Ph.D. in Communication, Information, and Media
Student and Faculty 2025-2026 Ph.D. Handbook

The Ph.D. in Communication, Information, and Media (CIM) in the School of Communication and Information (SC&I) at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, provides doctoral training for students seeking theoretical and research skills for scholarly and professional leadership in three areas of concentration: Communication (COM), Library and Information Science (LIS), and Media Studies (MS). You can learn more about our Ph.D. program at our website.  

The unique combination of these three areas in a single program helps prepare students to address key questions in our society that often cross disciplinary boundaries. The CIM program is officially offered through the Rutgers School of Graduate Studies (SGS). SGS enrolls nearly 5,200 students in over 150 doctoral and master’s programs. With approximately 54 faculty members and over 80 students currently enrolled, the CIM Ph.D. Program is among the largest of the SGS doctoral programs. You can learn more about SGS at grad.rutgers.edu.

The focus of the program is on the nature and function of communication, information and media institutions, policies, processes and systems, and their impact on individuals as well as on social, organizational, national, and international affairs. Interdisciplinary approaches to these issues are strongly supported and encouraged in the program. The program is especially well suited for those interested in the interaction between new information and communication technologies, the individuals who use them, and the social, cultural and political systems in which they are embedded. However, students with more narrowly aligned disciplinary interests (e.g., organizational communication, interpersonal communication, health communication, social media, digital information, data science, library management, journalism, and critical/cultural studies in communication) will also find that this program serves them well. 

SC&I is a leader in research and teaching within the disciplines of communication, information and media. The School was created in 1982, when the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies and the School of Communication Studies (with its Departments of Communication and Journalism and Mass Communication) merged. That alliance has contributed to the School’s status as a leader in responding to the needs of our information society and the rapid changes occurring in the fields of journalism and media studies, communication, and library and information science.

SC&I is home to a community of scholars who enjoy and excel at educating individuals who make lasting contributions to the interdisciplinary study in the above three areas. Our faculty includes scholars who are nationally and internationally known for their basic and applied research that focuses on contemporary communication, information, and media-related problems. Their work involves a mix of behavioral and social scientific, historical, and humanistic approaches. Our educational, research, and scholarly activities are informed by the philosophy that the subject matter of communication, information and media processes, practices, policies, and institutions places people, rather than technologies, first. 

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a leading national research university and the state’s preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers is the eighth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, celebrating its 250th anniversary of revolutionary teaching, research, and service in 2016. As an institution strongly committed to graduate education and research, Rutgers University provides graduate programs of exceptional quality taught by a distinguished faculty. It is one of the nation’s largest state university systems, with an enrollment at the New Brunswick, Newark, and Camden campuses with more than 69,000 students from all 50 states and more than 135 countries — with over 19,400 graduate students, and more than 27,000 faculty and staff. Rutgers teaches across the full educational spectrum: preschool to precollege; undergraduate to graduate; postdoctoral fellowships to residencies; and continuing education for professional and personal advancement. Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences is a major new division that focuses on health education, research, and clinical care.

Rutgers is the sole university in the United States that is a colonial college, a land-grant institution, and a public university. The university draws on a storied legacy of innovation and strong ties to a complex and diverse state to serve the public through education, research, health care, and community engagement. Rutgers is the only public university in New Jersey in the Association of American Universities (AAU). Of the thousands of universities in North America, just 69 are AAU members, recognized for the quality and scope of their research and educational programs. Rutgers and Princeton are New Jersey’s only AAU institutions. Students who choose Rutgers join a university with high standards, diverse faculty and students, excellent library facilities and computer resources, and a full complement of academic and cultural activities. In addition to the variety of attractions that New Jersey has to offer, Rutgers’ proximity to both New York City and Philadelphia is a notable asset for those who enjoy the opportunities these major metropolitan centers afford. 

All students receive email accounts and have direct access to word processing, database and statistical software as well as online information services through the general SC&I computer system. In addition, the School has other extensive computer facilities, including instructional labs with Mac and PC computers for Ph.D. student use, a dedicated graduate student computer lab, and state-of-the-art computer research facilities. 

The Rutgers University Libraries, with holdings of more than three million volumes and expansive electronic resources, ranks among the nation’s top twenty-five research libraries. Alexander Library, next to SC&I, has extensive holdings in the areas of emphasis within the program. 

SC&I has general research laboratory space, a dedicated suite of rooms for observing, monitoring, recording and analyzing human and human-computer interaction, and an interaction lab, supporting a range of research activities. We are continuously expanding our research and information technology capacity.

Academic freedom is a fundamental right in any institution of higher learning. Honesty and integrity are necessary preconditions of this freedom. Academic integrity requires that all academic work be wholly the product of an identified individual or individuals. Joint efforts are legitimate only when the assistance of others is explicitly acknowledged. Ethical conduct is the obligation of every member of the University community, and breaches of academic integrity constitute serious offenses.

Maintenance of the standards of academic honesty and the successful administration of this policy depend on the mutual cooperation of faculty and students. The Ph.D. Program adheres to the University’s policy on Academic Integrity. All students (and faculty) should familiarize themselves with the full statement of the University’s concern with academic dishonesty and also its guarantee of a fair procedure for resolving complaints of academic dishonesty by consulting this website and policy. Further, students must assume responsibility for maintaining honesty in all work submitted for credit and in any other work designated by their instructors. Students are also expected to report incidents of academic dishonesty to the instructor or dean of the instructional unit.

Students committing acts of academic dishonesty not only face university censure, but also run a serious risk of harming their future educational and employment opportunities. In addition to the notation for a specific sanction placed on the student’s transcript which remains for the term of the sanction, prospective employers and other educational institutions frequently use recommendation forms that ask for judgment and comment on an individual’s moral or ethical behavior. Since such forms are sent with the permission of the student, University faculty and administrators knowledgeable of academic dishonesty infractions are ethically bound to report such incidences. In all cases in which a grade of “F” is assigned for disciplinary reasons, this “F” will remain on the student’s transcript, even if the course is retaken and a passing grade is achieved. Plagiarism is a serious offense, and all students should fully understand its definition and possible consequences. The link to Resources for Students from the Academic Integrity website provides information on avoiding plagiarism from several universities and government agencies.

In addition to academic integrity, it is the student’s responsibility to keep informed of SGS policies, procedures and deadlines. The following topics and more can be found on the SGS website:

• Academic Integrity
• Academic Standards
• Registration and Course Information
• Student Records and Privacy Rights
• Continuous Registration Requirement
• Code of Responsible Conduct and Professionalism
• Policy Prohibiting Sexual Harassment
• Policy on Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action 

The Ph.D. in Communication, Information, and Media (CIM) has three areas of concentration: Communication (COM); Library and Information Science (LIS); and Media Studies (MS). Students whose interests fall across these three areas are encouraged to develop an individual plan of study in consultation with the program director, area coordinators, and their advisor.

The Communication area of the interdisciplinary doctoral program in the School of Communication and Information has faculty with research interests in five interconnected areas: Communication and Technology; Health Communication; Interpersonal Communication; Language and Social Interaction; and Organizational Communication. Doctoral students in Communication conduct problem-oriented research at the intersection of these areas that focuses on a variety of prominent contemporary topics, such as social networks, social media, online privacy and anonymity, children’s media use, community health programs, health campaigns, medical provider-patient interaction, interaction on emergency and emotional support telephone lines, family involvement in palliative care, global teams, organizational change, corporate social responsibility, and institutional leadership. Multiple centers and labs provide various opportunities for doctoral students, including: Center for Communication and Health Issues; Center for Language, Interaction and Health; Center for Organizational Development and Leadership; Network Science Lab, and the Rutgers University Conversation Analysis Lab.

Library and Information Science provides a strong academic foundation for students seeking theoretical and research skills for scholarly and professional leadership in the library and information fields. LIS offers concentrations in information science and library science. Information science focuses on information behavior and systematic responses to it. Students in this area develop an understanding of and research capability in human information-seeking activity, information retrieval systems, and information and knowledge structures. Library science concentrates on digital, as well as physical, libraries and information centers as part of a diverse global information environment. The concentration considers the design, management, and evaluation of information systems and services responsive to users’ information and cultural needs. Ph.D. students in the LIS area must have two areas of study. With the assistance of their advisors, students select a relevant second area from one of the other areas of the Ph.D. program or from elsewhere in the University. Research Labs and Centers provide various opportunities for doctoral students.

Media Studies is concerned with the political, social, psychological, and economic impact of the media, as well as with the cultural and historical conditions that give rise to contemporary media. The area includes the study of both the traditional mass media and newer electronic technologies and telecommunications. Research and coursework cover media content and effects; audience reception and interpretive processes; the emergence of audiences understood in terms of race, age, gender, class, and politics; the sociology and production of culture; communication law, regulation, and policy; and the media’s roles in political and international communication and in educational systems.

The CIM Ph.D. degree is granted upon completion of course requirements, passing written and oral qualifying examinations, and successful defense of the proposal and the doctoral dissertation. These requirements are described below:

I. Master’s Level Statistics Competency (for some students)

II. Course Requirements
        1. Core Requirements
        2. Program Area Requirements
               a. Communication (COM)
               b. Library and Information Science (LIS)
               c. Media Studies (MS)
        3. Transfer of Approved Master’s Degree Course Credits
        4. Dissertation Research Credits (24–27 required beyond coursework)

III. Qualifying Examinations (oral and written)

IV. Proposal

V. Dissertation

For students in the LIS concentration who are required to take Quantitative Research Methods (16:194:604), or those in Communication or Media Studies who are selecting quantitative methods courses to fulfill methods requirements, the Ph.D. Program faculty expects that students have achieved master’s-level competency in statistics.

Students who have not successfully completed graduate-level coursework in statistics, or feel unsure about their statistical competency, are strongly encouraged to enroll in a master’s-level statistics course as soon as possible and prior to taking 604 or other quantitative methods courses. However, credits earned in master’s level statistics do not count toward the Ph.D. program’s coursework credit requirements. Possible master’s level courses at Rutgers include (but are not restricted to):

• 17:610:511 Research Methods
• 16:960:532 Statistical Methods in Education II

See Appendix A for information about some of the specific statistical competencies students are expected to have before enrolling in 604 (though the course instructor’s expectations may vary somewhat from this).

Course requirements are summarized as follows (described in more detail below):

1. Core Course Requirements: COM, MS, and LIS: 6 credits (600, 601, and 608)

2. Program Area Course Requirements: Taken in addition to the Core Requirements

COM: 30 credits (students entering fall 2021 and after); 27 credits (students who entered pre-fall 2021)
MS: 27 credits
LIS: 27 credits (students who entered in/after fall 2019); 30 credits (students who entered pre-fall 2019)

Core Course Requirements plus Program Area Course Requirements add up to a minimum total required 9 credits of doctoral-level coursework as follows:

COM: 36 credits (6 Core Requirements plus 30 Area Requirements) (students entering fall 2021 and after); 33 credits (6 Core Requirements plus 27 Area Requirements) (students who entered pre-fall 2021)
MS: 33 credits (6 Core Requirements plus 27 Area Requirements)
LIS: 33 credits (6 Core Requirements plus 27 Area Requirements) (students entering fall 2019 and after); 36 credits (6 Core Requirements plus 30 Area Requirements) (students who entered pre-fall 2019)

3. Transfer of Approved Master’s Degree Course Credits: Additional credits of graduate course work, including, but not limited to, master’s degree transfer of credits. Must be approved by the Ph.D. Director.

COM: up to 18 transfer credits (up to 24 transfer credits for students who entered pre-fall 2021)
MS: up to 12 transfer credits
LIS: up to 15 transfer credits (up to 12 transfer credits for students who entered pre-fall 2019)

4. Dissertation Research Credits: Taken after completion of all coursework credits and the transfer of approved Master’s degree credits. Upon completion of the required number of research credits, students must continue to take a minimum of 1 research credit per semester until completion of the dissertation.

COM & LIS: 24 research credits
MS: 27 research credits

Upon successful completion of: 1) Core Requirements, 2) Program Area Requirements, and 3) Transfer of Approved Master’s Degree Credits, the candidate is eligible to take the qualifying examination (see Section on Qualifying Examinations).

Course Listings and Schedules, Independent Study and Assistantship Credits

Please see the SC&I website for all SC&I Ph.D. courses and for current course schedules by semester.

Independent Study: As a general rule, students only take independent study credits when no course offerings matching their needs are available. Students should not have more than one independent study as an elective counting toward their minimal doctoral degree requirements (unless the director, area coordinator, and student’s advisor approve such a request). Students may take additional independent studies, as long as they are not used to fulfill minimum program credit requirements. In other words, only one independent study will count toward your degree credits, unless approved as above. The exception is the LIS area requirement to take a guided research experience in a subfield for students who entered in fall 2019 and after, which will normally be in the form of an Independent Study.

Assistantship Credits: Students who are funded as graduate fellows or teaching assistants must register for 6 credits of corresponding assistantship credits each semester that they are funded. Students on fellowship should register for 16:194:811, students on teaching assistantship should register for 16:194:877. Assistantship credits do NOT count toward degree requirements in the Ph.D. program.

Core Course Requirements for COM, LIS, & MS

There are three core required courses for all Ph.D. students (600, 601, and 608) as follows:

16:194:600: Ph.D. Colloquium (0 cr.) Taken during each semester of coursework, attendance is required until qualifying exams are passed. Colloquium is held on selected Wednesday afternoons from 12:00 to 1:30 pm. It includes research presentations by students, faculty, alumni, and outside speakers, as well as professional development seminars.

16:194:601: Communication, Information, and Media Proseminar (3 cr.) Taken during the first semester, the Proseminar addresses the nature of communication, information, and media processes, and their role in individual, social, and institutional behavior. Particular emphasis will be on the conceptual linkages between communication, information, and media processes, as well as theory and meta-theory. Panels will alternate between interdisciplinary and area-specific topics featuring CIM program faculty as speakers. Proseminar will include topics in professional development, academic integrity, responsible and ethical conduct of research, and intellectual property. Students will pass CITI, Human Subjects Certification, as part of the course.

16:194:608: Research Practicum (3 cr.) Taken during the third semester (Fall of the second year), this requirement is met by a student registering for this course with a member of the program faculty who has agreed to supervise the student’s participation in a research project of interest. Students are expected to contact faculty directly with practicum projects/ideas. Leading up to and during the Fall semester, there will be meetings of all students who are doing their research practicum to establish expectations, provide guidance, check on progress, and create a structure to promote solidarity and accountability. The expected outcome of the Research Practicum is a paper (single or co-authored) submitted to a recognized conference or refereed journal. The results of the Research Practicum will be presented by the student at a Ph.D. Poster Session Colloquium, typically held at the end of each semester. Research Practicum guidelines are on the SC&I website.

Program Area Course Requirements by Area (27-30 credits)

Each program area sets its own curriculum and area course requirements as follows:

Communication (COM)
(Students who entered in Communication before fall 2021, see Appendix B.)

Ph.D. students in the COM Area are required to take Research Design (3 cr.) and Foundations of Communication Theory (3 cr.) as area requirements. In addition, students are required to take three specialized methods courses (9 cr.), one of which may be more broadly defined as a research experience or professional development course. Beyond these requirements, students are expected to choose a major and minor area of study, and the remaining 15 credit hours (5 courses) are to consist of elective courses in the student’s major and minor area of study. Students should take courses from at least two of the five core foci within the COM area, which include communication and technology, interpersonal communication, health communication, language and social interaction, or organizational communication. The core course for each of these five foci in the COM area will be offered on rotation once every two years, so students are encouraged to take the core course in their major and minor areas of study when they are offered. Students’ major and minor areas of study are typically two of these five foci, but in some cases, students may choose as a minor area one of the other two areas of the Ph.D. program, or programs elsewhere in the University. A qualifying exam in each area will be taken once the student has completed all coursework. All qualifying exam questions will contain a methods component.

COM Curriculum for Students Entering in Fall 2021 or After:

Required COM Area Courses. All COM students are required to take two core courses. Note that research design should be taken in the first fall semester, and communication theory should be taken in the first spring semester.

• 16:194:623 Research Design (3 cr.)
• 16:194:624 Communication Theory (3 cr.)

Methods. Students are required to enroll in three methods courses (9 credits) inside or outside the program. One course (3 credits) may be scholarly/research development more broadly (e.g., research apprenticeship), with approval by the student’s advisor, area coordinator, and Ph.D. director.

Elective Courses in Major and Minor Area of Study. Five elective courses (15 credits) should be taken in the student’s major and minor area of study, with three courses (9 credits) forming the major area and two courses (6 credits) forming the minor area.

Students should plan to take the core course in at least two of the five core areas in the COM department to form the basis for their major and minor areas. The core courses in each area include those listed below, and each course will be offered on a rotation once every two years:

• 16:194:620 Interpersonal Communication (3 cr.)
• 16:194:621 Organizational Communication Research (3 cr.)
• 16.194:622 Health Communication (3 cr.)
• 16:194:633 Communication and Technology (3 cr.)
• 16:194.xxx Language and Social Interaction (3 cr.)

Remaining elective credits can be taken as special topics courses (16:194:670-674 Topics in Communication Processes I through V -- 3 cr. each) in any of the following areas. Offerings vary by semester.

• Topics in Communication and Technology (e.g., Mediated Communication Theory, Social Media, Communication Design, Work and Technology)
• Topics in Interpersonal Communication (e.g., Interpersonal Communication Theory, Uncertainty and Communication, Relational and Family Communication)
• Topics in Health Communication (e.g., Health Campaigns, Interpersonal Health Communication, Professional Practices and Issues of Health)
• Topics in Language and Social Interaction (e.g., Basic Structures of Social Interaction, Communication and Emotion, Communication and Gender)
• Topics in Organizational Communication (e.g., Conflict and Collaboration, Dynamics of Global Organizations, Leadership, Organizational Change, Communication Networks)
• Topics in Computational Social Science (e.g., Text as Data, AI for Social Science, Natural Language Processing, Communication Networks)

Students may take one elective course outside of the department in a different area of the CIM program, a different unit at the university, or as part of the inter-university consortium. Additional courses outside of the COM department require approval by the Ph.D. director, area coordinator, and the student’s faculty advisor.

The table below summarizes the course requirements for students in COM who entered the program prior to Fall 2021 and those who entered in/after Fall 2021.

Library and Information Science (LIS)

The LIS Ph.D. Area curriculum is structured around seven “themes”: Health Information and Technology; Human Information Behavior; Human-Computer Interaction; Information Institutions, Artifacts, and Documents; Information Retrieval and Language Analysis; Learning, Education, and Technology; Social Computing and Data Science. Ph.D. students in the LIS area may choose to specialize in any of these themes. Courses within these themes will be offered on a regular basis, and students will select courses in consultation with their advisor. With the assistance of their advisors, students select a relevant second area from one of the other areas of the Ph.D. program or from elsewhere in the University.

LIS area curriculum for students entering in fall 2019 and after. Study in LIS consists of at least 6 credits (2 courses, including Seminar in Information Studies and Human Information Behavior). Study in the second area must consist of 6 credits (2 courses). Students will take 6 credits (2 courses) in a subfield of study, at least one taught and the other could be an independent study (if approved by their advisor and area coordinator). In addition, students will pursue guided research experience in subfield (3 credits).

Methods. Students must take two methods courses:(6 cr.)

• 16:194:604 Quantitative Research Methods (3 cr.) (required)
• 16:194:603 Qualitative Research Methods (3 cr.) or 16:194:605 Critical Research Methods (3 cr.) or equivalent advanced Ph.D. methods course (3 cr.) taken from elsewhere in the university.

If both 603 and 605 are taken, one of these (3 cr.) may count toward LIS or secondary area credits.

Required LIS Area Courses. In addition to the two methods courses, the following are required:

• 16:194:610 Seminar in Information Studies (3 cr.)
• 16:194:612 Human Information Behavior (3 cr.)

Required Secondary Area Courses. Two courses (6 cr.) outside of LIS in your secondary area (consult with your advisor on selection of these).

Required Additional Courses in Subfield of Study. In addition to LIS required courses, students will take 9 additional credits, including at least two other courses in the LIS subfield of study (6 cr.). The courses in the subfield of study could be Ph.D. courses or cross-listed Master’s-level topical courses in LIS (16:194:675-679). Courses can include relevant qualifying classes outside of our Ph.D. program at Rutgers and in the Inter-University Consortium.

LIS area curriculum for students entering pre-fall 2019. Study in LIS consists of at least 12 credits (4 courses, including Seminar in Information Studies and Human Information Behavior). Study in the second area must consist of at least six credits (2 courses).

Methods. Students must take three methods courses (9 cr.), choosing either Option A or Option B.

Option A:

• 16:194:604 Quantitative Research Methods (3 cr.) (required)
• 16:194:603 Qualitative Research Methods (3 cr.) and 16:194:605 Critical Research Methods (3 cr.)

If Option A is selected, so both 603 and 605 are taken, one of these (3 cr.) may count toward LIS or secondary area credits.

Option B:

• 16:194:604 Quantitative Research Methods (3 cr.) (Required)
• 16:194:603 Qualitative Research Methods (3 cr.) or 16:194:605 Critical Research Methods (3 cr.) and one advanced Ph.D. methods course (3 cr.) taken from elsewhere in the university.

Required LIS Area Courses. In addition to the three methods courses, the following are required:

• 16:194:610 Seminar in Information Studies (3 cr.)
• 16:194:612 Human Information Behavior (3 cr.)

Required Secondary Area Courses. Two courses outside of LIS in your secondary area (6 cr.) (consult with your advisor on selection of these)

Required: Two Additional LIS Area Courses. In addition to LIS required courses, at least two other courses in the LIS area (6 cr.) must be taken, such as:

• 16:194:614 Information Retrieval Theory (3 cr.)
• 16:194:619 Experiment and Evaluation in Information Systems (3 cr.)
• 16:194:641 Information Policy and Technology (3 cr.)
• 16:194:656 Theories & Issues in Library Studies (3 cr.)
• 16:194:675-679 Topics in Library and Information Science I through V (3 cr. each). Offerings vary by semester.

The table below summarizes the course requirements for students in LIS who entered the program prior to Fall 2019 and those who entered in/after Fall 2019.

Media Studies (MS)

Students in the Media Studies area must take 27 credits, including two required 3-credit courses (Media Theory and Critical Research Methods); an additional 3-credit methods course; three additional 3-credit courses from within the Media Studies area; and three 3-credit elective courses approved by the advisor. With the assistance of their advisors and the area coordinator, students will designate a major and minor area of study that fits their interests. A qualifying exam in each area will be taken once the student has completed all coursework.

Methods. Students must take Critical Research Methods (16:194:605) (3 cr.) and one additional methods course (3 cr.) offered inside or outside of the program to be determined in consultation with the student’s advisor.

Required MS Area Courses. In addition to the two methods courses, the following is required:

a) 16:194:631 Media Theory (3 cr.) must be taken in the first semester of study.

b) Three courses (9 cr.) from among the following Media Studies area courses (offerings vary by semester):

16:194:641 Media Law and Policy (3 cr.)
16:194:660 Audience Studies (3 cr.)
16:194:662 Media Criticism (3 cr.)
16:194:663 Media History (3 cr.)
16:194:664 Media and Culture (3 cr.)
16:194:665 Media and Politics (3 cr.)
16:194:666 Social Construction of News (3 cr.)
16:194:680-684 Topics in Media Studies I-V (3 cr. each)

c) Elective Courses. The remaining three courses (9 cr.) can be taken from the Media Studies area, from the other areas in the CIM Ph.D. program, from any department at the University, or from any school in the consortium (with approval).

Additional credits of graduate coursework, including, but not limited to, master’s degree credits, may be transferred.

COM:  up to 18 transfer credits (up to 24 transfer credits for students who entered pre-fall 2021)
MS:     up to 12 transfer credits
LIS:     up to 15 transfer credits (up to 12 transfer credits for students who entered pre-fall 2019)

Students should consult their advisor before applying for transfer of credits. The Ph.D. Program director will then recommend to the SGS which and how many courses are approved for transfer. It is not uncommon to limit transfer credits to less than the number allowed by the student’s area (depending on the program area and individual student circumstances). Transferred courses must be theoretical or research-based courses in Communication, Information Science and Library Studies, Media, or closely related fields. Students must have received a B or better on any coursework to be transferred, and courses should have been taken within the previous six years. Applied or professional courses (such as internships, video production, or news writing) are not acceptable. For further information, see the SGS Policies and Procedures.

The Application for Transfer of Credit (should be completed and submitted to the SC&I Student Services office as soon as the student has finished 12 hours of doctoral studies in the program. Failing to do so in a timely manner could result in additional coursework requirements and/or delays in taking qualifying exams.

Dissertation research credits are taken after completion of all coursework credits and the transfer of approved Master’s Degree course credits.

COM & LIS: 24 research credits
MS: 27 research credits

The number of dissertation research credits taken during a particular semester will vary and should reflect the degree of involvement of the student and his/her advisor during that semester. Students are only permitted to take 9 research credits prior to completing qualifying exams. Once a student has fulfilled the required number of research credits, the minimum registration required by SGS is 1 research credit per semester until the dissertation is completed. Students are required by SGS to be registered for at least 1 research credit per semester to maintain status as a matriculating student until graduation. Please consult with the Program Director if you need to take a leave of absence (e.g., for medical, family, or other reasons) for any semester prior to graduation. Any leave must be formally requested and approved by SGS. See the section below on time to degree completion.

SGS allows the following grades to be given for coursework:

NOTE: Temporary grades are not allowed for graduate students.

For Dissertation Research Credits, which are taken after the qualifying examination has been passed, the grades are:
S = Satisfactory U = Unsatisfactory

The Graduate School allows nine (9) credits offered in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the doctorate (and for which letter grades have been given) to bear grades of C or C+ (with no more than six (6) credits with the grade of C). However, it is generally considered unacceptable to receive a C or C+ in the CIM program—and students who do so may be advised to consider withdrawing from the program.

In general, faculty and students are strongly discouraged from granting or requesting incompletes in a course; such grades should only be given when circumstances beyond the control of the student necessitate additional time for completion of assignments. When an Incomplete grade is given, the incomplete work may be made up, and the change of grade may be authorized by the instructor, within any period agreed to by the instructor and the student up to two additional semesters beyond the original course registration, excluding summer session. Incomplete grades generated in a summer session must be completed by the end of the following summer session. Incomplete grades that are not resolved within two additional semesters will become permanent Incompletes on the student’s transcript.

Any student who has more than one Incomplete will be allowed one semester to reduce the number to one (or none), after which he or she will not be allowed to register for additional courses until these are completed or “abandoned.” (“Abandoned” refers to a situation in which the student has agreed that the course may no longer be completed and the program has agreed to allow the student to continue with Permanent Incompletes on his or her record.)

If students need to take a semester or year off (for illness, family illness, pregnancy, or other personal reason), they need to contact the program office to request Matriculation Continued or a formal Leave of Absence. Failure to do either of these will result in a Reinstatement Fee imposed by SGS for one research credit per semester.

The qualifying examination is taken after the successful completion of all course credits. The qualifying exams must be completed within one semester after finishing coursework; thus, students who complete coursework in May must sit for their qualifying exams by the following January, and students who finish coursework in December must take the exams by the following August.

Qualifying exams consist of two portions: the written and the oral. Qualifying exams cover the areas of coursework specialization (as stipulated in each program area). Completion of course requirements does not guarantee a passing mark on the qualifying examination. Students are expected to read well beyond required course readings in preparing for the qualifying examination, in consultation with their advisor and exam committee members. Prospective candidates for the doctorate should understand that they will not ordinarily be permitted to proceed to the qualifying examination unless their record in coursework shows evidence of distinction, meaning, in general, a B+ or better average. The functions of the qualifying examination are: to determine that the student is adequately prepared to embark on the research required for producing a dissertation; and, that the student has sufficient knowledge to be a member of the academy in the student’s discipline.

Exam Dates. The exam dates are determined by the student and their advisor and committee, but should not be conducted past the 12th week of each semester without prior approval from the committee. Exam questions are sent by email to the student from the Ph.D. office. Students have a limit of ten days to complete and submit their answers.

Written qualifying exams are typically started on a Friday morning and completed ten days later on a Monday. If a student prefers to write over a 10-day period spanning different days, they should consult with the Ph.D. office to evaluate alternatives. Students planning to take qualifying exams must notify the Ph.D. office and the Program Director as soon as possible to identify the dates they will write their exams and the members of the committee in each area. Students will also sit for an oral defense of their qualifying exams, which should be scheduled to occur approximately two weeks after submitting the written answers.

Qualifying Examination Application. Students must download and complete the Doctoral Qualifying Examination Application Form prior to taking qualifying exams. Bring this completed form to the Oral Examination portion of the exam.

Examination Committee. The examination committee consists of the chair, determined by mutual agreement of the student and the faculty member, and at least three other examiners, chosen by the chair in consultation with the student. Each question must be read by at least two examiners, and there must be at least four different CIM program faculty examiners in total. The four examiners constitute the examination committee. For cases in which the student is to answer a written qualifying examination question in an area different from the program area, at least one examiner of that question must be from that area. For instance, if the other area is from outside SC&I, then at least one of the examiners must be a member of the graduate faculty of that area (e.g., Sociology, Computer Science, Anthropology). Or, if the other area is from within SC&I (e.g., COM, LIS, or MS) at least one of the examiners must be a member of that program area. All members of the examination committee must be Rutgers faculty members who are qualified to evaluate doctoral-level work.

The members of the examination committee may set questions that are generally relevant to the student ’s research interests and/or course of study; or they may set questions that are relevant to the examined area as a whole. Such decisions are made by the examination committee, within any constraints that may be set by the program area.

Written Examination. The written portion consists of a take home exam of two questions covering two distinct areas of study. Typically, the student is sent four questions (one from each committee member), and the student then chooses to answer one question from each of the two areas. Each of the two essays is typically 20-25 pages, typed and double- spaced (6,000 words on average). Instructions are also sent to the students with the exam.

Each program area determines for itself what the questions cover, within the constraints of the program description for that area. LIS requires that students study in two areas: an LIS area, and an area from outside LIS. This second area can be within SC&I (COM or MS) or from elsewhere in the university. The student must then answer one question relevant to each of the two areas in which s/he has studied. In COM, students must have a major and a minor area of study. These may include foci within the COM area: communication and technology, health communication, interpersonal communication, language and social interaction, or organizational communication; but are not limited to these areas of communication study. Students may choose as a minor area one of the other areas of the Ph.D. program, or a minor elsewhere in the university. In MS, there is no requirement to study in more than one area, so the two questions may cover whatever aspects of MS the examination committee considers relevant.

Oral Examination. The oral portion of the qualifying examination is led by the chair of the examination committee, and includes all four members. It is scheduled within two weeks of the completion of the written exam. In the oral exam, members of the examination committee pose questions to the candidate, on the subjects of the written questions and/or on subjects related to the areas in which the student is being examined.

There are three options for examiners when evaluating each exam question: Pass, Revise, or Fail. The members of the examination committee complete the Qualifying Exam Evaluation form at the conclusion of the oral exam and decide if (a) the student has successfully passed one or both questions; (b) the student will have to provide additional written work for one or both areas (Revise option); or (c) the student has failed one or both questions.

Pass: If the student has successfully passed both questions, the student receives a Pass and is admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. The committee members will sign the student’s Qualifying Exam Form and give it back to the student to return to the Ph.D. Office.

Revise: If the committee determines that the student has not demonstrated satisfactory performance, but has not failed one or both questions (and could pass with additional revisions), the Revise option allows the student to rewrite the answer(s) or provide additional written work related to the same question(s), which would need to satisfy the student’s committee. One month is allowed for satisfactory revisions (which then results in a “Pass” for that question or questions); failure to do a satisfactory revision results in a “Fail” for that question or questions. There can be only one revision, and that will be a pass/fail decision. There is no additional oral exam for the Revise option.

Fail: The Fail option requires the student to re-sit the examination in those areas where the student has not achieved a Pass, including an additional oral exam. A minimum of three favorable votes is needed before one is considered to have passed some or all of the examination. One must ultimately pass both questions to pass the qualifying exams.

Re-sitting the Exam: In the event of a Fail on one or both questions, students may re-sit the qualifying examination once only. Re-sitting the examination means that faculty will provide new questions for the required area(s), students will have an additional 10-day take home exam and submission, and subsequently take an oral exam in the area(s). The two examiners for each question read the new papers and participate in the new oral portion of the examination. If the student has failed in respect to both questions, all four examiners participate in the reading of the new questions and in the new oral portion of the examination.

1. Selection of Dissertation Chair

In consultation with the area coordinator and/or Program Director, the student identifies members of the Ph.D. faculty appropriate to serve as chair, given the research topics of interest. The student consults with these individuals, and a chair is determined through process of mutual selection and with final approval of the program director. Students are advised to identify an advisor within the first year of coursework, or may be assigned a temporary advisor. This temporary advisor may or may not become their dissertation chair.

2. Selection of Additional Committee Members

The chair and student select three additional faculty members to serve on the dissertation committee. A committee consists of the chair plus at least two members from the CIM program faculty and one outside member, who comes from outside of SC&I, or outside of the University, as appropriate to the dissertation topic. The proposed committee is subject to review and approval by the program director. Additionally, when proposed committee members are not members of the Rutgers University graduate faculty, a CV must be reviewed by the Program Director who then forwards it to the Dean of the SGS for final approval. When approved, a formal letter of invitation and appointment is issued by the SGS. Please allow at least two-weeks lead time for such review.

3. Preparation of the Dissertation Proposal

With the guidance of their chair and the committee, the candidate prepares a formal Dissertation Proposal, which will normally include a statement of the research problem and/or rationale for a proposed project, an overview of relevant literature, alternative research methods that might be employed, a statement as to the value of the proposed project, the research protocol, and a bibliography. When the chair is satisfied that the proposal is acceptable in general, the chair schedules a meeting of the committee for purposes of formally reviewing, approving, or suggesting further modifications and notifies the Ph.D. office of the date. The proposal must be complete before the dissertation proposal defense is scheduled. The evaluation process includes an oral examination by the chair and committee members. When the proposal is acceptable to the chair and committee, they indicate approval by signing the Dissertation Proposal Title Page. A copy of the signed Title Page and the proposal is given to the Director to be kept on file in the Ph.D. Program Office. The topic of the Dissertation Proposal cannot be changed, subsequent to its approval, except in extraordinary circumstances when adjustments are approved in consultation with the chair and committee members and with the approval of the program director. The SGS requires that the Dissertation Proposal be signed within one year of passing the qualifying exams.

4. Public Presentation of the Dissertation Proposal (optional)

When the Dissertation Proposal has been formally approved by the committee, the dissertation chair and candidate may choose to select a date for its presentation at a Ph.D. Colloquium, held on Wednesday afternoons. Multiple approved dates are available during the fall and spring semesters, and students should sign up for a presentation date through the program office. The presentation should include highlights from the proposal document and also allow for a question and answer period (approximately 30 minutes total, depending on number of presenters).

5. Dissertation Defense

Throughout the dissertation writing process, the candidate is encouraged to consult with the committee as appropriate to guide their research. When the candidate has completed the dissertation to the satisfaction of the chair, the oral defense can be scheduled at a time that is mutually agreed upon by the candidate, the chair, and the members of the committee. The candidate must send their dissertation to the entire committee no less than two weeks prior to the scheduled dissertation defense. At least two weeks must be allowed for committee members to read the dissertation prior to the oral defense. The chair or the candidate should notify the Ph.D. Director and Ph.D. Office when the defense is being scheduled and the Office will assist in booking a room and logistics. Since COVID, SGS allows oral defenses to be conducted virtually; but it is preferred that the defense be held at Rutgers, with the chair and candidate physically present.

At the oral defense, the candidate is typically removed from the meeting for the first 15 minutes to give the committee time to discuss the dissertation and agree upon lines of questioning. When the student is invited back Into the meeting, they are typically asked to give a brief overview of the dissertation prior to the start of questioning. Each committee member Is given an opportunity to ask questions of the candidate. When questioning is complete, the candidate is asked to leave the meeting again while the committee consults and decides on the outcome. The chair will make notes about any revisions to the dissertation that are requested by the committee and oversee the implementation of those edits by the candidate. Once a decision is reached, the candidate is invited back into the room and the committee’s decision is shared with them.

Prior to scheduling the defense, the candidate should review the SGS Checklist for Ph.D. Degree and follow all instructions carefully, in order to make sure all appropriate paperwork is submitted to SGS prior to graduation and that the dissertation is properly formatted following the style guide (see Checklist) to meet all requirements. Candidates should plan to schedule their dissertation defense at least two weeks (ideally one month) prior to the deadline to file all degree requirements with SGS for the desired degree date to allow sufficient time to make revisions and schedule the public dissertation presentation.

6. Final Approval by Committee and Chair

Following the successful defense of the dissertation, the candidate will work in consultation with their chair to implement any revisions that were desired by the committee. When the dissertation is complete in a final form, the chair and committee members acknowledge their approval by signing the Dissertation Title Page and the Doctoral Final Defense form. Typically, the committee members will sign these documents at the dissertation defense and the chair will withhold their signature until all revisions are completed. When all revisions have been implemented to the satisfaction of the chair, they will add their signature to these forms to indicate final approval. When approved, the candidate submits one (1) copy of the completed dissertation to the Office of the Ph.D. Program. A check in the amount of 40 dollars (note that this amount may change) to cover the cost of binding must accompany the copy.

7. Public Presentation and Program Director Approval The Ph.D. Program Director, in consultation with the candidate and the chair, schedules a public presentation, which is required by the SGS and is open to faculty, students, and friends. This is usually scheduled as part of the 600 Ph.D. Colloquium series on Wednesday afternoons at 12:00 pm. The candidate submits a dissertation abstract and biographical sketch for distribution to the program faculty and students and prepares a formal presentation (see Public Presentation Guidelines). The public presentation must be done prior to the SGS deadline for final submission of all degree information. The presentation should include highlights from the dissertation document and also allow for a question and answer period (approximately 30-45 minutes total). Following a satisfactory presentation, the Program Director indicates final approval of the dissertation by signing the Doctoral Final Defense form which is then submitted to the School of Graduate Studies as part of the student’s degree requirements.

Typically, students taking coursework enroll in three courses each semester (a minimum of two per semester is required for part-time students). Taking fewer courses than this will substantially add to one’s degree completion time and requires special permission from the Program Director that can be granted only under special circumstances that need to be documented. It is the view of the program faculty that a student must be immersed in doctoral studies to properly attain this education, and taking one course per semester simply does not facilitate that. Students are bound in terms of the SGS 7-year rule for assessment of progress in the program regarding the proposal and dissertation defense.

The SGS specifies that all requirements for the Ph.D. degree, including successful defense and presentation of the dissertation, be completed within seven years of matriculation. The SGS Seven-Year policy on completion of the dissertation applies to full-time and part-time students. Under exceptional circumstances, extensions may be granted by SGS, upon application and support by the advisor and approval of the Ph.D. Director. It is the student’s responsibility to file for such extensions, which must be approved by the program Director and SGS. There are additional constraints imposed on students taking more than 10 years to complete their doctorate. The program is structured in a way that should allow all doctoral students to complete their studies within the seven-year window (and ideally much sooner).

NOTE: These timelines are only rough guides of what is possible. A student’s path through the program depends heavily on their interests and on guidance from advisor.

Ideally, initial or temporary faculty advisors may be assigned to students when they begin the program based on research interests; if not, one’s advisor for the first year is the area coordinator in that student’s primary area of study. The initial advisor, in consultation with area faculty and the Program Director if needed, works with students to develop a preliminary plan of study, which includes schedules for completion of necessary prerequisites and required courses, and for transfer of master’s degree credits.

In one’s second semester (ideally prior to course registration for the third semester), each student should select an advisor to guide them in their remaining coursework and through the Qualifying Exam process. (This is, in many cases, the initial advisor one was assigned, if both student and faculty member agree to that.) The student and this program advisor develop a plan of study designed to prepare the student for qualifying exams and dissertation research in the student’s chosen area of study.

Advisors must be full members of the Ph.D. program faculty. Advisors shall also keep track of their advisees and meet with them regularly, at least once prior to each course registration period, and more frequently, as needed. It is, however, ultimately the student’s responsibility to stay in close contact with their advisor. The advising relationship is one of the most important aspects of graduate education.

All students are encouraged to involve themselves with faculty research as early as possible, with multiple and varied research experiences. Doctoral students are required to attend program-sponsored colloquia, regularly held on Wednesday afternoons throughout the academic year. Students are encouraged to also take advantage of the many additional colloquia, conferences, lectures, symposia, and workshops scheduled each year, not only at SC&I, but throughout the university, and at the many other fine research universities in the surrounding metropolitan area. As an additional part of one’s doctoral preparation, students are expected to actively submit to and present at various regional, national, and/or international scholarly conferences relevant to their research and to publish their work in appropriate scholarly venues.

The Faculty of the Ph.D. Program meets each spring semester to review the progress of all students in the program. This review is conducted initially by members of the faculty within the student’s area of study. The executive committee of the Ph.D. program (Director and area coordinators) and other interested faculty will also meet to discuss any problematic situations at a program-wide review. Prior to the review, all students in the program must meet with their advisor and submit a copy of the annual review and individual development plan form (due usually on April 1st). This information is used not only to assess student progress, but also to identify future goals and develop plans and strategies for achieving stated professional pursuits. Doctoral Student Annual Review and Individual Development Plan Forms are submitted online.

One goal of the annual review is to ensure that each student is making expected progress in fulfilling program requirements. Key measures of expected progress include:

• Quality and focus of coursework, including grades
• Minimal number of Incompletes, which are taken care of quickly
• Selection of and contact with a primary advisor
• Formation of committees for qualifying examination and dissertation
• Timeliness in completion of requirements (for coursework, qualifying examination, proposal, and dissertation research)
• Involvement in scholarly activities (e.g., conference submissions/presentations)
• Additional expectations for TAs, GAs, and Fellows as set by the funding department

The Program Director and area coordinators are responsible for informing students of the results of the annual review, including faculty recommendations/requirements for resolving difficulties in making progress as expected. An annual letter is prepared and sent to each of the students.

Two markers of progress beyond coursework and program milestones are your participation at various international, national, and regional conferences and other accomplishments (grants, publications, guest lectures, etc.). The program would like to both support and recognize those.

Travel: Students may apply for travel funds from the CIM Ph.D. program. This happens three times per year, one week prior to Nov. 1, March 1, and June 1. The program office will announce deadlines for receipt of travel requests, and forms must be submitted online (with complete information, including a statement about the importance of the conference to the student’s professional development). Those decisions are made within two weeks, and students notified of any amounts received. To apply one must be an author on a paper, panel, or poster accepted for a scholarly conference (applications may be submitted up to 6 months before the conference and no more than 2 months after the conference).

To receive this travel award, please submit proof of registration, proof of travel (airline receipt/train ticket/ezpass, etc.), and proof of presentation. Once all the documents are received, funds will be dispersed to your student account. Please email these documents/receipts to Student Services at sciphd@comminfo.rutgers.edu. Proof of a travel-related purchase is needed for the award to be processed, but students do not need to wait until after the conference has occurred to submit their documentation.

Accomplishments: To better promote the activity that you, as doctoral students, are doing, all students are asked to submit an email to the program director, listing any scholarly activity (e.g., conference presentations and posters, invited talks, fellowships received, submitted grant proposals, publications, honors/awards, etc). We use these reports to feature you in various venues where the CIM Ph.D. program is being promoted. In addition, please send the note on your accomplishments for school-wide distribution to this email address: pr@comminfo.rutgers.edu. It is important to submit information when you have activity to report. If you share an accomplishment with a faculty member or another student here in SC&I, only one of you needs to submit it. You will find the published annual lists of student research accomplishments on the CIM Ph.D. program website. 

The Inter-University Doctoral Consortium is open to doctoral students from participating schools who have completed at least one year of full-time study in the CIM program toward the Ph.D. The Consortium accommodates students only in the arts and sciences and in the field of education. Students may, with the required permissions, attend courses at any other participating school as part of their home school registration. Our program permits up to two courses that may count toward degree requirements at these other schools. For more information and relevant forms, contact the Graduate School. Participating schools include:

• Columbia University (and Teachers College, Columbia University)
• GSAS
• CUNY Graduate Center
• Fordham University GSAS
• Graduate Faculty, New School University
• New Jersey Institute of Technology
• New York University GSAS
• Rutgers University, Graduate School-New Brunswick
• Stony Brook University
• Princeton University - The Graduate School
• University of Pennsylvania

Additionally, we have a double degree program available between students interested in Organizational Communication and Organization Management. Contact the program office for additional details.

Full Ph.D. Faculty Member Contact Information by Program Area.

COMMUNICATION

LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

MEDIA STUDIES

Full Members of the Graduate Faculty

Mark Aakhus, Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Arizona
  Collaboration and conflict processes; communication-information technology; discourse and organizations; corporate social responsibility; sustainability

Amelia Acker, Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., California (Los Angeles)
  Archival studies; critical data studies; critical information studies; infrastructure studies

Denise Agosto, Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., Rutgers
  Information practices; public library services; qualitative research methods

Tawfiq Ammari, Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., University of Michigan
  Social computing; data science; science, technology, and society studies

Melissa Aronczyk, Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., New York University
  Critical promotional culture and promotional media; nationalism; environmental/climate communication; disinformation

Galina Bolden, Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., California (Los Angeles)
  Conversation analysis in English and Russian; communication across linguistic and cultural barriers; nonverbal communication

Jack Bratich, Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., Illinois (Urbana)
  Popular culture; social and political theory; media and democracy; technology and society

Jessica (Yi-Yun) Cheng, Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., Illinois
  Data curation; metadata; knowledge organization; biodiversity informatics

Kaitlin Costello, Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., UNC - Chapel Hill
  Social information seeking in health contexts; health information; online information

Marija Dalbello, Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., Toronto
  Theory and history of information; social history of knowledge; visual epistemology and sensory-affective knowledge; historical ethnography; history of the book; digital humanities

Marya Doerfel, Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., SUNY (Buffalo)
  Organizational communication; organizational culture; network analysis; semantic network analysis

Lauren Feldman, Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., Pennsylvania
  Media and politics; public opinion; partisan media; entertainment and politics; climate change communication

Sophia Fu, Associate Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Northwestern University
  Organizational communication; social networks; information and communication technologies (ICTs)

Kiran Garimella, Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., Aalto University
  Polarization on social media; data science

Brooklyne Gipson, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., USC
  Black feminist digital/technology studies; race and gender; social media

David Greenberg, Distinguished Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., Columbia
  American political and cultural history; politics and media

Kathryn Greene, Distinguished Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Georgia
  Health-message design targeting; adolescent risk taking; disclosure of health issues

Shawnika Hull, Associate Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
  Health disparities; racial inequalities in healthcare; communication interventions

Shagun Jhaver, Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology
  Data science; human-computer interaction; content moderation, governance mechanisms and online discourse

Amy Jordan, Distinguished Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
  Children; adolescents and media; health communication; media policy

Susan Keith, Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
  Traditional and new media journalistic practice; media ethics; mass communication law

Youngrim Kim, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., Michigan
  Global digital culture; critical platform studies; critical data studies; disaster studies

Sunyoung Kim, Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon
  Human-Computer Interactions; ubiquitous computing; technology for health care; everyday wellbeing and environmental sustainability

Deepa Kumar, Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., Pittsburgh
  Critical media studies; globalization; class; gender; imperialism; war; Middle East; Islam; Orientalism

Jeffrey Lane, Associate Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Princeton University
  Urban ethnography; mediated communication; urban communication

E. E. Lawrence, Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  Philosophy of LIS; library and information ethics; readers and reading; values in information retrieval and recommender systems

Eugene Lee, Assistant Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., USC
  Organizational communication; technology; mediated communication; social networks

Dafna Lemish, Distinguished Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., Ohio State University
  Children and media; feminist theory; gender and identity constructions

Jianing Li, Assistant Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Wisconsin-Madison
  Mis/disinformation; digital politics; social inequality

Alex Lu, Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., Michigan
  Surveillance and marginalization; community-based participatory research; critical design

Regina Marchi, Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., California (San Diego)
  Race, class, gender and media; social movements and news; community media; Latino popular culture

Matthew Matsaganis, Associate Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., USC
  Communication capacity building; community resilience; digital equity; ethnic & diasporic media; health communication

Lisa Mikesell, Associate Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., California (Los Angeles)
  Qualitative methods; conversation analysis and ethnography; health communication

Nitzan Navick, Assistant Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., California (Santa Barbara)
  Remote work; digital workplace; workplace inclusion, safety and health; technological affordances

Katherine Ognyanova, Associate Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., USC
  Computational social science; network analysis; technology and social structures

Britt Paris, Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., UCLA
  Internet infrastructure; values, digital labor and civic data; AI-generated audiovisual products

John Pavlik, Distinguished Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., Minnesota
  Journalism technology and new media technologies; Spanish-language media; journalism and media ethics

Caitlin Petre, Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., New York University
  Digital technologies; expertise; media industries; field methods

Rebecca Reynolds, Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., Syracuse
  Computer-supported collaborative learning among youth in constructionist design-oriented environments

Yonaira Rivera, Assistant Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
  Health disparities; health communication initiatives; Latinx communities

Brent Ruben, Distinguished Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Iowa
  Communication theory; organizational quality; health and medical communication; communication and information systems; communication education

Kristina Scharp, Associate Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Iowa
  Interpersonal communication; family communication; health communication; qualitative research methods

Charles Senteio, Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., University of Michigan
  Health care delivery; health information; community-based participatory research

Sarah Shugars, Assistant Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Northeastern
  Computational social science; network science; political communication; social media

Vivek Singh, Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., California (Irvine)
  Data analytics; social analytics; multimedia; computational social science

Jennifer Theiss, Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., University of Wisconsin–Madison
  Interpersonal communication; romantic relationship development; family communication; uncertainty

Maria Venetis, Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Rutgers University
  Interpersonal communication; health communication; patient-provider communication; disclosure

Celeste Wagner, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., Pennsylvania
  Audiences; mixed methods; gender; political and social issues

Matthew Weber, Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., University of Southern California
  Social networks; public policymaking; social media; network analysis; journalism and news media organizations

Khadijah Costley White, Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., Pennsylvania
  Race and gender in media and politics

Robert Wolfe, Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., University of Washington
  Artificial intelligence; AI ethics and fairness; AI reliability; AI & privacy; AI in information work

Todd Wolfson, Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., Pennsylvania
  Role of new information and communication technologies in global social movements

Dajung Woo, Associate Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., UC–Santa Barbara
  Collaboration and membership negotiation in organizations

Itzhak Yanovitzky, Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Pennsylvania
  Health communication; persuasion; communication and social changes; research methodology

Associate Members of the Graduate Faculty

Marc Aronson, Associate Professor of Practice in Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., NYU
  Literature; young readers; librarianship

Jerome Aumente, Professor Emeritus of Journalism and Mass Media, SC&I; Director, Journalism Resources Institute; M.S., Columbia
  Communication and Information Technology

Nicholas J. Belkin, Emeritus Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., London
  Information science; information retrieval theory; interactive information retrieval; people’s interactions with information; human-computer interaction in information systems

Michael J. Bzdak, Visiting Part-Time Lecturer in Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Rutgers
  Organizational communication; corporate social responsibility; CSR theory and practice

Mary Chayko, Teaching Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Rutgers
  Impact of the Internet and digital media on community, society, and self

R. Richard Dool, Teaching Professor and Director of the MCM and MHCI Master’s Program, SC&I; Ph.D., University of Maryland
  Organizational renewal and transformations; leadership communication

Bernadette Gailliard, Assistant Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., California (Santa Barbara)
  Organizational communication; identity; race, gender, and class intersections

Alexa Hepburn, Research Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Glasgow Caledonian University
  Conversation analytic method; emotion and influence; health communication

Gustav W. Friedrich, Professor Emeritus of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Kansas
  Communication theory; instructional communication; applied communication

Chenjerai Kumanyika, Assistant Professor, New York University (formerly Professor of Journalism and Media, SC&I); Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University
  Creative and cultural industries; emerging forms of journalism; media studies; music industries; social movements; media and criminal justice; race and ethnicity; identity and social justice

Laurie Lewis, Vice Provost, University of Texas - San Antonio (formerly Professor of Communication, SC&I); Ph.D., California (Santa Barbara)
  Organizational communication; stakeholder communication; organizational change; nonprofits; interorganizational collaboration

Claire McInerney, Professor Emeritus of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., SUNY (Albany)
  Knowledge management; information ethics; virtual organizations; community informatics and health; gender and technology

Hartmut B. Mokros, Emeritus Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Chicago
  Language and social interaction; communication and identity; psychopathology and wellness; research methodology

Daniel O. O’Connor, Professor Emeritus of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., Syracuse
  Research methods; library science

Jonathan Potter, Distinguished Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., University of York
  Discursive psychology; conversation analysis; qualitative research methods; theory

Tefko Saracevic, Professor Emeritus of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., Case Western Reserve
  Information science; information education; information seeking and retrieving

Jorge Reina Schement, Professor of Communication, SC&I; Ph.D., Stanford
  Information policy; global telecommunications; Spanish-language media; information-consumer behavior

Chirag Shah, Professor of Library and Information Science, University of Washington (formerly SC&I); Ph.D., North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
  Information seeking/retrieval/behavior; social media; human-computer interaction

Anselm Spoerri, Associate Teaching Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., MIT
  Information visualization; information appliances

Betty J. Turock, Professor Emerita of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., Rutgers
  Management; information services; information policy

Joyce Valenza, Teaching Associate Professor of Library and Information Studies, SC&I; Ph.D., North Texas
  Social media; youth information; digital storytelling; information fluency

Affiliate Members of the Graduate Faculty

Ellen P. Goodman, Professor of Law, SL-C; J.D., Harvard
  Information technology policy; regulation through communication

Vikki Katz, Professor of Communication, Chapman University; Ph.D., University of Southern California
  Communication and technology; immigration; families and children

Jon L. Oliver, Associate Teaching Professor of Library and Information Science, M.S., Ph.D., Rutgers
  Information retrieval and dissemination in distance education

Gary P. Radford, Professor of Communication, Fairleigh Dickinson; Ph.D., Rutgers
  Communication theory and philosophy; semiotics; interpersonal communication

Doug Riecken, IBM TJ Watson Laboratories; Ph.D., Rutgers
  Human-computer interaction; information personalization; intelligent user interfaces and agents

Jana Varlejs, Associate Professor Emerita of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., Wisconsin (Madison)
  Library education; continuing professional education

Leonard T. Vercellotti, Assistant Research Professor, Eagleton Institute of Politics; Ph.D., North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
  Public opinion; ethnic media; political communication

Nina Wacholder, Associate Professor of Library and Information Science, SC&I; Ph.D., CUNY
  Organization of information

• Guidelines for Research Practicum Presentations
• Qualifying Exam Evaluation Form
• Dissertation Proposal Sample Title Page
• Dissertation Title Page
• Dissertation Public Presentation Guidelines
• Credit Transfer Request Form (for M.A. credits)
• Practicum Assessment Form
• Qualifying Exam Application Form
• Doctoral Final Defense Form

The Ph.D. program expects students entering the program to have achieved master’s-level competency in statistics. This is a prerequisite for enrollment in Quantitative Research Methods (16:194:604), a program core methods course option for all students. Students who have not successfully completed graduate-level coursework in statistics, or feel unsure about their statistical competency are strongly encouraged to enroll in a master’s-level statistics course as soon as possible. Credits earned in elementary master’s-level statistics do not count toward the program’s coursework credit requirements. Possible courses at Rutgers include (but are not restricted to):

• 17:610:511: Research Methods
• 16:960:532: Statistical Methods in Education II

Statistics Competencies (Helpful to Know Before Taking 604)

604 course instructors will assess preparation in their own way, but in general, students who are well prepared for this course will likely know the following:

Levels of Measurement. Provide brief definitions and examples of nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio levels of measurement. Possible elaborations include increasing statistical sensitivity, tests of association for nominal and interval/ratio data, and issues in making continuous measures discrete.

Measures of Central Tendency (mean, median, mode). Provide brief definitions of each, know with what types of data each would be used, what it means when they are all similar, what it signifies when they differ, and why these measures are important descriptors.

Measures of Variance. Define standard deviation, evaluate any frequency distribution in terms of its standard deviations, compare the standard deviation to standard error, and determine the range and variance of a sample.

Variables. Identify independent/predictor, confounding, moderator/intervening, and dependent/criterion variables. Understand the appropriate use of the different terms.

Sampling. Understand the difference between probability and nonprobability sampling, samples versus populations, parametric versus nonparametric distributions, types of sampling, assumptions of normal distributions, other types of distributions (e.g., Poisson, t, chi-square, etc.)

Error. Understand Type I and Type II errors, sampling, and measurement error.

Tests of Association. Understand cross-tabulations and chi-square analyses, t-tests, analyses of variance, and different kinds of correlations.

Significance. Be familiar with p values, degrees of freedom, sample size, relationship of p values to alpha, choosing significance levels, and the relationships among statistical power, significance levels, generality/generalizability, and sample size. Be able to look up critical values on t, chi-square, or normal distribution tables.

Z-scores. Define standard normal curve, standard scores, know formula and appropriate uses

Ph.D. students in the COM Area select a major and a minor focus of study. All students are required to take Research Design (3 cr.) and Foundations of Communication Theory (3 cr.) as area requirements and two specialized methods courses (6 cr.). 15 credit hours (5 electives) are required in two content areas. With advisor assistance, students may designate major and minor areas fitting their interests. These may include foci within COM (e.g., communication and technology, interpersonal communication, health communication, language and social interaction, or organizational communication), but are not limited to these areas of COM study. Students may also choose as a minor area one of the other two areas of the Ph.D. program, or programs elsewhere in the University. A qualifying exam in each area will be taken once the student has completed all coursework. All qualifying exam questions will contain a methods component.

Methods: Two specialized methods courses (6 cr.) offered in the program or outside the program (consult your advisor).

Required COM Area Courses
In addition to the two methods courses, the following are required:

• 16:194:623 Research Design (3 cr.)
• 16:194:624 Communication Theory (3 cr.)

Students are also required to take any three of the following five content courses (9 credits):

• 16:194:620 Interpersonal Communication (3 cr.)
• 16:194:621 Organizational Communication Research (3 cr.)
• 16.194:622 Health Communication (3 cr.)
• 16:194:633 Communication and Technology (3 cr.)
• 16:194.xxx Language and Social Interaction (3 cr.)

Elective Courses:

Remaining credits can be taken as special topics courses (16:194:670-674 Topics in Communication Processes I through V -- 3 cr. each) in any of the following areas. Offerings vary by semester.

• Topics in Communication and Technology (e.g., Mediated Communication Theory, Social Media, Communication Design, Work and Technology)
• Topics in Interpersonal Communication (e.g., Interpersonal Communication Theory, Uncertainty and Communication, Relational and Family Communication)
• Topics in Health Communication (e.g., Health Campaigns, Interpersonal Health Communication, Professional Practices and Issues of Health)
• Topics in Language and Social Interaction (e.g., Basic Structures of Social Interaction, Persuasion and Social Influence, Communication and Gender)
• Topics in Organizational Communication (e.g., Conflict and Collaboration, Dynamics of Global Organizations, Leadership, Organizational Change, Communication Networks
• Topics in Computational Social Science (e.g., Text as Data, AI for Social Science, Natural Language Processing, Communication Networks) 

78 credits total – 21 core credits, 15 specialized credits, 42 transfer/research credits

Note: Credit requirements for degree are fulfilled once all checkboxes below have been filled in.

CORE COURSE REQUIREMENTS (21 credits)

CIM Core Course Requirements (6 credits)

• 600 Colloquium (0 cr.) (starting first semester until qualifying exams are passed)
• 601 Proseminar (3 cr.) (first semester)
• 608 Research Practicum (3 cr.) (third semester)

COM Area Core Course Requirements (6 credits)

• 623 Research Design (3 cr.)
• 624 Communication Theory (3 cr.)

Fill in methods courses taken in blanks below.

COM Methods Course Requirements (9 credits)

• Specialized Methods Course 1 (3 cr.): _________________________________________________
• Specialized Methods Course 2 (3 cr.): _________________________________________________
• Specialized Methods Course 3 (3 cr.): _________________________________________________

Note: One course may be scholarly/research development more broadly (e.g., research apprenticeship), with approval by the student’s advisor, area coordinator, and Ph.D. director.

SPECIALIZED COURSE REQUIREMENTS (15 credits)

Areas of Study: Communication and Technology; Interpersonal Communication; Health Communication; Language and Social Interaction; Organizational Communication; Computational Social Science; Other (minor only) - fill in major/minor areas and courses in blanks below

COM Electives Courses in Major Area of Study Requirements (9 credits): ___________________________

• 670-674 Topics in Communication Processes I-V (3 cr.): __________________________________
• 670-674 Topics in Communication Processes I-V (3 cr.): __________________________________
• 670-674 Topics in Communication Processes I-V (3 cr.): __________________________________

COM Electives Courses in Minor Area of Study Requirements (6 credits): ___________________________

• 670-674 Topics in Communication Processes I-V (3 cr.): __________________________________
• 670-674 Topics in Communication Processes I-V (3 cr.): __________________________________

Note: Students may take one elective outside of the department in each area.

ADDITIONAL CREDIT REQUIREMENTS (42 credits)

COM Additional Credit Requirements (42 credits)

• Transfer Credits from M.A. (18 cr.)
• Dissertation Research Credits (24 cr.)

72 credits total – 18 core credits, 15 specialized credits, 39 transfer/research credits

Note: Credit requirements for degree are fulfilled once all checkboxes below have been filled in. 

CORE COURSE REQUIREMENTS (18 credits) 

CIM Course Core Requirements (6 credits)

• 600 Colloquium (0 cr.) (starting first semester until qualifying exams are passed)
• 601 Proseminar (3 cr.) (first semester)
• 608 Research Practicum (3 cr.) (third semester) 

LIS Area Core Course Requirements (6 credits)

• 610 Seminar in Information Studies (3 cr.)
• 612 Human Information Behavior (3 cr.) 

LIS Methods Course Requirements (6 credits)

• 604 Quantitative Research Methods (3 cr.)
• 603 Qualitative Research Methods OR 605 Critical Research Methods OR equivalent advanced Ph.D. methods course taken from elsewhere in university (3 cr.) 

Note: If both 603 and 605 are taken, one may count toward LIS secondary area credits. 

SPECIALIZED COURSE REQUIREMENTS (15 credits) 

Themes: Health Information and Technology; Human Information Behavior; Human-Computer Interaction; Information Institutions, Artifacts, and Documents; Information Retrieval and Language Analysis; Learning, Education, and Technology; Social Computing and Data Science – fill in theme and secondary areas and courses in blanks below

LIS Elective Courses in Theme Area of Study Requirements (9 credits): ____________________________

• Course 1 in Theme Area: __________________________________________________________
• Course 2 in Theme Area: __________________________________________________________
• Course 3 in Theme Area: __________________________________________________________ 

LIS Elective Courses in Secondary Area of Study Requirements (6 credits): __________________________

• Course 1 in Secondary Area (3 cr.): ___________________________________________________
• Course 2 in Secondary Area (3 cr.): ___________________________________________________ 

Note: Courses in theme area could be Ph.D. courses or cross-listed Master’s-level topical courses in LIS, as well as relevant qualifying classes outside of our Ph.D. program. 

ADDITIONAL CREDIT REQUIREMENTS (39 credits) 

LIS Additional Credit Requirements (39 credits)

• Transfer Credits from M.A. (15 cr.)
• Dissertation Research Credits (24 cr.) 

72 credits total – 15 core credits, 18 specialized credits, 39 transfer/research credits

Note: Credit requirements for degree are fulfilled once all checkboxes below have been filled in. 

CORE COURSE REQUIREMENTS (15 credits)

CIM Course Core Requirements (6 credits)

• 600 Colloquium (0 cr.) (starting first semester until qualifying exams are passed)
• 601 Proseminar (3 cr.) (first semester)
• 608 Research Practicum (3 cr.) (third semester) 

MS Area Core Course Requirements (3 credits)

• 631 Media Theory (3 cr.)

Note: must be taken in first semester of study.

MS Methods Course Requirements (6 credits)

• 605 Critical Research Methods (3 cr.)
• 603 Qualitative Research Methods OR 604 Quantitative Research Methods OR equivalent advanced Ph.D. methods course taken from elsewhere in university (3 cr.)

Note: If both 603 and 604 are taken, one may count toward MS elective course credits.

SPECIALIZED COURSE REQUIREMENTS (18 credits)

Fill in courses taken in blanks below.

MS Topics Courses Requirements (9 credits):

• Topics in Media Studies Course 1: ___________________________________________________
• Topics in Media Studies Course 2: ___________________________________________________
• Topics in Media Studies Course 3: ___________________________________________________

MS Elective Courses Requirements (9 credits):

• Elective Course 1: _______________________________________________________________
• Elective Course 2: _______________________________________________________________
• Elective Course 3: _______________________________________________________________ 

Note: Elective courses can be taken from the Media Studies area, other areas in the CIM Ph.D. program, or other departments/consortium schools.

ADDITIONAL CREDIT REQUIREMENTS (39 credits)

MS Additional Credit Requirements (39 credits)

• Transfer Credits from M.A. (12 cr.)
• Dissertation Research Credits (27 cr.)