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You should introduce yourself to other faculty members as soon as possible. The Department's faculty encourages you to meet with each of them, find out what their interests are, and let them know what you are interested in. You should visit them during their office hours, or make an appointment when it is convenient for you.
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This document is intended to give you a "big picture" of graduate studies in the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies--to set an ethic and give you an idea of what we expect of our graduate students. In addition, it is offered as an advising tool and should be consulted as you make decisions and seek information concerning the courses you take, course-load requirements, eligibility for registering for given courses, and other important standards which must be met in order to smoothly traverse the graduate curriculum. To this end, we have included an overview of the requirements, some important guidelines that must be followed, information related to financial aid, and resources available for your use in the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies.
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All students are required to complete a minimum of 33 credit hours of graduate level coursework. In addition:
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Students may take a maximum of 9 credit hours from other graduate programs within the University. These "other" courses should be clearly related to the student's individual emphasis and cannot be taken as substitutes for communication and rhetorical studies courses.
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Students completing the MA program may take either a thesis option or a non-thesis (comprehensive exams) option.
- Students electing to write a thesis must complete 27 credit hours of coursework plus 6 credit hours of thesis work.
- Students electing to take the non-thesis option must complete 33 credit hours of coursework and pass a comprehensive examination consisting of written and oral components.
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In order to continue in good standing in the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies, all students are expected to make appropriate progress toward completion of the degree. At the beginning of the second semester of studies, each graduate student will receive a written evaluation of her or his general performance from the Graduate Program Coordinator. Students will continue to receive regular input on the state of their degree progress and general professional development thereafter. An Evaluation Form is attached as Appendix A.
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- A grade point average in Communication and Rhetorical Studies courses of "B" (3.0) or better, and an overall grade point average of "B-" (2.67) or better.
- Coursework where a grade of "Incomplete" is assigned must be finished by the end of the next semester. A petition must be submitted stipulating the date when the work will be completed. The grade of "Incomplete" is assigned only in unusual circumstances (for example, protracted illness). Otherwise, it is expected that students will complete their coursework within normal deadlines
- Full-time status (9 credit ours per semester) must be maintained.
- By April 15 of the first year, students must declare in writing to the Graduate Program Coordinator whether they are taking the thesis or non-thesis (comprehensive exams) option and the name of the professor who has agreed to be their major advisor (chair of their thesis committee). There is an Exit Option Declaration Form appended to this document.
- All students are expected to take required core-courses --CRS 601 and CRS 603--during the fall semester of the first year.
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By April 15 of the first year – Exit option declaration should identify the student’s advisor, the selected exit option, thesis proposal and defense of proposal date (usually defended during Fall semester of the second year) as well as an overview of the subject matter (e.g., organizational communication in non-profits) and method (e.g., discourse analysis).
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By April 15—Defense of the Master’s Thesis or Comprehensive Exams (to ensure May graduation). Note: Defense meetings will not take place during summer as faculty members have no contractual obligations to the university during the summer months.
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See the CVPA Graduate Study Prospectus for information on scholarships, loans, fellowships, and other sources of funding. In addition, there are reference materials available for your use at the Graduate School. You may visit the College's home page at http://vpa.syr.edu, where additional information is offered at the Graduate Student Services link. Also, you may consult the graduate student section of the College of Visual and Performing Arts Undergraduate and Graduate Student Handbook. You should have received a copy in your Department mailbox. You may request a copy from the Office of Graduate Student Services, 204 Crouse College--443-3089.
All graduate students are encouraged to present scholarly papers at conventions or conferences. There is modest funding available through the Department, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and the Graduate Student Organization to support this important dimension of graduate studies. Please contact the Graduate Coordinator for more information about how to apply.
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All graduate students have access to the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies’ computer facility.
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Each graduate student will be assigned a work space in the GTA office.
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The FPP is a University-wide pedagogy program for graduate students. There are university-wide and local programming. In the Department, the Graduate Coordinator plans and schedules sessions, usually 4 or 5 across the year, based on students’ interests and needs regarding teaching and professionalization. Every year, graduate students should indicate their interest in the program to get signed up.
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Overview
The comprehensive examination is the second of two available exit options from which M.A. candidates must choose and successfully complete in order to receive their M.A. degree. Comprehensive exams are intended to be a culmination of the individual student’s educational experience.
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