Degree Specific Information: The Technical Communication & Rhetoric (TCR) PhD Program

Overview of the Program

The PhD in Technical Communication & Rhetoric (TCR) is a 60-credit, 4-year, post-master’s degree program designed primarily to prepare students for careers as research-active university professors. All students accepted into the TCR program are given funding packages for four years, provided they remain in good standing. There is no foreign language competency requirement in the TCR program.

The TCR program is known for addressing issues of social and environmental justice, community engagement, diversity, and service learning—issues that can be explored with partners from a variety of fields and backgrounds. Refer to the TCR website for more details.

PhD Program Degree Information

Coursework

The TCR PhD degree requires a minimum of 60 approved semester credits beyond a master’s degree. 

In your first two years of the PhD program you will complete your coursework (36 of 60 credits). In order to make sure that you are taking courses that will count toward your PhD degree, be sure to consult with the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) on a regular basis. Please note that coursework used to fulfill the requirements of a master’s degree may not be used to fulfill the requirements for this PhD program.

The remaining 24 credits (of 60) will be comprised of your Research Internship (ENGL 7900; 6 credits) and Dissertation Research (7970; 18 credits).

In addition to the minimum 60 credits of coursework, you must take Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training, a brief online training on ethical conduct in research that the university requires of all PhD students.

Supervisory Committee

When you complete your 36 credits of coursework, you must form a Supervisory Committee composed of faculty members willing to supervise your Comprehensive Exam and dissertation. This committee will consist of:

• A chair (aka major professor or advisor by the graduate school)
• Two members from within the core TCR faculty (Profs. Chen, Colton, Edenfield, Moeller, and Walton)
• A fourth member from within the department but outside of the core TCR faculty (i.e., a professor from Folklore, creative writing, or LCC).
• A fifth member from outside of the English department

All members of this committee must have doctoral degrees and be approved by the Associate Vice Provost of Graduate Studies in accordance with the Utah State University General Catalog. Once you have received verbal commitments from faculty willing to serve on your committee, immediately inform the DGS in order to make sure the official paperwork is completed. 

Research Internship

ENGL 7900 (Research Internship) allows you to apply workplace field research theory and methods in an actual workplace setting. The questions that follow define the research internship, state prerequisites prior to beginning the internship, identify the time requirement, and outline student and supervisor responsibilities.

The research internship requires primary research—the systematic collection of information, data, or specific other source material, or the carrying out of research which can only be done in a specific location. Broadly defined, this component of our PhD program exists to:

• Provide you with research opportunities outside the context of the graduate coursework and immerse you in the processes of an actual professional communication culture.
• Involve you in primary research related to how professionals communicate in the workplace.
• Allow you to practice identifying, collecting, and analyzing evidence of specific communicative acts that frame professional communication.

Refer to the "Research Internship" page for more information.

The Qualifying Examination and Annual Review

At the end of your first year in the PhD program, you must pass a Qualifying Exam, which is a formal evaluation of your progress by the Qualifying Exam committee, consisting of the entire TCR faculty, the Writing Program Director (if you are employed as a Graduate Instructor), and the DGS.

You are evaluated on the criteria listed below, based on the evidence of your transcript, your Curriculum Vitae (CV), your Program of Study worksheet, and your Annual Progress Report Form. You will also be evaluated based on testimony from the faculty who have observed your performance as a graduate student and Graduate Instructor.

Annual Review

Each April, every PhD student will undergo an annual review. You will submit a program of study worksheet, a current CV, a brief scholarly bio, and an annual progress report to be evaluated by the TCR faculty. If the student has already selected a committee, only those committee members should be in attendance. 

For first year students or those who have not yet formed a committee, all TCR faculty should attend. (For first-year students, the annual review constitutes their Qualifying Exam.)

After each review, students should be assigned “probation" or “pass.”

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The progress report should be signed either by the student’s committee chair or the Ph.D. coordinator if that student does not yet have a committee. The names of all committee members should be included on the report, but only the signature of the chair or TCR Ph.D. coordinator is required. 

Students who are graduating the same year do not need to participate in the annual review process. 

Refer to the "Qualifying Examination and Annual Review" page for more information.

The Comprehensive Examination

At the end of your formal course work, you will take the Comprehensive Exam. The comprehensive exam has two parts: a written component and an oral component.

For more information on the comprehensive examination and reading list refer to the "The Comprehensive Exam" page.

Dissertation

The PhD dissertation is a book-length written project based on research undertaken by you as the candidate. It serves two purposes:

• Expand the knowledge of the field.
• Demonstrate that you are capable of original and meaningful research.

You should be working toward the selection of a dissertation topic from the moment of matriculation in the program, if not before. By the end of the first year in the program, you should have a good sense of the direction your research will take.

For more information about dissertation timelines, the dissertation proposal, and dissertation oral defense, refer to the "Dissertation" page. 

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Timeline to Graduation

As a student in USU's TCR PhD program, you will typically be able to complete your doctorate in four years if you follow the schedule below.

Note that before your first semester begins, you should immediately meet with the Department's DGS to plan coursework for the first academic year. Plan to take 18 credits your first year by either taking 9-credit hours each in the fall and spring, or by taking a lesser combination in fall and spring plus additional credits over the summer to make up the difference.

Third Year

Third Fall Semester

Use this semester to prepare for your Comprehensive Examination. Your coursework and reading list will be your foundation for taking the exam, but your research idea for your dissertation should be your guiding principle.

NOTE: Students must complete their Comprehensive Examination by the end of the semester (not including summer) immediately following the semester in which coursework is completed and reading list is approved. Failure to complete the Comprehensive Examination within this timeframe could be grounds for probation.

Fourth Year

Fourth Fall and Spring Semesters

Submit a fourth-year annual review progress report by April 1 to your Supervisory Committee or to the TCR committee if required. Use this time to research and write your dissertation. You should be able to defend it in the spring. If you defend it early enough, or if it is clear it will be approved by your committee, you may walk (go through the graduation ceremony) in May of your fourth year.

NOTE: The date and time for the oral defense of the dissertation must be scheduled with the School of Graduate Studies at least 10 working days before the defense.

Important Policies

Length of Program

The Grad School allots eight years from the time you matriculate (i.e., from the time you are accepted into the program). Coursework that is more than eight years old may not be used for a graduate degree. 

Residency Requirements

PhD students will establish residency in their first year. They must remain in residence at least until achieving doctoral candidacy (ABD) and be engaged as active members of the USU academic community.

Please note that students must be Utah residents to maintain their GI-ship.

Class Attendance

Students in the TCR PhD program should be aware that while portions of some PhD classes are online, there is a once-a-week, in-person, face-to-face meeting that is required of PhD students in all TCR courses. A student's physical presence is expected at these meetings.

Refer to the "Important Policies" page for more information.