Graduate Bulletin

Mass Media and Communication, Ph.D.

SCHOOL OF MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: December 15

All applications are evaluated together after the deadline date.

APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.

Letters of Reference:

Number Required: 3

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from evaluators, particularly college/university faculty, who can provide insight into your abilities and talents, as well as comment on your aptitude for graduate study.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration:

No specific coursework is required.

Master's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

A master’s degree in Communication, Media Studies, the Social Sciences, or the Humanities is required.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

All applicants must present credentials that are the equivalent of the baccalaureate degree at Temple University.

Statement of Goals:

The Statement of Goals should be approximately 500-1,000 words in length and should include the following elements: your specific interest in Temple's program; your research goals; your future career goals; and your academic and research achievements.

Standardized Test Scores:

The GRE is required. Applicants should have attained a total GRE score in the range of 65% to 80% on the verbal and quantitative sections.

Minimum TOEFL score needed to be accepted: 96 iBT or 590 PBT.

Resume:

A resume is required.

Advanced Standing:

Students who enter the MM&C Ph.D. program may receive credit for previous relevant coursework at the graduate level. To apply for this credit, students must submit a "Request for Transfer of Graduate Credit" form at the beginning of their second semester. The petition is then evaluated by the program faculty. The maximum number of advanced standing credits awarded is 30.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:

Number of Didactic Credits Required Beyond the Master's: 42

Required Courses:

MMC 9001:  Communication Theory I

MMC 9002:  Researching Communication I

MMC 9003:  Doctoral Colloquium

MMC 9004:  Teaching Communication

MMC 9101:  Communication Theory II

MMC 9102:  Researching Communication II

Internship: No internship is required.

Language Examination: No language examination is required.

Culminating Events:

Preliminary Examinations:

Under the direction of an approved faculty committee, the Ph.D. student must satisfactorily complete written and oral examinations prior to formal Ph.D. candidacy. Areas of examination and the constituency of the committee are tailored to the individual student. The subject areas are determined, in advance, by the student and her/his Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC). The examinations consist of essay questions in three areas written by the members of the student's DAC.

The examinations are designed to demonstrate the student's critical and interpretive knowledge of specialized areas of mass media and communication. The exams evaluate the student's ability to apply specific research foci to related issues in the discipline.

The preliminary examinations should be taken no more than one semester after the student completes the coursework component of the program. Students who are preparing to write their preliminary examinations should confirm a date and time with the chair of their DAC and register this information with the graduate secretary. The student and chair receive confirmation for the date, time, and, where applicable, room and proctor for the examinations. The examinations are defended orally approximately three weeks after they are written. They must be completed before the student defends her/his dissertation proposal.

The DAC evaluates the examinations. The student must answer every question on the examinations in order to be evaluated. The evaluators look for breadth and depth of understanding of specific research areas; a critical application of that knowledge to specific mass media and communication issues; and an ability to write technical prose in a manner consistent with mass media and communication research. Each committee member votes to pass or fail the student. In order to pass, a majority of the committee members must agree that the exams have been satisfactorily completed.

Proposal:

With the guidance of her/his academic advisor, who is a member of the MM&C faculty, and at least two other committee members, the student proposes, conducts, and creates a written report of an original, theoretically motivated research project. The proposal should consist of the following: the context and background surrounding a particular research problem; identification of the theoretical and, if relevant, practical importance of the problem; an exhaustive survey and review of literature related to the problem; and a detailed methodological plan for investigating the problem. The proposal should be completed and approved no more than one semester after the student completes coursework. It cannot be defended before the preliminary examinations are taken. Upon approval, a timeline for completing the investigation and writing process is established.

Dissertation:

The doctoral dissertation is an original empirical study that makes a significant contribution to the field of mass media and communication. It should expand the existing knowledge and demonstrate the student's knowledge of both research methods and her/his primary area of interest. Dissertations should be rigorously investigated; uphold the ethics and standards of the communication field; demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the primary area of interest and the broader field of mass media and communication; and be prepared for publication in a professional journal.

The DAC oversees the student's dissertation research and is comprised of at least three graduate faculty members. Two members, including the chair, must be from the MM&C program. Committee compositions must be approved by the MM&C faculty. The chair is responsible for overseeing and guiding the student's progress, coordinating the responses of the DAC members, and informing the student of her/his academic progress.

The Dissertation Examining Committee (DEC) evaluates the student's dissertation and oral defense. This committee is composed of the DAC and at least one additional graduate faculty member from outside the MM&C program. The outside examiner should be identified no later than the beginning of the semester in which the student will defend the dissertation. The DEC evaluates the student's ability to express verbally her/his research question, methodological approach, primary findings, and implications. DEC members vote to pass or fail the dissertation and the defense at the conclusion of the public presentation.

If a student needs to change a member of a Committee, the new member must be approved by the program's faculty and registered with the graduate secretary and the Graduate School.

Students who are preparing to defend their dissertation should confirm a date and time with their DEC members and register with the graduate secretary at least 15 days before the defense. The graduate secretary arranges the date, time, and room within two working days and forwards to the student the appropriate forms. After the graduate secretary has made the appropriate arrangements for the defense, the student must send a completed "Announcement of Dissertation Defense" form to the Graduate School at least 10 days before the defense. The MM&C program announces the defense via e-mail.

Contacts

Program Contact Information:

http://smc.temple.edu/mmc/

Department Information:

Graduate Office

School of Media and Communication
344 Annenberg Hall (011-00)
2020 North 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
nmckenna@temple.edu
215-204-1497

Department Contacts:

Admissions:

Nicole McKenna
nmckenna@temple.edu
215-204-1497

Program Coordinator:

Carolyn Kitch, Ph.D.
ckitch@temple.edu
215-204-5077

Chairperson:

Carolyn Kitch, Ph.D.
ckitch@temple.edu
215-204-5077

About the Program

The Ph.D. in Mass Media and Communication offers a comprehensive curriculum in communication theory and research designed to provide advanced students with the breadth and depth of knowledge needed to make significant contributions in the academic and professional field of mediated communication and, generally, communication.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years

Campus Location:

Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status:

Students are required to complete the degree program through classes offered before and after 4:30 p.m. Students are also able to complete the degree program on a part-time basis (8 credit hours or less per semester).

Department Information:

Graduate Office

School of Media and Communication
344 Annenberg Hall (011-00)

2020 North 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
nmckenna@temple.edu
215-204-1497

Interdisciplinary Study:

The MM&C Ph.D. program encourages interdisciplinary coursework, research, and interactions among faculty and students with interests in sociology, psychology, political science, business, and other fields. Students also may complete a limited amount of production coursework in audio, video, film, and/or journalism.

Affiliation(s):

Not applicable.

Study Abroad:

MM&C doctoral students can take advantage of Temple's London program, which offers a unique opportunity to study British media. Other international study opportunities include programs in Rome and Japan.

Ranking:

Not applicable.

Accreditation:

Not applicable.

Areas of Specialization:

Faculty members specialize and offer substantial coursework in diverse areas related to communication, including international communication, social change, media institutions, communication history, new media, psychological processing of media, and gender studies.

Job Placement:

The MM&C Ph.D. program is designed to prepare graduates for work as professors in colleges and universities around the world. Graduates also hold a variety of positions in the communication and other commercial industries as well as in non-profit organizations.

Licensure:

Not applicable.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy:

Non-matriculated students are restricted to taking the following courses: MMC 9001 and MMC 9002. These courses may only be taken with permission of the instructor. If the student is admitted to the program, these courses may be applied toward the degree.

Financing Opportunities

Both Teaching and Research Assistantships carry a stipend and full tuition remission (up to nine credits per semester). The principal duties of a Teaching Assistant include assisting faculty members in classroom and laboratory instruction; preparing material for presentation and demonstration; conducting tutorials and discussion sections; and grading quizzes and exams. Research Assistants are assigned to a faculty member who is investigating a specific research project. The appropriate subjects are determined by consultation between the student and the student's research and academic advisors. The program makes offers of assistantships on or before March 15. April 5 is the final date to accept or decline the offer.

Updated 11.7.12