Graduate Study in Communication Studies at the

University of Southern Mississippi:

A Handbook for Students

The teaching of communication will always be with us . . . for the most fundamental of reasons: Freedom goes to the articulate. -Rod Hart

INDEXpage

Master’s Program ……………………………………... 2Doctoral Program…………………………………….…7Assistantships ………………………………………....12Appeals and Grievances……………………………….14Courses………………………………………………...15Faculty …………………………………………………18Ph.D. Degree Progress Checklist……………………....20M. A. or M. S. Degree Progress Checklist…………….23List of Recent Handbook Changes ……………………25

Revised October 25, 2016

I. Introduction

The Communication Studies Department offers the Master of Arts and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Communication with a Communication Studies emphasis. These degrees are offered in cooperation with the School of Mass Communication and Journalism, which provides an emphasis in Mass Communication. The University of Southern Mississippi has been awarding the master’s degree for over 50 years and the doctoral degree for more than 25 years.

These graduate degrees help students to pursue careers in business, health, and educational institutions. The graduate program also prepares students to teach in post-secondary institutions. For example, graduates with our master’s degree are employed in community colleges throughout Mississippi, and our doctoral graduates are on faculty at colleges and universities across the country.

This document describes the policies, procedures, and practices followed by the Communication Studies Department in administering its graduate programs. This guide clarifies the university’s general rules and degree requirements as stipulated in the Graduate Bulletin, which should be examined for additional details and should be considered the final authority on policies and procedures.

All stipulations of this document will apply to students who began graduate study during or after the fall semester of 2017. Most parts of this document contain no change of policy and therefore apply to all students. Students should consult their academic advisor or dissertation director to discuss specific issues or concerns.

II. Master’s Program

A. Admissions Requirements

The department admits to the graduate program only students whose records demonstrate the ability to succeed in advanced study. Members of all underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Procedure. A detailed description and explanation of general rules and procedures may be found in U.S.M.’s Graduate Bulletin (https://www.usm.edu/registrar/graduate-bulletins)

Scores from the Graduate Record Exam must be submitted. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit results of the TOEFL. Additionally, applicants must send three current letters of recommendation that refer to the student’s academic ability

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and preparation to pursue graduate study. These must be written by faculty members who have taught and/or supervised the student. The letters must be uploaded to the application website.

Deadlines. Admission deadlines for master’s students are April 15, July 15, and December 1. Note that MA students who wish to complete the “applied communication” MA track in one year will need to meet the April 15 deadline and will begin classes, if admitted, that summer.

Regular Admission. For Regular Admission, students must have an overall 3.0 GPA and 3.0 GPA in their major. Meeting this minimal requirement, however, does not guarantee acceptance. The admissions process takes into account the GPA, the GRE, and the letters of recommendation. Students whose record suggests a strong likelihood of success in advanced study will be admitted.

Conditional Admission. Students who do not meet the requirements for Regular Admission may be considered for Conditional Admission, provided that the applicant has a 2.75 GPA on the last 60 hours of course work. Students whose records suggest a reasonable expectation of success in advanced study may be admitted conditionally.Students with Conditional Admission status must take their first nine (9) hours of graduate coursework within the department and earn a 3.00 GPA.

International students must score at least 550 on the TOEFL examination for Regular or Conditional Admission.

B. Degree Requirements

Students have two options for the MA degree in Communication. They can either choose to complete a thesis (the “thesis track”; recommended for those who are interested in continuing their graduate work beyond the MA) or they can complete an applied communication project at the end of their coursework (“applied communication track”). Coursework requirements are the same for both tracks; however, students may be directed into different courses to fulfill those requirements. Students should enter the program knowing which track they are pursuing, or they may risk lengthening their time in the program.

Coursework. A minimum of thirty (30) semester hours must be completed, including thesis/project credit.

Substantive CoreCMS 600, CMS CMS 720................................6

Research Methods.........................................................9

CMS Electives..............................................................9

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Thesis or major project.................................................6 __ 30

Additional Requirements. All candidates must either a) complete a thesis and an oral defense of the thesis (see section II E) or b) complete a major project and defend the project in a public forum (see section II D).

A 3.0 GPA is required for graduation. Students must complete the degree within 4 years of initial enrollment and adhere to the University’s continuous enrollment requirement. Details may be found in the Graduate Bulletin (http://www.usm.edu/registrar/graduate-bulletins). In brief, students should be continuously enrolled after completing coursework until completing all requirements for the master’s degree. The Department of Communication Studies requires that students register for 3 hours of credit during any semester the student works with a professor on a thesis, especially when defending a prospectus or thesis. Students using other university resources such as the library can register for 1 credit hour. All graduate students are expected to complete Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training, sexual misconduct training, and additional assigned modules available online.

2. Master of Science

C. Advising and registration.

Students pursing a graduate degree will be advised by a faculty member who will direct the student’s work. (Prior to a faculty member agreeing to advising a student, the Director of Graduate Studies of the Communication Studies department will serve as the official advisor). Students must meet with their advisor each semester to discuss and secure approval for courses to be taken prior to registration.

D. Major project.

Master of Arts students who have chosen the “applied communication” track must successfully complete a major communication project. This project requires the student to apply knowledge of the field of communication studies and to think analytically and critically about communication. Thus, projects must be grounded in communication scholarship. Examples of projects include the creation of a workshop, development of a campaign, design of a message source (website, guidebook, etc.), or designing and implementing applied research for an organization. Students are required to submit a written document, which may include samples of work completed associated with the project. The written document should detail the project’s rationale and significance, relevant literature and scholarly grounding, the method of development and implementation, results and outcomes, and lessons learned.

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In contrast to the thesis option, projects typically focus on the application of existing knowledge from the communication discipline to a specific problem, situation, message, or other appropriate context. The student should contact his/her graduate advisor to discuss possible topics for this project. The advisor and student will agree on the project, and the student will prepare a project proposal that details the project’s timeline, goals, and expected outcomes.

Once the advisor approves, the proposal will be distributed to the project committee for review. A defense of the proposal will occur where the student and advisor will receive additional feedback. The entire committee then either approves the project, requests revisions before approval, or rejects the proposal.

After the project proposal has been approved, the student continues to work closely with his/her graduate advisor throughout the development and execution of each phase of the project, as well as the production of the written component. Once the project is completed and final drafts of the project have been approved by the advisor, all committee members will be provided the final draft. A final project defense will be scheduled, usually ten days after the material is provided to the committee members.

Projects will be presented in a public forum. The presentation might be recorded for future reference. A question and answer period will follow the presentation where anyone may ask questions related to the project. Immediately following, the student will meet with the committee for a final defense. During this defense, the committee members may ask questions, make suggestions, identify strengths and weaknesses, and otherwise discuss the merits of the project. Based on the submitted material and the defense, the committee will assess the project and determine if the project has been completed satisfactorily and a final grade can be recorded, whether revisions are required before the grade can be submitted, or if the project and/or defense were unsatisfactory. Revisions, if required, must be submitted in a timely manner. If the committee concludes that the project is unsatisfactory, the student has one additional opportunity to defend the project after it has been significantly revised and the advisor is satisfied that all major concerns have been addressed.

E. Thesis

MA students who choose the “thesis track” will need to write a thesis. Those students should secure the help of a faculty advisor and two faculty committee members. Individuals should be selected because of their expertise and ability to help the student.

The student first works with the advisor on the production of a prospectus that outlines the subject of the thesis, reviews pertinent literature, formulates research questions or hypotheses, and describes the methods by which the study will be completed. When approved by the thesis advisor, the student presents a prospectus to the thesis committee who will assess the work and approve, require changes, or reject the proposal. Upon approval of the committee, the student has permission to proceed with the conduct of the research. Approval of the Human Subjects Protection Review Committee is required for

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any study involving human subjects. The student will seek the advice of the thesis advisor during the conduct of the research and will present to the thesis committee a final draft of the completed thesis, upon the recommendation or consent of the advisor. A period of 10 working days should be given after submitting the thesis to committee members before holding a meeting in which the student defends the thesis. After giving the student ample time to explain and justify her/his work, the committee will decide to approve, require changes, or reject the thesis.

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III. Doctoral Program

A. Admissions. The department admits to the doctoral program only students whose records demonstrate the ability to succeed at this advanced level of study. Members of all underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Procedure. A detailed description and explanation of general rules and procedures may be found in the Graduate Bulletin (http://www.usm.edu/registrar/graduate-bulletins). Admission application can be completed online at the university’s website: http://apps.usm.edu/graduate-school/grad-school-apps/?utm_source=top-nav&utm_medium=web&utm_content=grad-apply&utm_campaign=admissions

Scores from the Graduate Record Exam must be submitted. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit results of the TOEFL. Applicants must send three current letters of recommendation that refer to the student’s academic ability and preparation to pursue graduate study. These should be requested from faculty members who have taught and/or supervised the student. At least one letter should come from the student’s MA/MS program faculty members. Additionally, the applicant must submit a 500-700 word goals statement and a single-authored sample of recent scholarly writing. These documents will supply additional information that will assist the department in selecting those individuals who can most benefit from and contribute to the doctoral program. The letters and writings must be uploaded to the application website.

Deadlines. All admission materials for doctoral students seeking to enroll in each fall term should be received by January 15 for full consideration for assistantships.

Regular Admission. For regular admission, students must have completed a master’s degree in a relevant field and achieved a 3.5 cumulative GPA in master’s coursework. Meeting this minimal requirement, however, does not guarantee acceptance. The admission process takes into account the GPA, the GRE, the letters of recommendation, the goals statement, and the writing sample. Students whose record suggests a strong likelihood of success in the doctoral program will be admitted.

Conditional Admission. Students who do not meet the requirements for regular admission may be considered for conditional admission, provided that the applicant has a 3.25 on master’s coursework. Students whose records suggest a reasonable expectation of success in doctoral student may be admitted conditionally. Students with Conditional Admission status must take their first nine (9) hours of graduate coursework within the department and earn a 3.50 GPA.

International students must score at least 550 on the TOEFL examination for Regular or Conditional Admission.

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B. Degree Requirements.

1. Curricular Requirements. Doctoral students must complete: 1) an 18-hour core -- see subsection a and b below; 2) 27 hours in their major areas of study, including at least one independent research course; and, 3) 12 hours of dissertation work. The student’s academic committee must approve all coursework. A student’s doctoral committee may require more courses if the student’s background or goals necessitate additional study.

Students may elect to take up to 9 hours outside of Communication Studies.

Students coming into the program without previous coursework in communication must complete additional requirements: 1) students without either an undergraduate degree or master’s degree in communication must take an additional 30 hours of coursework; 2) students with an undergraduate degree in communication and a master’s degree in a discipline other than communication must take an additional 15 hours of coursework. Students whose master’s degrees are in related areas can request a reduction of these additional requirements based upon the comparability of prior coursework. The student’s academic committee can approve reductions in these supplemental course requirements only after examining the student’s transcript and the content of specific courses previously taken by the student.

Students may take REF 602: Introduction to Educational Statistics as needed, but it will not count toward the student’s program of study, serving only as preparation for taking a higher level statistics course.

a. Core courses (18 hours).i. Rhetoric track. Students in this track will take these core courses:

CMS 600: Communication Theory and ResearchCMS 720: Introduction to Graduate ResearchCMS xxx: Qualitative MethodsCMS 735: Rhetorical TheoryCMS 740: Rhetorical CriticismAn additional methods elective

ii. Applied track. Students in this track will take these core courses:

CMS 600: Communication Theory and ResearchCMS 720: Introduction to Graduate ResearchCMS xxx: Qualitative MethodsCMS 722: Research MethodsTwo additional 700-level statistics courses

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b. Major Areas of Study (27 hours). A minimum of twenty-seven additional hours of elective coursework is required. Students normally may take no more than 6 hours of CMS 692 or 792 Special Problems

i. Electives (24 hours). Students in conjunction with their committee select these courses to provide substantive preparation in their selected specialization area.

ii. Independent research (3 hours). Students must complete an independent research project that involves an in-depth examination of an area of communication research. This involves a review of literature on a selected topic and also involves the completion of a study based on some form of data. The paper reporting this research must be accepted as “publishable” by the student’s Ph.D. committee. Standards faculty use to assess an essay include:

The essay contributes (or has the potential to contribute) something new and significant to the discipline

The essay shows an accurate and thorough understanding of relevant literature

The essay effectively applies and justifies an appropriate methodology

The essay is well written.

c. Dissertation (12 hours). The student must enroll for at least 12 hours of dissertation credit (CMS 898) as detailed below.

2. Additional Requirements

a. Continuous enrollment. Students must adhere to the university’s continuous enrollment requirement. See the Graduate Bulletin for details (http://www.usm.edu/registrar/graduate-bulletins). In brief, students should be continuously enrolled while pursuing the doctoral degree. Students must register every spring and fall semester after completing the comprehensive exam until degree requirements have been completed. The Department of Communication Studies requires that students register for at least 3 hours of CMS 898 during any semester the student works with a professor on the dissertation, especially when defending a prospectus or dissertation. Students using other university resources such as the library can register for 1 credit hour of CMS 898.

b. Comprehensive exam. The student takes a rigorous written and oral examination in order to demonstrate mastery of knowledge about communication studies.

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c. Grades. The student must obtain a 3.0 GPA over all doctoral coursework for graduation.

d. Colloquium/Seminar presentations. Students must make two presentations to the department’s colloquium series (see below) or similar venues. All graduate students are expected to complete Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training modules available online.

e. Residency. Students must meet the residency requirements specified in USM’s Graduate Bulletin (http://www.usm.edu/registrar/graduate-bulletins). Normally this requirement is met by two consecutive terms in which the student enrolls for 12 hours or three consecutive terms enrolling for 9 hours.

f. Time Limit. Students must complete their comprehensive exam within 6 years of their initial enrollment in the doctoral program and successfully defend their dissertation within 8 years.

g. Training. All graduate students are expected to complete Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training, sexual misconduct training, and additional assigned modules available online.

C. Advisor and Academic Committee

The Director of Graduate Studies will advise students initially. Afterwards, the student should be advised by the chair of the academic committee constituted as follows. During the first semester, or before completing 9 hours, the student should seek an academic advisor from among eligible graduate faculty to chair the doctoral committee. Upon securing the consent of a faculty advisor, the student should confer with the advisor to identify individuals qualified and appropriate to serve on the academic committee. The student should then confer with and secure the agreement of at least 4 additional faculty to serve on the committee, 3 of whom must be from the Department of Communication Studies. The student should then request that the Director of Graduate Studies and the Department Chair recommend approval of the committee from the Dean of the Graduate School.

The student, with the advisor’s recommendation, should present to the academic committee a statement of goals, list of previous graduate courses taken, and proposed plan-of-study form that details how the student intends to meet curricular and residency requirements a minimum of two working days in advance of the plan-of-study meeting. In the meeting, the faculty will meet prior to inviting the student to join in to discuss, approve, or modify this plan, which is then submitted to the Graduate School. This form is available from the Office of Graduate Admissions website: http://www.usm.edu/graduatesschool/planofstudy.php). Departures from the plan should be discussed with the advisor.

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The student must seek approval and guidance of the advisor and committee members for the conduct of the study of communication that fulfills the independent research requirement.

During the final semester of coursework, the student will confer with the academic committee to secure approval of coursework and a recommendation concerning areas to be covered in the comprehensive exam. Generally these consist of theory and research methods, plus two areas of specialization such as interpersonal communication, organizational communication, rhetoric, gender and communication, intercultural communication, persuasion and social influence, etc. The committee will at this time plan the administration of the exam (see below).

D. Comprehensive Exam.

Students are required to complete a multi-part comprehensive exam. The purpose of this exam is to certify the students’ understanding of the body of knowledge that constitutes the communication studies discipline and methodological competence to conduct dissertation research. Students who cannot demonstrate competence in these areas fail the exam. The student can take the exam only after completing all required coursework. The exam consists of three requirements.

1. Independent research paper. As part of the independent research requirement course, the student must write a paper that reports the results of a research project that demonstrates an ability to grasp previous research and theoretical rationale for, methodology and justification for, and reporting results and their implications for studying some aspect of communication. This paper must be submitted to all committee members. When the advisor agrees that the paper is ready, that faculty member will forward the document to the rest of the committee. Within two weeks, each committee member will send to the advisor a one- to two-page review of the paper to be shared with the student, along with an “accept” or “reject” vote to the student’s committee chair. Once a majority of committee members communicate to the committee chair their agreement that the research project meets minimum standards for being a publishable paper, the student may take the written exam. In the event of committee disapproval of the paper, the committee chair will serve as liaison between the Ph.D. student and the committee members to improve the paper until it is approved. Failure by a committee member to communicate a judgment about the paper within two weeks shall count as a vote for approval.

2. The written exam. The academic committee in consultation with the student will decide on the date and topics or areas to be emphasized on the exam. The doctoral committee will compose the four exam sections. One section will be designed to test understanding of theory, another methods, and the final two will focus on the student’s area of expertise. The final version of the exam should be prepared by the committee chair and approved by the doctoral committee.

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The student will be given two weeks to complete the exam, normally divided into four three-day blocks beginning on an agreed-upon examination date. For example, students might receive their section assignments on Monday and Thursday of the first and second weeks. The student must submit the answer to a received section before receiving the next. Since the exam will be taken at locations of the student’s choosing, full documentation of sources consulted, cited, or quoted will be expected. The student will not communicate regarding specific content of any questions with anyone, including faculty members or fellow students, during the comprehensive exam writing weeks. Each answer must be a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 15 typed, double spaced pages (not including the references section). APA style guidelines must be followed. Any delay in returning the final answer beyond the given two weeks will constitute failure of the exam unless extension is granted by the committee.

3. The oral exam. An oral defense of the written exam along with the comprehensive research project should be scheduled no less than one week and normally no more than 4 weeks after completing the written exam. If members cannot meet within this time period, the student can opt to either delay the oral or the written exam.

The purpose of the oral defense is to ensure that the student understands and can support the descriptions, conclusions, and assessments contained in the written answers. In the oral exam the student may also be asked questions about the independent research project that was submitted to the committee prior to the exam. Additionally, the oral exam can focus on other issues or topics requisite for demonstrating knowledge of the discipline and ability to independently conduct communication research.

After the oral exam, the student will be informed if he/she has passed or failed. The Graduate School should also be informed of the results. If the student fails the exam, the student should take remedial efforts before retaking the exam. The earliest a student may take a second comprehensive exam is the following semester. If the student takes a second comprehensive examination, the same procedures used in the first exam will be followed. Students failing the comprehensive exam twice will be terminated from the program without being awarded the doctoral degree.

E. Dissertation

A director and committee guide the student’s work on the dissertation. The director and committee members are normally, but not always, the academic advisor and academic committee members. In consultation with the academic advisor, the student should secure a dissertation director and committee whose interests and abilities are best suited to supervise the student’s desired research project.

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The student first works with the director on the production of a prospectus that outlines the subject of the dissertation, reviews pertinent literature, formulates research questions or hypotheses, and describes the methods by which the study will be completed. When approved by the dissertation director, the student presents a prospectus to the doctoral committee who will assess the work and approve, require changes, or reject the proposal. Upon approval of the committee, the student has permission to proceed with the conduct of the research. Approval of the Human Subjects Protection Review Committee is required for any study involving human subjects.

The student will seek the advice of the dissertation director and upon approval will present to all committee members each chapter of the dissertation as completed for feedback to be given within two weeks. The student will present to the doctoral committee a final draft of the completed dissertation, upon the recommendation or consent of the director. A minimum of 10 working days should be given after submitting to committee members before holding a meeting in which the student defends the dissertation. A presentation summarizing the dissertation should be presented to the committee in a venue open to the public. Following this, the student will defend the dissertation in a meeting with the committee who will then decide to approve, require changes, or reject the dissertation.

The student must enroll for a minimum of 12 hours of dissertation coursework (CMS 898). At least 3 hours must be taken during the semester a prospectus is submitted to the dissertation committee and at least 3 must be taken during the semester the student defends the dissertation.

F. Annual Progress Review and Evaluation

Students must present a yearly statement of progress toward completion of degree to their advisor and to the Director of Graduate Studies.

IV. Additional Policies and Procedures

1. Non-Degree Graduate Students

In exceptional cases students may be permitted to take courses in the Communication Studies Department as non-degree students: 1) the student does not seek a degree from the University of Southern Mississippi but merely wants to take selected graduate courses; 2) the student plans to submit an admission application during the semester in which he/she starts courses. Students must still meet applicable university rules for graduate admissions, i.e., obtained a bachelor’s degree and requisite GPA, and have the approval of the Department Chair and the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters. No more than 9 hours taken as a non-degree student may be applied toward a master’s

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degree. No courses taken as a non-degree student can be counted toward a doctoral degree.

2. Assistantships

Students seeking an assistantship must submit a written request to the department chair. The Communication Studies Department awards a limited number of assistantships each year. Students receive a waiver of all fees and tuition, including out-of-state tuition. Students seeking assistantships for the fall semester should apply by January 15.

Communication Studies Department graduate assistants generally teach two courses a semester. Only students who have completed 18 hours of graduate courses in communication studies are eligible for teaching assistantships.

Students who have not finished the requisite coursework for teaching are eligible for other assistantships awarded by offices on campus. Masters students in our program have worked in the Office of Student Affairs, Alumni Office, the University Planner’s Office, Student Support Services, Graduate Admissions, Office of Community Service Learning, and other programs on campus. Contact the Graduate School, department director of graduate studies, or department chair for assistance seeking these non-departmental assistantships.

Students on assistantship must register for at least 9 hours of coursework every semester, follow all department and university policies and procedures, and make satisfactory progress toward completion of degree requirements. Failure to do so could result in the revocation or non-renewal of an assistantship. Teaching assistants are required to enroll every semester in a section of CMS 598 (Teaching Public Speaking) corresponding to their teaching responsibilities. All students on assistantships should register for at least one hour of CMS 697 (see Colloquium below). Course hours mentioned in this paragraph count towards a semester’s hour total, but do not count as part of a student’s overall plan of study.

Assistantships are awarded for a stipulated time, generally the academic year. Students may reapply for an award yearly. Renewal of assistantships will depend upon student performance of required duties, progress toward completion of degree, and availability of funds. Doctoral students are normally renewed twice.

3. Colloquium

Graduate students are expected to participate in the scholarly work of the department, especially with research and teaching. The department hosts a series of meetings designed to promote exchange of knowledge and the development of professional values. Graduate assistants are expected to attend, and all graduate students are strongly encouraged to attend. They are announced via email and the department’s shared calendar. Faculty and students make presentations about research, professional practices, graduate study and degree requirements, careers, etc. Doctoral students are required to

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make at least two presentations at such seminars or in similar venues. Students may register for CMS 697 credit for attending this seminar. These hours count for semester enrollment but do not count toward required coursework. Doctoral students should seek opportunities to assist faculty with ongoing research and upper-level teaching.

4. Academic Integrity

Honesty and adherence to professional ethics are required of graduate students. Students are expected to learn and follow the principles of ethical research that are taught in courses and contained in the university’s official policy. For details see the University’s web sites for the policy of research ethics (http://www.usm.edu/spa/policies/ethics.html)and for the use of human subjects in research (http://www.usm.edu/irb/hs-review.html).

All work submitted by a student is expected and required to be the result of the student’s own research, writing, and/or work. Plagiarism, the appropriation of other’s words, ideas, and research, is a serious violation of academic honesty. Fully acknowledge the sources of all statements, ideas, studies, and projects when writing or speaking. Students who violate this policy may receive failing grades in a class and expelled from the program and/or university. Visit the university’s academic integrity page for additional information: https://www.usm.edu/provost/students-guide-academic-integrity

5. General Academic Policies

The university’s general academic policies on grading, withdrawals, course loads, etc. may be found in the Graduate Bulletin at: http://www.usm.edu/registrar/bulletins.

6. Forms

Forms may be obtained from the Graduate School at: http://www.usm.edu/graduateschool/prog_degree_forms.php. The plan of study form and degree application form may also be obtained from this site.

7. Graduation Deadlines

Each year the Graduate School publishes a list of deadlines for submitting graduation applications, defending theses and dissertations, etc. This information may be found at: http://www.usm.edu/graduateschool/deadlines.php. 8. Graduate Appeals and Grievance Process

The right of each student to appeal decisions of the graduate academic units is affirmed and specific appeal procedures are hereby established to ensure timely and appropriate consideration of each appeal to the Graduate Appeals Committee.

Specifically, the Graduate Appeals Committee reviews decisions on the following issues:

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admission decisions, revocation of admission, comprehensive exams, thesis and dissertation prospectus, dismissal from a program, and any other issues the Dean of the Graduate School deems appropriate. This committee does not review grade appeals or disciplinary actions taken by the Dean of Students. The grade appeals process is listed in this Bulletin.

The Appeals/Grievance Process has five steps:* Step 1: Department or School Level.** The chair or director receives a written

signed letter from the student within ten (10) working days that states what action the student is appealing, reviews the pertinent materials, meets with the student and faculty if appropriate, and resolution of the appeal is sought at the department or school level.

Step 2: Dean of the College Level.** An appeal of the department or school decision must be made in writing within ten (10) working days to the dean of the college that has jurisdiction over the department or school. The dean will review the appeal and render a decision on the appeal in writing.

Step 3: Dean of the Graduate School Level. Should the student desire to make further appeal, the written appeal should be sent within five working days to the Dean of the Graduate School. The Dean will confer with the student and refer the matter to the Graduate Appeals Committee which will hold an official hearing on the appeal. The hearing will be held within ten (10) working days of receipt of the written appeal letter as long as the university is in session or within ten (10) working days of the university beginning a session. The student may attend the hearing and a representative of the department or school may also attend the hearing or respond to the appeal in writing. The Dean of the Graduate School will send the student a letter indicating the Committee’s decision.

Step 4: Provost Level. Should the student desire to make further appeal, the written appeal should be sent within ten (10) working days to the Provost. The Provost will review all appeal materials and render a decision in the appeal normally within ten (10) working days of receipt of the appeal.

Step 5: President Level. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the Provost, he or she may appeal to the President of the University in writing. The President will render a final decision in the appeal normally within ten (10) days of receipt of the appeal.

Penalties due to violations of the academic integrity policy can be appealed. The process, as stated on the Provost’s web page, states:

All students have the right to appeal a penalty for academic misconduct, including an XF grade. Appeals must be initiated within 30 school days of the semester following the one in which the XF was given (or 120 calendar days in the case of

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spring semester for those not enrolled during summer). Students should complete the Academic Integrity Appeal form and take that to a meeting with the instructor and chair of the department in which the course was taught. They will sign the form to confirm the meeting. The form should then be submitted to the Office of the Provost or emailed to integrity@usm.edu before the deadline for initiating the appeal. 

* These steps are also listed in the Student Survival Guide available at http://www.usm.edu/student-life.

**If the appeal concerns the chair, director, or college dean, the student should appeal to the next level.

9. Communication Studies (CMS) Graduate Courses

598. Teaching Public Speaking. 1-3 hrs. Provides instruction on how to teach public speaking. Emphasis on course assignments, grading, classroom management.

599. British Studies in Communication. 3-6 hrs. Communication research and practice in Great Britain. Taught only in Great Britain under auspices of the Center for International Education.

600. Communication Theory & Research. 3 hrs. A survey of major research traditions in the field of communication studies. Topics will include persuasion, nonverbal communication, networks, and theories of communication.

603. Political Communication. Examines the use of rhetoric to create and maintain political relationships and power.

605. Interpersonal Communication. 3 hrs. A comparative approach to the study of interpersonal communication theories and methods.

609. Communication Studies Seminar. 3 hrs. A rotating seminar that addresses topics in communication studies.

610. Problems in Organizational Communication. 3 hrs. Analysis of work organizations as communication networks. Emphasis on identification, analysis of selected problems, consultation methods, and administration of communication training programs. Field project.

625. Communication, Conflict, and Negotiation. Surveys theory and research on the role of communication in the management of conflict in personal and professional relationships.

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674. Dimensions of Learning in Communication Studies Education I. 3 hrs. Provides a broad introduction to concepts, contexts, and practices of teaching speech, communication studies, and theatre at the secondary level. This course includes a clinical supervision component.

675. Dimensions of Learning in Communication Studies Education II. 3 hrs. Provides a broad introduction to concepts, contexts, and practices of teaching speech, communication studies, and theater at the secondary level. This course includes aclinical supervision component.

692. Special Problems. 3 hrs. For independent research projects designed to answer specific questions in applied or theoretical communication.

697. Independent Study and Research. Hours arranged. Not to be counted as credit toward a degree. Grading is pass/fail. All students are expected to attend seminars, participate in department events, and support department efforts. 697 allows students to receive credit for appropriate experiential, action-oriented, or service learning-based projects.All graduate assistants will enroll in one credit hour of 697 each semester for colloquium credit.

698. Thesis/Applied Project. A total of 6 hours for completion of a master’s thesis and the applied project.

700. Intercultural Communication. Explores the forms and functions of interpersonal communication in different cultures. Emphasizes issues related to communication across cultural boundaries.

715. Message Processes and Effects. 3 hrs. Examines construction and structuring of messages by communicators to form conversation, the effects of messages upon receivers, and factors which affect construction, structuring, and reception of messages.

720. Introduction to Graduate Research. 3 hrs. Analysis of types of problems, concepts, variables, definition, design measurement techniques, and interpretation of data prevalent in communication research. Involves elementary statistics and development of research proposals and designs. May also be taken as MC 720.

721. Content Analysis. 3 hrs. Study of theory and methods of defining, categorizing, coding, and interpreting verbal and nonverbal elements of the communication process. Emphasizes source and message elements. Elementary statistical analysis, research report, and design of studies. May also be taken as MC 721.

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722. Communication Research Methods. 3 hrs. A study of the techniques and strategies used in conducting empirical studies of communication. Topics will include measurement, sampling, and content analysis. May also be taken as MC 722.

725. Seminar in Organizational Communication. 3 hrs. Topics under the heading of organizational communication are explored, including such issues as organizational cultures, communication climate, and conflict management.

726. Seminar in Interpersonal Communication. 3 hrs. Readings in narrative approaches to investigating human communication, including theoretical issues, methods, and case studies.

730. Theory and Research in Small Group Communication. 3 hrs. A study of human interaction in small group settings and the determinants and effects of such interaction.

735. Rhetorical Theory. 3 hrs. A study of the development of rhetorical theory, ancient through contemporary. The course will examine classical, medieval, Renaissance, and late European rhetoricians, and re-emergence of rhetorical theory in the 20th century.

740. Rhetorical Criticism. 3 hrs. This course examines the variety of contexts and situations to which can be applied principles of rhetorical criticism. Emphasis will be placed on public discourse and media.

745. Communication and Humor. Examines the use of humor in public speeches, workplace, and personal relationships. Assesses current theory and research on the topic.

750. Theory and Research in Nonverbal Communication. 3 hrs. A study of nonverbal communication and its relation to effective oral communication. Topics include gender and cultural differences, detecting deception, persuasive strategies.

755. Contemporary Theory and Research in Persuasion. 3 hrs. This course is designed to familiarize students with current issues and research in persuasive communication.

760. Crisis and Risk Communication. 3 hrs. This course examines theory and research involving communication and assessment of risk and response to crises.

792. Special Problems. 3 hrs. For independent research problems designed to answer specific questions in applied or theoretical communication. Doctoral students enroll in 792 when completing the comprehensive examination paper.

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797. Independent Study and Research. Hours arranged. Not to be counted as credit toward a degree. Grading is pass/fail. Students actively working on a disquisition, consulting with the major professor, or using other resources of the university may enroll in this course. Students who are not in residence and are not enrolled in at least 3 hours of dissertation hour credit but who are actively working on a dissertation, consulting with the major professor, or using other resources of the university must enroll in this course for at least 3 hours each semester.

809. Communication Studies Seminar. 3 hrs. A rotating seminar that addresses topics in speech communication.The instructor of the seminar will submit a course title for the course. A particular seminar might be appropriate for rhetoric- or applied-track students. Students should seek additional information from the instructor if a question of applicability exists.

898. Dissertation. Hours toward completion of a doctoral dissertation. Doctoral students must enroll in a minimum of 3 credits of 898 for the semester in which they defend the dissertation.

10. Faculty

The faculty of the Department of Communication Studies consists of experienced teachers who are leaders in, and major contributors to, the communication discipline. All hold doctoral degrees. Faculty have received numerous awards, including USM Excellence in Teaching and Excellence in University Service; USM Innovation Award for Applied Research; Southern States Communication Association Excellence in Teaching, the Southern States Communication Association Distinguished Service, Communication Theory Division Outstanding Scholar, Gender Studies Division Outstanding Scholar; the Southern Regional Education Board Faculty Mentor Award, and the National Communication Association Golden Anniversary Monographs Award. Grants to support faculty research have been provided by the Department of Homeland Security National Centers, the National Institutes of Health, the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and others. Department faculty have produced multiple books and published articles in virtually all of the journals sponsored by our professional associations.

Kathryn Anthony (Ph.D., University of Kentucky). Teaching and research interests focus on health and interpersonal communication. (601) 266-4271. kathryn.anthony@usm.edu.

Wendy Atkins-Sayre (Ph.D., University of Georgia). Teaching and research interests focus on social movement rhetoric, feminist criticism, public controversy discourse, and rhetorical criticism. Department Chair (601) 266-4271. wendy.atkinssayre@usm.edu

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Marcus Coleman (Ph.D., University of Georgia). Teaching and research interests focus on political communication and interdisciplinary studies. (601) 266-4271. marcusjcoleman@gmail.com.

Casey Maugh Funderburk (Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University). Research interests include feminist and visual rhetoric, ancient and contemporary rhetorical theory, and public memory. Current research includes the theoretical intersection of visual rhetoric and public memory in film and photography. (228) 214-3309. casey.maugh@usm.edu

Lawrence A. Hosman (Ph.D., University of Iowa). Teaching and research focus on the role of language in social influence and persuasion, with particular attention to how messages can be constructed to better influence attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of audiences. (601) 266-4279. lawrence.hosman@usm.edu.

Eura Jung (Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University). Teaching and research focus on intercultural communication and communication research methods. (601) 266-4276.eura.jung@usm.edu.

John C. Meyer (Ph.D., University of Kansas). Teaches and researches organizational communication, conflict management, and humor. Currently studying humor in interpersonal relationships and children’s communication strategies in day care centers enacting organizational values. (601) 266-4280. john.meyer@usm.edu.

Laura Stengrim (Ph.D., University of Illinois). Teaches and researches in the area of rhetoric and globalization. Dr. Stengrim also acts as the Speaking Center director. (601) 266-4740. laura.stengrim@usm.edu.

Laurence Paul Strait (Ph.D., University of Southern California). Teaching and research focus on rhetoric of health and mental illness, as well as argumentation and debate. Director of Speech and Debate. (601) 266-4271. laurence.strait@usm.edu.

Steven J. Venette (Ph.D., North Dakota State University). Teaches courses on organizational communication, group communication, and crisis communication. Research centers on risk and crisis communication, as well as communication education. (601) 266-4271. steven.venette@usm.edu

11. Support for Graduate Student Research. The department encourages graduate students to engage in research and participate in professional activities. Students normally receive assistance with copying and travel. Special funds may be available also to help in the conduct of dissertation research. Students needing additional assistance should contact the department chair.

12. Communication Studies -- Ph.D. Degree Progress Checklist

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Ph.D. Year 1--Semester 1

Complete Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training online modules

Work on the Plan of Study form (plan for all courses to be taken)

Transfer any transcripts for courses to be counted into USM program (6 hours maximum)

Discuss research interests with faculty members, consider potential committee membership. 

Ph.D. Year 1--Semester 2

Secure committee chair (advisor) and 4 committee members; submit committee request form

Finalize the plan of study in conversation with advisor

Distribute plan-of-study form, list of all previous graduate courses taken, and statement of goals to committee members 1 week prior to meeting

Get committee approval of plan of study; complete form with signatures

Make plans to take CMS 600, CMS 735, CMS 720, CMS 722, and nine additional research methods hours

Select additional courses based on research and teaching interests

Confer with committee about possible additional courses (if previous degree(s) from other field(s) of study, or minor area of study desired)

Make plans to meet residency requirement—normally two consecutive terms enrolled for 12 hours or three consecutive terms for 9 hours.

Ph.D. Year 2--Semester 1

Submit a paper for possible presentation to a professional conference

Attend a professional conference

Ph.D. Year 2--Semester 2

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Begin or complete an independent research project (CMS 792)

Secure committee approval of four Comprehensive Exam content areas, schedule comprehensive exam, and finalize check that coursework will be complete:

45 credit hours minimum

15 hours research method credits

No incomplete grades

3.0 GPA required for graduation

Make at least 2 presentations at PDS, Graduate Research Symposium, or professional conference (may occur during any semester attending)

Ph.D. Year 3--Semester 1

Turn in paper resulting from independent research project to committee chair Committee chair checks authenticity (Turnitin) and sends to committee membersCommittee members turn in pass/fail vote and review within 2 weeksIf vote is “pass,” final CMS 792 grade is recorded and written exam scheduled

Take Comprehensive Exam (writing for 2 weeks, two questions per week)Committee chair checks authenticity (Turnitin); members readOral defense of the written Comprehensive Exam before the committee

Develop a prospectus for dissertation research working with director

Submit prospectus to full committee two weeks before proposed meetingCommittee chair checks authenticity (Turnitin)

Defend prospectus before committee

Prepare IRB forms, if necessary

Ph.D. Year 3--Semester 2

Secure IRB Approval, if necessary

Plan to enroll in at least 12 dissertation hours (CMS 898) before graduation

Must continuously enroll in at least one hour (three if working with advisor, defending, or graduating)

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Gather data, enhance literature review for dissertation

Write chapters for dissertation—submit each chapter to committee chairChair checks authenticity (Turnitin) Chair sends chapters to committee members for comments to be returned

within 2 weeks

Submit Degree Application to Graduate School

Contact the Graduate Reader: Submit Title Page

Submit dissertation draft to all committee members upon advisor approval at least two weeks before meeting

Dissertation Defense, involving presentation before audience and defense before the committee

Submit Draft to Graduate Reader

Pay binding fee in Business Office

Deposit copies in Graduate School

Hooding ceremony at graduation

13. Communication Studies -- M. A. Degree Progress Checklist

Year 1--Semester 1

Complete Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training modules online

Work on a plan of study form (listing all courses planned and desired)

Secure Graduate Director approval and submit plan of study form

Transfer any transcripts for courses to be counted into USM program (6 hours maximum)

Year 1--Semester 2

Attend a state or regional conference

Year 2--Semester 1

Submit a paper for possible presentation to a professional conference

Make sure to plan for 18 hours of coursework at 600 level or higher

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Make sure to have taken or plan to take CMS 600, CMS 735, CMS 720 and two more methods courses

File application for degree form in Graduate School

For M. A.: Select a 3-member Thesis Committee led by chosen advisor; committee request form

For M. A.: With advisor’s guidance, write a Thesis Proposal and defend it before the committee

Year 2--Semester 2

In consultation with graduate director or advisor, ensure:

No incomplete Grades

3.0 GPA required for graduation, minimum of 30 credit hours

For M. A.: Enroll in 6 hours of CMS 698 Thesis

Contact Graduate Reader: Submit Title Page

Defend Thesis before committee

Submit Draft to Graduate Reader

Pay a binding fee in the Business Office

Deposit thesis copies in Graduate School

14. Communication Studies -- M. A. Applied Degree Progress Checklist

Year 1--Semester 1

Complete Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training modules online

Work on a plan of study form (listing all courses planned and desired)

Plan to take CMS 600, CMS 735, CMS 720 and two more methods courses

Secure Graduate Director approval and submit plan of study form

Transfer any transcripts for courses to be counted into USM program (6 hours maximum)

For Applied M. A.: Select a 3-member Applied Project Committee led by chosen advisor; committee request form

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Year 1--Semester 2

Make sure to plan for 18 hours of coursework at 600 level or higher

File application for degree form in Graduate School

Attend a state or regional conference

For M. A.: With advisor’s guidance, write an Applied Project Proposal and defend it before the committee

Year 1--Semester 3

In consultation with graduate director or advisor, ensure:

No incomplete Grades

3.0 GPA required for graduation, minimum of 30 credit hours

For M. A.: Enroll in 6 hours of CMS 698 Graduate Project

Defend Applied Project before committee

Graduation

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14. List of Recent Changes

April 9, 2005. Application for admission deadline dates were changed.

Policies concerning doctoral requirements were changed significantly.

August 1, 2005. Hypertext links were corrected.

A“List of Recent Changes” section was added.

Characterization of continuous enrollment requirements were changed on pages 4 and 8.

Dates for taking comprehensive exam were added on page 10.

Added “14. Support for Graduate Student Research” (p. 19).

August 30, 2006Master’s of Science degree reduced from 33 to 30 hours (page 4).

Steven J. Venette added to faculty list (p. 19).

August 29, 2007Correction to faculty list (p. 18).

Hypertext links were corrected.

Wendy Atkins-Sayre added to faculty list (p. 18).

Requirement for graduate assistants to enroll in SCM 697 or 797 (p. 12).

Residence requirement statement updated (p. 8).

November 16, 2007Removed non-thesis option from description of M.A. and corrected the hour total for M.S. degrees (pp. 3-4).

May 22, 2008Changed years for completion of M. A. and M. S. degrees from 6 to 4 (p. 4).

Corrected error in the non-thesis hours requirement (p. 4).

Changed “chair” to “Director of Graduate Studies” throughout the document.

Hypertext links were corrected throughout the document.

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Statement clarifying times available to take comprehensive exams (p. 10).

Requirement for public presentation of the dissertation (p. 11).

Statement clarifying the status of SCM 697 and SCM 797 credit hours (pp. 12-13).

April 17, 2009Detailed Ph.D. student choice of methodology tracks (p. 7). Specified procedure for Ph.D. plan-of-study meeting (p. 9).

Clarified methodology proposal section of the independent study paper (pp. 9-10).

Casey Malone Maugh added to faculty list (p. 18).

December 3, 2009 Elaborated on required admission materials for Ph.D. students (p. 6).

Changed the name of the Department to Communication Studies (throughout).

August 12, 2011Added section on graduate student decision appeals (p. 14).

June 20, 2012Revised section on administering comprehensive exams (p. 9).

Added Ph.D. progress checklist (p. 19).

Added M. A. / M. S. degree progress checklist (p. 22).

Added requirement of RCR training modules (pp. 4, 8, 12).

Hypertext links to web pages updated throughout document.

May 14, 2013Application for Ph.D. admission deadline date changed to January 15 (p. 6). Revised sections on independent comprehensive research project and comprehensive exams extensively (pp. 8 – 11).

Richard L. Conville removed from faculty list upon retirement (p. 18).

August 13, 2014Susan A. Siltanen removed, Kathryn Anthony, Marcus Coleman, Ashley Mack added (pp. 18-19).

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November 14, 2014Ph.D. Methods tracks updated (p. 7).

May 17, 2016Keith V. Erickson and Charles S. Tardy removed upon retirement; Laurence Paul Strait added (pp. 18-19).“Colloquium” added as new title of the Professional Development Seminar (pp. 8, 13).

September 21, 2016Items appearing in green were changed.

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