Research and Teaching
Beginning in the second year, doctoral students are funded as graduate assistants and are assigned to teaching assistant (TA) and/or research assistant (RA) positions in the School of Communication.
Research assistants collaborate with USC Annenberg faculty to produce ground-breaking research for consumption by other academics and the general public. Students are expected to acquire and demonstrate humanistic and behavioral knowledge of communication while acquiring skills requisite to scholarly research in the discipline.
Teaching assistants work closely with USC Annenberg faculty instructors in undergraduate courses and the assignments may include grading papers and exams, leading discussion sections, and holding office hours. TA positions also offer students the opportunity to refine their teaching philosophy and strengthen pedagogical skills.
After passing their qualifying examination and writing an approved dissertation prospectus, doctoral candidates may apply to teach undergraduate communication courses as the sole classroom instructor.