Our program is designed to help students successfully enter the Academy or other specialized government, not-for-profit, and private sector positions.  Many of the requirements in our program are modeled after what is expected of junior, tenure-track faculty members.  Our program also offers a great deal of flexibility in terms of courses, specializations, and research trajectories.

Our doctoral program is designed as a four year program, regardless of previous training and experience.  The first year of the program is focused on completing CORE classes and preparing for the preliminary exam.  The second and third years of the program are primarily oriented toward coursework and independent research.  During the third year all students complete a scholarly portfolio to reach ABD status and to prepare for job searches; because the portfolio contains a pre-proposal for the dissertation, most students move well into the dissertation process during the Spring and summer of the third year.  Last, year four is focused mainly on the job search and completion of the dissertation. 

The Cohort Model

We embrace a cohort system for the first year of our program. That is, the CORE classes are explicitly designed as first-year courses and only first-year students are allowed to take the courses.  As students progress through the CORE classes they develop a sense of community and relational bonds that will exist far after completion of our program.  We feel strongly that our first year sequence of courses is both innovative and meaningful in the way that it “jump-starts” your growth as a thinker, teacher, and scholar.

Coursework Requirements

Because Ohio University is currently on a quarter system, you are able to take more courses in your primary area of specialization that is typical in other programs.  We divide coursework requirements into the following areas:

• CORE Classes:  Your first year CORE counts as approximately one quarter of your coursework and provides a conceptual and practical foundation for the remainder of your program.  Courses in the CORE emphasize reading original works of prominent theorists in the humanities and social sciences, research methods, communication pedagogy, as well as “introductory” seminars for the three tracks in our program.
• Primary Area: Students’ primary area typically consists of 7 courses in their direct area of specialization.  Although most of the primary area courses will be from COMS, some outside courses can be included as determined appropriate by your committee.
• Secondary Area:  Your secondary area includes approximately 5 courses and may involve a mixture of COMS and other courses.
• Research Methods:  You are required to take at least three methods courses; many students take more.  Because of the depth and expertise of our faculty we are able to offer many quantitative (ANOVA, Regression, Structural Equation Modeling) and qualitative (ethnography, Critical Ethnography, Conversation Analysis, Narrative) methods courses in our school.  Students emphasizing rhetorical approaches typically take additional rhetoric courses to fulfill this requirement given that theory and method are often intertwined in that area of specialization.
• Electives:  To complete your program you will have between 3 and 5 classes that can be general electives from within COMS or another program.

Preliminary Examination

Preliminary examinations (“Prelims” for short)happen at the end of the first-year, CORE classes.  The prelims involve three questions, each of which requires a four-hour, closed note answer.   The prelim process is very much an opportunity for students to synthesize the large volume of information contained in the CORE sequence while at the same time starting to develop an area of scholarly specialization.  A document describing the preliminary examination policy is available to the right on this page.

Scholarly Portfolio

In lieu of comprehensive exams, we require all students to create a scholarly portfolio sometime during the third year; typically the portfolio is created and presented to faculty during the final quarter of coursework.  The portfolio is designed to accomplish two objectives.  First, the portfolio enables students to gather materials important for the job search.  Second, the portfolio is designed to follow common promotion and tenure procedures.  Our feeling is that we prepare our students for successful experiences as they take tenure-tack jobs and work toward promotion and tenure at other universities.

The Dissertation

Your dissertation will be a significant research project negotiated by you and your advisor.  While the work on your dissertation should not be the best work of your career, it should be your best work to date.  You will work with an advisor and committee to design, carry out, and draft the dissertation project.  Although we encourage students to begin thinking about their dissertation far in advance, we also feel strongly that most of the actual work on the dissertation should take place after courses are completed.  That said, we also have experience with students who have done four-year projects involving ethnographic field-work while completing classes.  Our faculty have significant experience working with various types of projects and with diligent planning we feel confident that your dissertation will become a highly meaningful stepping-stone in your journey as a scholar.