Advancement to Candidacy

Thesis and Project

Advancement to Candidacy
Advancement to candidacy is required for all students in the master's program. After the completion of core requirements and before beginning the communication project or thesis, an advancement to candidacy meeting needs to be arranged with your chair. Students should take the initiative in scheduling the meetings.

At the advancement to candidacy meeting, faculty will review: (1) the proposed degree program option (thesis and project) and (2) the adequacy of the student's qualifications for completion of the graduate program (see the GO-12 form). A faculty decision is made at this meeting whether the student is ready to be advanced to candidacy.

During the meeting, candidates will be asked to explain how the coursework taken addresses programmatic goals, research interests, and methods required for completion of their program of studies. If the faculty determines the coursework is not sufficient, or that the student is not prepared, the student will be required to take whatever steps are necessary to make up the deficiencies before advancing to candidacy. These steps might include repeating certain courses, completing an advanced writing or research course, or other actions. Students who receive permission to advance to candidacy must complete the GO-12 form and file it with the Graduate Office.

Students who choose the thesis or project are required to submit a proposal to their committee which will become a part of the student's record.

After the proposal has been accepted, students may register for thesis credits (SP 503) or project credits (SP 506). Students usually take SP 503/506 credits over 1-2 quarters for a total of 6 credits. Students must be enrolled for at least 1 credit of SP 503/506 in the term they complete their thesis or project.

NOTE: It is particularly important that the student comprehends the theoretical and research literatures (in communication and related disciplines) needed to support the thesis or project. Students who fail to demonstrate adequate understanding of relevant theories and mastery of relevant research and scholarly literatures will be required to make up the deficit through additional coursework, additional reading, or both prior to continuing with their project or thesis.

Thesis and Project
Students writing a thesis or engaging in a communication project must be capable of working with minimal faculty supervision. Select your committee and prepare your preliminary thesis or project proposal about 9-6 months prior to graduating. That is, the fall term of your second year should be the time you make decisions with your advisor about your topic and options. In consultation with your chair, you will begin working on your proposal. Once the proposal is approved, you begin work on the thesis or project.

Successful completion of the thesis or project requires you to demonstrate proficiency in theory, research methods, and in your areas of emphasis. Thesis students engage in a final oral defense in addition to their written thesis.

Students completing a project may also be required to deliver an oral address based on consultation with their chair and committee.

Students are reminded that faculty members supervise graduate students in addition to their regular teaching load, research and administrative duties. Graduate students are expected to make efficient use of faculty time by doing as much work as possible within regularly scheduled classes, by making effective use of tutors in statistics, qualitative analysis and writing, and by preparing carefully in advance for each meeting with faculty members.

Thesis Option
The thesis is designed to support and facilitate intensive student engagement with a theoretical or methodological question. In addition to the core requirements described above, students complete a written thesis and pass an oral examination. A thesis represents the independent work of the student under the supervision and guidance of the chair. Although the thesis is not required to show original results, and will not necessarily explore entirely new topics or ideas, it must reveal independent investigation, including the understanding and application of accepted methods of scholarship and research.

NOTE: The requirement of independent investigation may include using data collected by previous researchers or in collaboration with other investigators (including fellow graduate students). A common practice is to develop a thesis that is related to a faculty member's research program. Copies of theses and proposals are available for your review in the Communication Department.

Project Option
The communication project is designed to facilitate intensive student engagement in the communication-related needs of the community or client through completion of a project in which theoretical principles are applied to real-world problems and issues. Students will apply the theory and methods of the discipline to communication issues arising in a public or private organization, community or neighborhood, or other context deemed suitable by the advisor. Two content/theoretical areas of emphasis are incorporated into the project, generally within the literature review section in the form of a concept explication. Copies of projects and proposals are available for your review in the Communication Department

Students enroll in SP 506 when completing the project. While the goal is for students to complete the project in 2 quarters, working with real world clients may take longer.

Steps in the Process of Completing a Thesis or Project

  1. Select a general area of interest and working topic
    A topic for a thesis or project may be identified as early as possible, but no later than the beginning of your fourth quarter. Your advisor or another faculty member may be able to suggest suitable topics.
  2. Select a Thesis or Project Chair
    Your chair provides guidance in the selection of a specific topic and overall approach for the thesis or project. The chair has primary responsibility for overseeing and approving the coursework that will be required to support the student's option, and for guiding the thesis or project from start to finish.

    3. We urge you to work with a faculty chair whose scholarly interests match yours. (No faculty member is obligated to supervise a project, direct a thesis, or serve on committees for any student). Students should be aware that faculty members must limit acceptance of new advisees because of workloads. Flexibility in the choice of a topic, chair and committee will minimize frustration and optimize the student's learning experience. Faculty members will suggest appropriate topics related to their own scholarly interests.

    The purpose of the thesis or project credits is to allow adequate time for the student to complete required work beyond regular courses, including such activities as fieldwork, Library research, writing and editing, and meeting with clients preparing for the oral defense or presentation to the Client

  3. Select Committee Members: Thesis
    The selection of members for the thesis committee is the responsibility of the graduate student. The committee includes your chair plus a communication studies tenure-track faculty member as well as an external faculty member.*
    * The external faculty member is selected by the Office of Graduate Studies

    4. NOTE: For the thesis, students suggest the names of two external faculty members as the graduate school representative. Indicate your first and second choices on the GO-16 form. The graduate school representative may or may not play a role in the proposal meeting, but does participate in the oral defense. The function of the thesis committee is to assist the chair in advising the student regarding needed coursework, development of the thesis and to act as an examination committee for the completed thesis.

  4. Pre-proposal: Thesis
    An important step is the submission to prospective faculty of a pre-proposal approximately 5 pages in length that briefly outlines your proposed thesis. Faculty can then review this and make some determination of their suitability to work with you. It is highly recommended that you follow with a face-to-face meeting to address questions. You cannot automatically assume someone will serve as a chair or committee member.
  5. Content: Thesis and Proposal
    The thesis proposal must specify what questions/hypotheses will be addressed by the thesis, what research will be undertaken, and what form the thesis will take. It is comprehensive and includes detailed purpose and method sections as well as a substantial theory (literature review) section in which the student will summarize and evaluate pertinent literature.

    6. NOTE: Communication studies draws on literature from many disciplines and the proposal should include the relevant literature from those disciplines. The proposal should also delineate the appropriate methods necessary for the completion of the thesis, and, when necessary, your plans for acquiring proficiency in using those methods. The proposal is typically 10-20 pages. A complete proposal usually constitutes a draft of the introduction, theory/literature review chapter, and proposal methods. It is helpful to consider your Human Subjects application at the same time. During development of the proposal, the student and chair may make changes in the thesis committee to enhance guidance on the specific thesis topic or area (For more information on Human Subjects see Appendix).

    The project proposal must specify the client for whom the project is to be undertaken, background information about the client, the student's relationship to the client, the issues or problem to be addressed, any attendant research questions, and the theoretical conceptual basis that informs the project. The proposal also includes the steps to be taken to plan, execute and evaluate the project including appropriate methods, the timeline from initiation to completion, the nature of the final project (including a written report of the project), and student learning objectives. The proposal should also include an addendum that outlines the following: the proposed content for the two conceptual areas to be examined, concept explications, evidence of coursework taken and any additional experiences that indicate preparation to complete the project, any identified content gaps and plans for addressing them, and Human Subjects application if needed.

    Although not required, students undertaking the project may, in addition to the chair, select a second committee member from the department or from outside. Selection criteria are similar to that discussed above for thesis committee members. The function of the chair (and an extra member, if selected) is to determine, with the student, the appropriate conceptual content for the required concept explication and advice on the scope and focus of the project.

    Both the thesis and the project proposal should include evidence of permission and agreements required from any external organizations whose cooperation is needed for field entry or recruiting research subjects; a detailed list of skills and resources needed and how they are to be acquired; an estimate of required faculty supervision or assistance; and a detailed time-line for completion.

    Note: The graduate office is not involved in the communication project process.

  6. Proposal Meeting: Thesis
    • The student arranges a meeting for all committee members. The revised, completed proposal must be received by each committee member at least 1 week prior to the meeting.
    • In the proposal meeting, the student will orally present a synopsis of the proposal. Committee members ask questions, make recommendations and may request changes to be completed before the student initiates the project.

    NOTE: Students may not enroll for thesis credit until the student advances to candidacy and the thesis committee has approved the thesis proposal.

  7. Proposal Meeting: Project
    • The student arranges a meeting for all members. The revised, completed proposal must be received by each committee member at least 1 week prior to the meeting.
    • In the proposal meeting, the student will present a synopsis of the proposal. Committee members ask questions, make recommendations and may request changes to be completed before the student initiates the project.

  8. Completion of the Thesis, or Communication Project
    Following approval of the proposal, students meet with their chair or advisor to ascertain expectations. Sometimes students decide they need additional courses. If the thesis (or project) requires technical expertise beyond that of a master's student (for example, to help with especially complex statistical analyses, qualitative methods, technology, etc.) students should seek outside help. In other cases, it may be necessary for the student to take additional courses or hire a tutor. Similarly, if writing problems are identified, the student should expect to obtain editing assistance.
    • Human Subjects
      Any thesis or project involving the study of human subjects must have approval of the Human Subjects Research Review Committee. Depending on the thesis or project design, approval may take from 6 weeks to 6 months. Forms to be completed are obtained from the Graduate Office, Unitus Bldg, Suite 600, or on the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) website located at http://www.gsr.pdx.edu/.
    • Scheduling Oral Defense and Submitting the GO-17: Thesis
      The oral defense should not be scheduled until all members of the committee agree the candidate is ready. It is the responsibility of the student, in consultation with the chair, to plan sufficient time for the writing, review, and correction before giving the document to the committee (prior to the oral defense). The student must be sensitive to the committee members in planning deadlines. The student should note that most faculty have 9-month appointments and are unavailable in the summer.

      • Once the student has asked the committee to review the thesis draft, the student makes revisions (with the agreement of the chair) and distributes revised copies to all committee members no less than 2 weeks before the oral thesis defense date. It is the student's responsibility to arrange for the date, time and place for the defense by coordinating with the committee members.

      The oral defense consists of a discussion of the student's thesis and other pertinent matters relating to the candidate's general competence. The examination is open to any faculty member. If the committee agrees, the student may invite colleagues, family or friends to attend the defense. However, oral defense is a serious occasion, not a social event, and guests should be mindful of this fact.

      The thesis is not complete until approval is given by the entire committee and the Graduate Office. Students are typically asked to make revisions and clarifications after the oral defense. Specific formatting guidelines for the preparation of the thesis are available in the Graduate Office, Unitus Bldg, suite 600.

    • Completion and submission of Final Project
      The project may take various forms: media productions, program evaluation results (and recommendations as desired), evaluation research report style, course development and implementation (and evaluation as appropriate), training program packages or communication campaigns. As with the thesis, communication project writers should expect to make revisions of their final project report before it is accepted. Successful completion is dependent upon faculty ascertaining that all project requirements have been met and are within the agreed-to timelines. Students may be asked to deliver an oral presentation on their project to the department faculty and/or client.

      • NOTE: Project and thesis students must be enrolled for project (SP 506) or thesis (SP 503) credit while carrying out their project or thesis. Students must be enrolled for at least 1 credit the quarter in which they defend the thesis or project.