a comprehensive examination, doctoral candidates enroll in CMJ 699 for a maximum of twenty-four (24) hours. The comprehensive exam is a time essay exam based on questions developed by the committee in consultation with the student. Post-exam, the student’s official advisory committee must approve a dissertation prospectus prior to the student undertaking the research. After the thesis is completed, the student defends the research in an oral examination.
John Sherblom, Ph.D. (Maine, 1986), Professor and Chair. Organizational communication, communication technologies, research methods.
Paul Grosswiler, Ph.D. (Missouri, 1990), Associate Professor. International mass communication, culture and technology, media ecology.
Sunny Skye Hughes, Ph.D. (Florida, 2008), Assistant Professor. First Amendment, Electronic surveillance, civil liberties and national security, broadcast education, mobile delivery of news content.
Kristin M. Langellier, Ph.D. (Southern Illinois, 1980), Professor. Aesthetic communication, women and communication, phenomenological methods.
Laura Lindenfeld, Ph.D. (University of California, Davis, 2003), Assistant Professor. Mass communication, media, and applied public policy.
Eric E. Peterson, Ph.D. (Southern Illinois, 1980), Professor. Philosophy of communication, mass communication, semiotics, and cultural studies.
Michael J. Socolow, Ph.D. (Georgetown, 2001), Assistant Professor, History of mass communication, broadcasting, and radio.
Nathan E. Stormer, Ph.D. (Minnesota, 1997), Associate Professor. Rhetorical theory and criticism, medical rhetoric.
Claire F. Sullivan, Ph.D. (Washington, 1991), Associate Professor. Interpersonal communication, health communication.
Graduate School
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