Degree Requirements

For complete information about degree requirements, consult the Doctoral Student Handbook.

Course Requirements
The student is required to take a minimum of 64 units (normally 16 courses) and write an approved dissertation. Four core courses – COMM 525, 526, 550 and 552 – and 794ab Doctoral Dissertation are required for all students.

Students specialize in one of five concentrations by completing a minimum of three courses (12 units) in one of the following: 

1. Information and Society: 546, 553, 570, 582, 605, 630, 635, 645, and 646;
2. Interpersonal and Health Communication: 504, 510, 524, 562, 587, and 625; 
3. Media, Culture, and Community: 516, 519, 534, 544, 575, 580, 584, 587, 605, 618, and 629; 
4. Organizational Communication: 508, 585, 620, 635, 636, 637, 638, 640, and 645; and 
5. Rhetoric and Political Communication: 509, 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, 517, 518, 521, 522, 580, and 610. 

In addition, students must take at least one course (normally 4 units) in each of two other tracks outside their specialization (8 units total). Students also pursue an approved cognate elective program of study in which at least two courses (normally 8 units) are taken in a related field outside the Annenberg School. Students entering the School of Communication with a master’s degree may, with permission, apply part of their previous graduate course work to the cognate requirement.

Screening Procedures
Student progress is carefully monitored by the School of Communication faculty. Students are normally screened at the end of their first year of graduate study. At that time they must have completed no fewer than 16 and no more than 24 units, including COMM 525, 526, 550 and 552. Students are evaluated on subject matter competence, teaching potential and their ability to conduct independent research. Upon successful passage of the screening procedure, the student has 30 days in which to form a guidance committee.

Research Tool Requirement
Doctoral students are expected to demonstrate methodological competence in an area of specialization prior to taking the qualifying examination. Such competence is usually demonstrated through course work (the successful completion, with grade B or better, of selected course work in addition to their content courses that is approved by the Ph.D. guidance committee taken in the school and/or related departments), and by completion of a preliminary research project. Under special circumstances, students with an exceptional prior background in research methods may demonstrate their competence by successfully passing a research tool examination designed and administered by the Ph.D. guidance committee.

Guidance Committee
This committee is composed of five USC faculty members, at least three of whom are from the School of Communication. Students are expected to work closely with the members of their guidance committee, especially their committee chair, in selecting advanced course work and shaping areas of interest and research. In addition to helping the student plan a program, the committee administers the oral portion of the qualifying examination and approves the dissertation committee.

Qualifying Examination
Qualifying examinations for the Ph.D. usually are taken in the third year of study following completion of all required courses and a preliminary research paper. The examination includes both written and oral portions. The written portion is composed by committees of faculty in the relevant areas of study; the oral portion is administered by the student’s guidance committee. Students must pass both portions to be advanced to candidacy. Students must confer with their guidance committee chair, not later than the second week of the semester during which the examinations are to be taken, regarding distribution of written examination hours among subject matter areas.

Doctoral Dissertation
The dissertation is an original research project contributing to knowledge about human communication and should demonstrate a high level of competence in methodologies of scholarly inquiry.

Defense of Dissertation
Dissertations are defended in a formal meeting with the three-member dissertation committee. The school prefers that the defense oral be taken prior to final typing so that recommended changes can be made in the final manuscript.