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Ph.D. Handbook

Effective August 2004

Contents

• Introduction
• Coursework
• Initial Registration
• Constructing the Plan of Study
• Minimum Requirements for the Ph.D. Plan of Study in Communication
• Completion of Coursework
• The Comprehensive Examination
• Requirements for the Comprehensive Examination
• Procedures
• Composition and Appointment of the Dissertation Project and Examining Committees
• The Dissertation Prospectus
• Dissertation
• Credit Requirements
• Time Limitation
• Research Assurances
• Composition and Appointment of the Dissertation Examining Committee
• The Dissertation and Defense
• Preparation of the Dissertation
• Defense of the Dissertation
• Before the Defense
• Procedure at the Defense
• After the Defense

Previous Ph.D. Handbooks:

Please note: The access rules in effect at the time of entering the program apply to students unless they choose to adopt the current access rules.

• Access Rules in effect Fall 2000 through Spring 2004
• Access Rules in effect Fall 1999 through Spring 2000
• Access Rules in effect Fall 1998 through Spring 1999
• Access Rules in effect 1July 1997-15 August 1998
   

Introduction

This handbook has been designed to assist students in working their way through the institutional structure of the Ph.D. degree in the Communication Graduate Program (COMM) at the University of Maryland. These Regulations and Requirements take effect for students newly admitted to the Ph.D. program in Communication beginning Fall 2004. Students currently admitted to the Ph.D. program in Communication may adopt these rules for their degree by means of a letter submitted to the Graduate Director. This website constitutes the official rules and the program and we recommend that you print a copy of these rules as you matriculate into the program. The Handbook describes the elements of the Ph.D. degree program in Communication: (1) coursework, (2) the comprehensive examination, and (3) the dissertation.
 

Coursework

Initial Registration

This stage of the Ph.D. degree program extends from admission to the student's registration for the twelfth credit hour -- generally, the second semester for full-time students and the second or third semester for part-time students. During this stage the student will begin developing research skills and identify a probable specialization for concentrated study.

The Admissions Committee annually accepts students into the Communication doctoral program to begin their studies in the fall semester. The first step toward enrollment should be a meeting with the Temporary Advisor appointed by the Graduate Director. Particularly for a student not yet under the supervision of an Advisory Committee, meeting with the Temporary Advisor is important to assure that the courses selected by the student will move the student toward his or her degree objective.

Those who wish to see the courses available during the first semester may view the Schedule of Classes by logging on to the Testudo (www.testudo.umd.edu) website. An ID and PIN are not needed to view the Schedule of Classes. During the first semester of graduate work, a full-time student on a teaching assistantship will normally register for 10 credits; a full time student on a fellowship for as many as 12 credits; a part time student for 3-6 credits. For new students, three Fall semester credits will be in COMM 700: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Communication (three credits). Those students who will be working as Graduate Teaching Assistants will also need to register for COMM 686: Teaching Communication (one credit). It is also a good idea for students to register for a course in their intended specialization. This introduces students to a faculty member who works in their disciplinary area. It also allows the student to evaluate his or her choice of specialization early in the program. Technically, graduate students are permitted to take any course in the Graduate School Catalog. However, not all courses will count toward the completion of the student's degree. The courses a student selects will satisfy degree requirements only if they become part of the plan of study eventually approved by the student's Advisory Committee. For this reason, students should consult with their Temporary Advisors prior to first registration.

We advise that new students wait until August to register, particularly those receiving financial aid. Students who register before tuition remission has been approved will be billed by the University with payment due a short time after registration. Since tuition is paid by tuition remission and the University has not completed the paper work for remission, this early registration is cancelled and the student must register again.

Registration is relatively simple for graduate students. The most difficult part of initial registration may well be gaining access to the University's computerized registration system. Upon their acceptance by the Graduate School, students should have received a welcome brochure including basic information on registration. Students need to be in the system before being permitted to enroll though Testudo or MARS (Maryland Automated Registration System, 301-403-0500), which are the University's computer and telephone registration systems. However, When ready to register on Testudo or MARS, enter the Student ID (which is your social security number) and a PIN (Personal Identification Number). The initial PIN is usually the student's birthday (ex: 042276 for the birthday April 22nd, 1976). Students who have questions regarding obtaining a PIN or logging on to the system can contact the Registration office at 301-314-8240. When students are ready to register, they should first consult the Schedule of Classes to obtain the course and section numbers for the classes they wish to take (ex: COMM 700 - Section 0101). Then, students can choose the Records and Registration option from the menu. Next, students should choose the Registration (Drop/Add) option. Students will be asked to enter the course number, section number, grading method, and credits for each class

Students should register for Spring semester during the preregistration period in October or November. Sometime during the first twelve hours it is a good idea for students to take a course outside Communication but related to their specialization; this may help in the cognate area selection process (required for the Ph.D. plan of study).

Constructing the Plan of Study

During the semester in which the student is registered for his or her twelfth hour, the student should construct a plan of study and have it approved. The following procedure is recommended.

1. The student should select his or her Program Advisor. The Program Advisor must be a faculty member in Communication and a Regular Member of the Graduate Faculty of the University (on the types and qualifications of membership in the Graduate Faculty, see the Graduate School Catalog). Also, it is prudent for the student to choose someone whose research interests are stimulating and with whom the student can work. The Program Advisor may later serve as the student's Dissertation Advisor, so this possibility should be considered in the selection decision. Once the student has determined the faculty member with whom he or she would like to work, the student should approach the faculty member about serving as Program Advisor. To secure appointment of a Program Advisor, students should complete a Request for Appointment of Program Advisor (departmental form) and submit it to the Graduate Director for review and approval. A change of Program Advisor may be requested at any time.
2. Once the Program Advisor has been appointed, the student should discuss with him or her the appointment of an Advisory Committee. This committee consists of at least four members, including the Program Advisor. At least three members of the Advisory Committee must be Regular Members of the Graduate Faculty of the University and a majority must be from Communication. To secure appointment of an Advisory Committee, students should complete a Request for Appointment of Advisory Committee (departmental form) and submit it to the Graduate Director for review and approval. A change in the Advisory Committee may be requested at any time.
3. The student is now ready to prepare the plan of study. The student should begin by informing the Program Advisor about the student's current thinking on the area of dissertation research. Neither a specific research question, nor even a specific topic area is required at this point. But the student does need a general idea of the research tradition to which the dissertation will contribute.
4. Next, the student should consider the elements that will comprise the Comprehensive Examination. The Comprehensive Examination tests the student's familiarity with disciplinary foundations, a major area of specialization, and the student's preparation to undertake the dissertation project.
5. Based on these decisions, the student is ready to begin selecting the courses that will offer preparation for the Comprehensive Examination and the dissertation research. Generally the student should consult the list of courses in the Graduate School Catalog to find courses that will provide preparation for the work ahead. Students may select courses at universities other than the University of Maryland as part of the plan of study (the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area is an important venue for such courses). However, before proposing courses outside the University as part of the plan, the student should consult the Graduate School Catalog and carefully examine the regulations and restrictions governing acceptance of courses from other institutions (including whether such courses are subject to tuition remission for students on a fellowship or an assistantship). In deciding which courses are needed as preparation for the Comprehensive Examination and the dissertation, the student should consider not only courses that he or she will take in the future but also courses from previous academic degrees, and the first twelve hours of registration at Maryland. If the student's earlier coursework in Communication was limited, the student should expect the plan of study to include up to 30 additional credits to provide important background knowledge in the discipline. Course selections should be organized using the departmental Ph.D. Plan of Study form (departmental form). A preliminary draft of the proposed plan of study should be submitted to the Program Advisor. The Program Advisor will go over the plan and suggest deletions and/or additions.
6. Next, the student's plan should be compared with the minimum requirements for the Communication Ph.D. plan of study below. The student should make certain that all requirements are met. Any exceptions to the Ph.D. minimum requirements for the plan of study must be approved according to the procedure for securing exemptions from regulations.
7. After the student has developed the plan of study, copies should be circulated to all members of the Advisory Committee. A meeting to discuss the plan should be arranged no less than two weeks after the committee receives the plan. The Advisory Committee will approve the plan once it is satisfied that the plan will prepare the student properly for the Comprehensive Examination and the dissertation. Approval of the plan of study by the Advisory Committee must be unanimous.
8. After securing approval of the plan of study, the student should submit to the Graduate Director a completed Approval of Plan of Study (departmental form) accompanied by the approved plan. The Graduate Director will check to see that minimum requirements have been met and, if they have, finally approve the plan and add it to the student's graduate file.

Minimum Requirements for the Ph.D. Plan of Study in Communication

The Ph.D. degree is a competency based degree; an Advisory Committee will decide the coursework necessary to prepare the student for independent research in an area of specialization. The plan of study, which must be approved unanimously by the Advisory Committee, will specify the required courses. The plan must meet or exceed the following minimum requirements:

1. All students must successfully complete COMM 700. (3 hours)  The department requires that this course be taken in the student's first semester in the program.
2. All students must complete COMM 602 (Communication Theory).
3. All students must successfully complete a minimum of six hours in a cognate area outside the department. (6 hours). The cognate is selected to contribute to the student's dissertation research. Generally, the cognate area will fall within a single academic discipline. However, a cognate area may be constructed from a combination of courses in more than one discipline, if the student can demonstrate that the cognate area is coherent and relevant to the dissertation research and if the Advisory Committee unanimously approves.
4. All students must complete 12 hours of courses in methods and foundational knowledge.  To satisfy this requirement students must complete one of the following sequences: (a) COMM 702 and 703 (for students selecting this sequence, prerequisite courses such as COMM 600 and courses prerequisite to COMM 702 may not be used to satisfy the requirement); (b) COMM 711 and 712; or (c) COMM 714 and 715.  The other six hours may be drawn from courses within or outside the department, and the advisory committee must certify that the courses provide foundational knowledge in the student's area of study and/or additional preparation in methods appropriate for advanced research in the dissertation area.  (12 hours)
5. All students must successfully complete at least 15 additional hours in an area of specialization. (15 hours)
6. Students must remain in good standing within the graduate program.

Successful completion of courses requires a grade of B or better. Students who have successfully completed COMM 602, 700, 702, 703, 711, or 712 prior to their entry into the Ph.D. program in Communication shall be considered to have met the plan of study requirement for the specific course(s) successfully completed.

Completion of Coursework

For several semesters, the student will complete the courses specified by the plan of study. During this time there is little paperwork associated with courses, except for changes in the plan of study. There are several reasons why the plan of study might change. Courses that the student planned to take may not be offered. New or visiting faculty may offer courses that the student did not know would be offered. A special interest may lead the student to undertake a special topics course. In some cases the student's interests may change.

Making changes in the plan of study is fairly simple. The student should fill out a Request for Change in Plan of Study (departmental form) and circulate it among the committee of record. If the change requested is minor, it will probably be approved immediately. If the change requested is major, or if a committee member wishes to discuss the change with the full committee, then a meeting of the committee is required.

Major changes in the direction of the plan of study should be considered carefully, but students should not be reluctant to make changes, if their interests have evolved. Of course, major changes may imply revisions in coursework or even a new advisor. Changing advisors is common in such circumstances and is expected by faculty members. Since course choices are oriented toward the student's specific research interests, changes in interests may require coursework different from that originally planned. As a result, a redirection of the student's research interests will probably result in the student's having to take coursework beyond the original plan of study.

Students have five years from their admission to pass the Comprehensive Examination and advance to candidacy. For this reason, part-time students should carefully monitor their progress toward satisfying degree requirements lest they find themselves running out of time to complete the Comprehensive Examination. The faculty recommends that students take at least six (6) credits each Fall and Spring semester.

As indicated in the foregoing, successful completion of the plan of study requires that the student earn a grade of "B" or better in every course within the plan. If a student earns a grade lower than "B" in an explicitly required course (i.e., COMM 700 and either COMM 702 or 703 or otherwise COMM 711 or 712), then the course must be retaken until a grade of "B" or better is earned. If a student earns a grade lower than "B" in some other course within the plan, then the student may (a) retake the course until a grade of "B" or better is earned or (b) request that the plan of study be changed to replace or exclude the course.

Deficient grades can lead to a review of a student's academic progress.

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The Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination tests the student's overall command of his or her specialty in Communication and its relationship to contextual knowledge. The examination is the faculty's opportunity to certify the student's knowledge and indicate the student's readiness to proceed with the independent research of the dissertation. Although coursework should assist in the student's preparation for the components of the examination, the examination itself is neither defined nor restricted to material covered in the student's coursework. Rather it is organized around identified areas of study within the Communication discipline.

Requirements for the Comprehensive Examination

The Comprehensive Examination shall be conducted according to a Plan for Comprehensive Examination. The Plan shall be developed by the advisor and student and approved by the Advisory Committee no later than the final semester of the coursework required by the Plan of Study. The exam shall include a written component of at least twelve hours followed by an oral examination of two hours. The subject matter of the exam shall consist of at least three parts:

1. The Major Area Examination. This examination tests the student's knowledge of the division of the discipline with which the student identifies his or her disciplinary interest. The major area is selected by the student and the Program Advisor from among a list of areas approved by the Graduate Committee. That selection is then approved by the Advisory Committee.
    
2. Methods Examination. This examination tests the student's knowledge of the general methods from which the specific method of the dissertation will be drawn.
    
3. The third and additional subject examination(s) shall be specified in the Plan of Examination. The examination(s) may be selected from among the following options:
    
   1. Dissertation Research Literature Examination. This examination tests the student's knowledge of the theory and literature that informs the subject area of the dissertation, including material from the cognate area if appropriate.
       
   2. Second Content Area Examination. This examination tests the student's knowledge of a second area selected from among a list of areas approved by the Graduate Committee.
       
   3. Second Method Examination. This examination tests the student's knowledge of a second general research method.
       
   4. Cognate Examination. This examination tests the student's knowledge of the student's chosen cognate area. If the Cognate Examination is selected, a faculty member from the cognate area should be a member of the Advisory Committee for the purposes of the Comprehensive Examination process.

Each of the subject examinations shall be prepared by one or more Advisory Committee members assigned the task by the committee. The form and format of questions within each element of the examination shall be developed by the examiner(s) who prepare(s) the question(s), and shall be specified in the examination plan for Advisory Committee approval. Questions may be "open book" and/or "take home," even requiring use of the library or computer facilities, if specified in the plan. Unless the Advisory Committee specifies otherwise in the examination plan, the examination will be "closed book" and taken on campus under supervised conditions. More than one student may be administered the same subject examination questions, if more than one student is taking the subject examination in a given semester.

The written examination shall be administered during the second through fourth weeks of each semester (fall and spring) on days and times specified by the Graduate Director. Any part of the examination taken by method other than “closed book” shall be due at this same time. The Director may specify the order of the subject examinations if necessary to maintain the integrity of a subject examination when the same questions are being answered by more than one student during the given semester. The oral portions of the examination shall occur no earlier than the sixth week but within the same semester in which the written examination was undertaken.

To maintain satisfactory progress toward the degree students must complete the comprehensive examination by the second semester following completion of the coursework specified in the Plan of Study.

Procedures

No later than the semester in which the student will complete the coursework required by the Plan of Study, s/he shall prepare in conjunction with his/her advisor and in consultation with his/her chosen examiners, a Plan for the Comprehensive Examination. The plan must specify:

1. the semester in which the student will take the examination,
2. the subject matters of the various subject examinations,
3. the number of hours to be allocated to each subject examination in the written portion of the examination,
4. the faculty member(s) who will serve as examiner(s) on each subject examination, and
5. whether any of the parts or questions of the examination will be other than “closed book,” and if so, the conditions of the examination for such parts or questions (e.g., method for distributing examination, amount of time allowed for completion, restrictions on material or people that can be consulted, word or page limit on product, etc.).

The Advisory Committee shall review this plan and during this review the committee may revise the plan according to its judgment. Approval of the plan requires a majority vote of Advisory Committee members. Once a plan has been approved by the Advisory Committee, an Approval of Comprehensive Examination Plan form (departmental form) must be submitted to the Graduate Director for review.

By the end of the first week of the semester in which the student is taking the written examination, the student's Program Advisor shall assemble the questions for the written portion of the subject examinations specified in the Plan, and forward these questions to the Graduate Director or his/her designatee who will administer the examination.

Where the conditions of one or more elements of the Comprehensive Examination are "closed book," students may create answers to examination questions by handwriting or typing at a computer. In either case, when the examination is concluded, a photocopy of unrefined answers or a copy of a disk containing the answers shall be turned over to the Graduate Director who shall confirm their receipt and forward them to the Program Advisor. Students may then prepare a refined version of the answers for review by their Advisory Committee. The refined version must be typewritten and may be corrected for spelling and grammar only. Deletions in unrefined answers may be omitted in the refined version; likewise, insertions in the unrefined answers may be added, but the substance of answers in the unrefined version may not be changed. Anything that is added to the refined version that is not contained in the original, unrefined version must be presented within pointed brackets (e.g., <addition>). Students must submit refined versions of answers to the Program Advisor within three days from the date of completion of the written examination.

When all answers to questions in the examination have been completed and/or refined, the entire set of questions and answers must be duplicated and submitted to all members of the Advisory Committee. The date, time, and location of the oral examination shall be scheduled by the student and/or the Program Advisor after consultation with the Advisory Committee to occur by the end of the seventh week of the semester. The oral examination is based upon (but may go beyond) the written examination and is generally two hours in length. Upon completion of the oral part of the examination, the Advisory Committee shall determine that the student has (1) passed, (2) passed conditionally, or (3) failed each subject examination. This determination is communicated to the Graduate Director using the Report of the Advisory Committee on the Comprehensive Examination (departmental form). If the student passes conditionally or fails, the committee shall inform the student and Graduate Director in writing of the deficient portion(s) of the examination and any specific actions required of the student before passing or retaking the examination. This may include additional courses to be taken, books to read, papers to be written, or any other action that the committee considers appropriate. Students who fail any portion of the examination on the first attempt may take that portion one more time during the subsequent semester.

Composition and Appointment of the Dissertation Project and Examining Committees

According to Graduate School requirements, a Dissertation Examining Committee includes at least five members, all of whom must be members of the University of Maryland Graduate Faculty . At least three members of the committee must be Regular Members of the University of Maryland Graduate faculty, including the committee Chair and the Graduate School Dean's Representative – a tenured faculty member from a graduate program other than COMM who should have some background or interest related to the student's research. To these stipulations, COMM adds two requirements: the Chair of the Dissertation Examining Committee must be the student's Dissertation Advisor and a majority of the members of the Dissertation Examining Committee must be faculty in Communication.

Prior to presentation of the Dissertation Prospectus, a student must form the Dissertation Project Committee. The Dissertation Advisor should be selected first. The Dissertation Advisor must be a Regular Member of the University of Maryland Graduate Faculty , and a member of the Department of Communication. The Dissertation Advisor guides the student through the process of preparing the Prospectus and writing the dissertation, and serves ex-officio as Chair of the Dissertation Project and Examining Committees. The best person to supervise the dissertation project may well be the Program Advisor, but the selection should be considered carefully. Generally, a student should select the faculty member whose research most closely relates to his or her dissertation. The simple reason for this is that such a faculty member is knowledgeable in the literature and methods of the student's chosen specialization; accordingly, he or she can help the student work efficiently and avoid problems as the student prepares for the Preliminary Dissertation Examination and pursues dissertation research. Still, it should not be overlooked that the Dissertation Advisor must be a person in whom the student can trust and with whom the student can work closely. All students should discuss their project freely with departmental faculty who might supervise such projects. Students should also feel free to discuss their choice of Dissertation Advisor with the Graduate Director. Students may secure appointment of the Dissertation Advisor by completing a Request for Appointment of Dissertation Advisor (departmental form) and submitting it to the Graduate Director for review and approval. A change of Dissertation Advisor may be requested at any time. The Dissertation Advisor

Once the Dissertation Advisor has been selected, the student should consult him or her about the membership of the Dissertation Project Committee. Although the Dissertation Project Committee is a creature of the Communication Graduate Program (and therefore appointed by the Graduate Director), it should mirror the composition of the committee that will eventually evaluate the dissertation, namely the Dissertation Examination Committee (which is appointed by the Graduate Dean). A change of Dissertation Project Committee may be requested at any time. The Dissertation Project Committee shall review the Dissertation Prospectus and meet with the student during the Dissertation Project Meeting. Normally, the Committee then becomes the Dissertation Examining Committee, but replacement of members of the Committee may occur at any time.

As indicated above, the Dissertation Examining committee that evaluates the dissertation is appointed by the Graduate Dean. Students should propose the committee to the Graduate School Dean using the Nomination of Thesis/Dissertation Examining Committee form ( Graduate School form; note that this form must be approved by the Dissertation Advisor and the Graduate Director prior to submission to the Graduate School ). The nomination of a Dissertation Examining Committee should reach the Graduate School at least six weeks before the date of the expected dissertation defense. The dissertation defense cannot be held until the Graduate School Dean approves the composition of the Dissertation Examining Committee.

The Dissertation Prospectus

The dissertation prospectus provides evidence of originality of the student's dissertation project and the student's ability to engage in independent research. There is no standard format for a prospectus; the structure will vary depending on the character of the project. In general, though, every prospectus is expected to: (1) identify the disciplinary problem or question to be addressed in the research; (2) review previous research pertinent to the problem or question; (3) specify how the researcher will proceed in addressing the research problem or question; (4) provide a sketch of likely chapters in the dissertation; (5) furnish a bibliography of materials germane to the project.

When the dissertation prospectus has been approved by the advisor, the prospectus must be duplicated and submitted to all members of the Dissertation Project Committee. The student and/or the advisor may then schedule the Prospectus meeting no earlier than two weeks after the Committee members receive the Prospectus. Once a dissertation prospectus meeting has been scheduled, the Dissertation Advisor formally notifies the other committee members of the time and place of the meeting.

The dissertation prospectus meeting is based upon (but may go beyond) the prospectus and it is generally two hours in length. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Dissertation Project Committee will determine whether they approve the project proposed in the Prospectus. Approval requires a unanimous vote of the Dissertation Project Committee. The committee's determination is communicated to the Graduate Director using a Report of the Dissertation Project Committee on the Dissertation Prospectus (departmental form). If the Committee fails to approve the prospectus, the committee shall inform the student and Graduate Director in writing of the action and any suggestions the Committee has for further work on the project, or termination of the project.

Upon approval of the Dissertation Prospectus, students are qualified to submit an Application for Admission to Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (using Graduate School form). The Graduate Director will approve this application, provided that the Dissertation Advisor has approved and that the student's graduate file includes: (1) an approved Request for Appointment of Program Advisor and Advisory Committee form; (2) a completed Approval of Plan of Study Form accompanied by the approved plan of study; (3) a completed Approval of Comprehensive Examination Plan form accompanied by the Plan; (4) a completed Report of the Advisory Committee on the Comprehensive Examination (indicating a successful result) accompanied by copies of the answers to the written portion of the examination; (5) an approved Request for Appointment of Dissertation Advisor/Dissertation Project Committee form; (6) a completed Report of the Dissertation Project Committee on the Dissertation Prospectus (indicating Committee approval) accompanied by a copy of the approved dissertation prospectus. Advancement to Candidacy certifies that the student has achieved a level of mastery over the knowledge in his or her chosen field and permits the student to proceed to the original research project that will inform his or her dissertation. Teaching and research assistants are advanced to a new pay classification upon advancement to candidacy.

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Dissertation

The conventions governing the dissertation are, for the most part, rules and regulations of the Graduate School. Accordingly, students should familiarize themselves thoroughly with the requirements for the Ph.D. degree published in the Graduate School Catalog. Of particular importance are the rules and regulations concerning dissertation credits, time limitation, research assurances, composition and appointment of the Dissertation Examination Committee, and the defense of the dissertation.

Credit Requirements

The Graduate School requires that every student seeking a Ph.D. degree must register for a minimum of 12 semester hours of dissertation credits; accordingly, during the Ph.D. program each student must register for at least 12 credits of COMM 899 (these credits are in addition to credits in the plan of study). Moreover, even after a student has satisfied the dissertation credit requirement, it is necessary that the student be registered for one or more credits each Fall and Spring semester until the degree is awarded.

Time Limitation

After admission to candidacy, students have four years to complete the dissertation and final examination. A one year extension after this time limit is possible, but only upon approval of the student's Dissertation Advisor, the Graduate Director, and the Graduate School.

Research Assurances

If a student's dissertation research involves human subjects, the research must be approved by the COMM Human Subjects Review Board and/or the University's Institutional Review Board. Such research assurances must be approved prior to the initiation of any dissertation-related research and the student must provide approvals to the Graduate School at the time he or she nominates the Dissertation Examining Committee.

Composition and Appointment of the Dissertation Examining Committee

As indicated above, the committee that evaluates the dissertation is appointed by the Graduate Dean. According to Graduate School requirements, a Dissertation Examining Committee includes at least five members, all of whom must be members of the University of Maryland Graduate Faculty. At least three members of the committee must be Regular Members of the University of Maryland Graduate faculty, including the committee Chair and the Graduate School Dean's Representative--a faculty member from a graduate program other than COMM who should have some background or interest related to the student's research. To these stipulations, COMM adds two requirements: the Chair of the Dissertation Examining Committee must be the student's Dissertation Advisor and a majority of the members of the Dissertation Examining Committee must be faculty in Communication. Usually the faculty member proposed for nomination as the Dean's Representative is the cognate area faculty member from the Dissertation Project Committee. Students should consult with their Dissertation Advisors regarding the composition of Dissertation Examining Committees, then propose the committees to the Graduate School Dean using the Nomination of Thesis/Dissertation Examining Committee form (Graduate School form; note that this form must be approved by the Dissertation Advisor and the Graduate Director prior to submission to the Graduate School). The nomination of a Dissertation Examining Committee should reach the Graduate School at least six weeks before the date of the expected dissertation defense. The dissertation defense cannot be held until the Graduate School Dean approves the composition of the Dissertation Examining Committee.

The Dissertation and Defense

Preparation of the Dissertation

The dissertation is an original project that demonstrates the student's ability to engage in independent research. Work on the dissertation may take from one to four years. (The Graduate School requires that at least six months, and no more than four years, elapse between advancement to candidacy and a successful oral defense of the dissertation.) Generally, this period of work involves frequent meetings between the student and the Dissertation Advisor, all structured around preparation of written material. The process differs from most classroom or seminar contact with faculty. The student prepares material, discusses that material with the Dissertation Advisor, and revises the material based on the discussion. The student may revise the dissertation many times in a process that leads to the Dissertation Advisor's approval of the work. Occasionally, a student may also involve another member of the Dissertation Examining Committee, but usually during the preparation of the dissertation, the involvement of the committee is minimal.

The dissertation must be presented in the format described in the Graduate School's Thesis and Dissertation Manual (a copy of the manual may be obtained from Campus Reprographics, The Media Express, Room 0100, Reckord Armory, for a minimal charge). For matters not settled in the Thesis and Dissertation Manual, the Dissertation Advisor will suggest (or perhaps require) a standard manual of style; examples here include the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, and the Chicago Manual of Style.

Once the student's Dissertation Advisor has approved the dissertation for distribution, and no later than thirty (30) days before the Graduate School deadline for oral examinations, the dissertation should be submitted to the Dissertation Examining Committee for review. Members have two weeks to read the material and respond to the Dissertation Advisor with one of the following judgments: (1) the dissertation is ready for oral defense; (2) the dissertation is ready for oral defense with specific changes (as indicated by the member), (3) a meeting of the Dissertation Examining Committee is requested to discuss the dissertation, or (4) the dissertation is not ready for oral defense. The Dissertation Advisor and the student may also request a meeting of the Dissertation Examination Committee to discuss the dissertation. The Dissertation Examining Committee is said to have reached agreement that the dissertation is ready for oral defense when no more than one member withholds agreement. When agreement has been reached that the dissertation is ready for oral defense, the final oral examination may be scheduled.

Defense of the Dissertation

Before the Defense

The Graduate School requires that doctoral defenses be publicized in the student's graduate program at least five working days prior to the defense. Accordingly, at least five working days prior to the defense the student must see that the oral examination on the dissertation is announced. At a minimum, the announcement must (1) include the student's name and the title of the dissertation, (2) identify the Dissertation Advisor, (3) identify the room and beginning time of the defense, and (4) indicate the date of the notice. The announcement should be placed in conspicuous places around the department (see the Graduate Director for information on program conventions for announcements). Omission of proper notice for the dissertation examination may nullify an otherwise successful defense.

Procedure at the Defense

Oral defenses must be attended by all members of the Dissertation Examining Committee. Moreover, the defense must be open to University of Maryland Graduate Faculty. Should a last-minute change in the constitution of the Dissertation Examining Committee be required, the change must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School in consultation with the Graduate Director and the Chair of the Dissertation Examining Committee (namely, the Dissertation Advisor). The Chair of the Dissertation Examining Committee selects the time and place for the examination.

At the beginning of the meeting the student will be permitted to present briefly a summary of the dissertation, emphasizing the important results and giving an explanation of the reasoning that led to the conclusions reached. After the presentation, there will be an opportunity for questioning by members of the Dissertation Examining Committee. The Chair will invite questions in turn from each member of the committee. The questioning may continue as long as the Dissertation Examining Committee feels that it is necessary and reasonable for the proper examination of the student. Usually the defense lasts around two hours.

When questioning has been completed, the student and any others who are not members of the Dissertation Examining Committee will be asked to leave the room and the Dissertation Examining Committee will discuss whether or not the dissertation (including its defense) has been satisfactory. The Committee has the following options:

To accept the dissertation without any recommended changes and sign the Report of Examining Committee.

To accept the dissertation with recommendations for changes and, except for the Chair, sign the Report of the Examining Committee. The Chair will check the dissertation and, upon his or her approval, sign the Report of Examining Committee.

To recommend revisions to the dissertation and not sign the Report of Examining Committee until the student has made the changes and submitted the revised dissertation for the Dissertation Examining Committee's approval. The Dissertation Examining Committee members sign the Report of Examining Committee if they approve the revised dissertation.

To recommend revisions and convene a second meeting of the Dissertation Examining Committee to review the dissertation and complete the defense.

To rule the dissertation (including its defense) unsatisfactory. In that circumstance, the student will have failed the examination.

Following the defense, the Chair, in the presence of the Dean's Representative, must inform the student of the outcome of the defense. The Chair and the Dean's Representative will both sign a statement indicating which of the above alternatives has been adopted. One copy of this statement will be included in the student's graduate file, another copy will be given to the student.

According to Graduate School policy, the student passes the defense if one member refuses to sign the Report, but the other members of the Dissertation Examining Committee agree to sign, before or after the approval of recommended changes. Two or more negative votes constitute the student's failure to meet the dissertation requirement. In cases of failure, the Dissertation Examining Committee must specify in detail and in writing the nature of the deficiencies in the dissertation and/or the oral performance that led to failure. This statement is to be submitted to the Graduate Director, the Dean of the Graduate School, and to the student. A second defense may be permitted if the student is in good standing at the time of the proposed second defense. A second defense requires the approval of the Graduate Director and the Dean of the Graduate School. If the student fails this second defense, or if a second defense is not permitted, the student's admission to the graduate program is terminated.

After the Defense

Following final approval of the dissertation by the Dissertation Examining Committee, the student should make certain that the Report of the Examining Committee (Graduate School form) is properly filed with the Graduate School. After approval of all changes required by the examining committee, the student must prepare at least five copies of the dissertation on acid-free paper. The graduate school will request that two copies be deposited in the library. In addition, a mininum of three of these copies should be "hard bound": one for the student, one for the adviser, and one for the department. Students should consult with the adviser about the need for, and binding options for, additional copies of the dissertation.
 
 

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