VI. Appendices

VI.1 APPENDIX 1 - Department of Communication Administrative Structure

Below is a brief description of each position’s responsibilities, but in all cases the Graduate Director, the Student Affairs Manager, and your own advisor are best prepared to address substantive issues related to your graduate career.

The Department Chair is the faculty member responsible for the overall running of the graduate and undergraduate programs, the budget, teaching allocations, and all departmental activities. The Department Vice Chair assists with Chair duties as negotiated with the Chair. When the Chair is away from the Department, the Vice Chair is the acting Chair.

The Graduate Director is the faculty member responsible for the everyday and routine activities associated with the graduate program, including the rules and procedures for degree progress, admissions, graduate advising, the evaluation and notification of graduate student progress, graduate student stipends, travel allocations, thesis and dissertation information. The Graduate Director is assisted by the Graduate Committee comprised of faculty representing the different areas of interest, and the Student Affairs Manager.

The Student Affairs Manager (SAM) is the staff member who oversees both undergraduate and graduate advising in the department. The SAM works closely with the Graduate Director, Business Officer, and Department Chair to support graduate and undergraduate student’s academic and curricular needs are addressed, ensures advising structures support timely progress to degree, and maintains/manages administrative records. For graduate students, this includes advising towards and processing degree milestones, assisting with course planning and registration, organizing the annual graduate review, and processing admissions records they serve as an ex officio member of the department’s Graduate Committee and Undergraduate Committee.

The Undergraduate Advisors work with the faculty undergraduate advisor and are in charge of undergraduate advising, enrollment management, add/drop procedures, textbook orders and desk copies, and other matters directly related to the undergraduate program. The Undergraduate Advisors are assisted by peer advisors, who are Communication undergraduate students trained in the departmental requirements. Undergraduate Advisors sit on the Undergraduate Committee and are managed by the Student Affairs Manager.

The Business Officer (MSO, Management Services Officer) oversees the everyday management of the department, staff personnel, department space, internet services, and the like.

The Financial & Administrative Assistant manages department and faculty discretionary spending, processes travel and entertainment reimbursements in Concur, and functions as the department timekeeper (Kronos).

The Academic Personnel & Office Coordinator focuses on administrative support related to faculty recruitment and hiring, UCPath academic employee payroll submission, and faculty merit and promotions..

VI.2 APPENDIX 2 – Department Offices & Meet Spaces – Social Sciences and Media Studies (SSMS)

Graduate student offices are assigned on a yearly basis, determined by the type of funding and responsibilities a graduate student has for the year with assistance and oversight by two graduate students selected by the GSA. Graduate students typically share offices with other graduate students. Graduate Student offices do not have phone lines, but students’ UCSBNetID and password provides Wi-Fi access.

The department also has several rooms available for special events including research team meetings, computer analyses, laboratory experiments, research protocols, defenses, exams, and small group teaching sessions. Click here for more information.

Space and rooms within the department may be reserved for special events by completing the Room & Lab Calendars & Requests form. Graduate proposals, defenses, graduate meeting requests, and any other graduate student-related space requests will be forwarded to the Student Affairs Manager for processing.

VI.3 APPENDIX 3 - University Resources

These are just some of the resources available to graduate students at UCSB. For a more comprehensive list, please see Student Affairs Manager, Graduate Director or Graduate Division.

VI.4 APPENDIX 4 - Glossary of Key Terms

Below is a glossary of key terms used throughout this handbook.

199RA

The course number used for undergraduates who serve as research assistants to faculty or graduate student in exchange for course credit. To be eligible to enroll in COMM

199RA, students must have 1) attained upper-division standing; 2) a minimum of a 3.0 grade-point average for the preceding two quarters; and 3) be declared as an upper-division Communication major. Students are limited to 5 units per quarter, with no more than a total of 12 units combined from COMM 194 (Group Studies) and COMM 199 (Independent Studies) across all quarters. Undergraduates who assist graduate students must also have a faculty supervisor to enroll. Click here to access UCSB’s general catalog for a complete list of Communication courses.

ABD

Advancement to candidacy (“All But Dissertation”). Once students successfully pass their qualifying exam, they advance to PhD candidacy and thus are eligible for faculty privileges at the library. International students will be exempt from non-resident tuition for a period of nine quarters upon advancement to PhD candidacy.

Colloquium

Colloquium, including annual/bi-annual departmental named colloquia, colloquia talks by visiting scholars and research talks (“job talks”) by job candidates, meets regularly throughout each quarter and features guest speakers, including faculty and graduate students from the Department of Communication as well as scholars from other departments and campuses who present their research. Graduate students are required to register for COMM 505 each quarter. Those not fulfilling this requirement will receive a “U” (unsatisfactory) for the course. If students do not attend regularly, their faculty advisor will be asked to speak to the student about their attendance.

Core Courses

Students entering the MA/PhD program must successfully complete the following 4 core courses during the MA portion of their degree: Comm 202 (Introduction to Communication Graduate Studies), Comm 200 (Communication Theory Construction), Comm 204A (Research Methods in Communication), and Comm 204B (Introduction to Applied Statistics). Students must earn a grade of B- or higher in all core courses. Students who earn a C+ or lower must revise work or repeat the course to the satisfaction of the professor and attain a B- or higher.

Directed Readings

Directed Reading (COMM 593) is designed to provide students with a similar experience as a typical seminar course, except that it is conducted on an individual basis with a faculty member. COMM 593 is particularly useful when a course that a student desires is not being offered as part of the regularly scheduled curriculum. Students should consult with individual faculty members to determine whether a COMM 593 is possible in a given quarter. Availability of 593 is at the discretion of the faculty member, and should not be presumed.

In advance of a COMM 593 course, students and supervising faculty should develop a contract that describes the course goals, designated reading list, and the required assignments. Contract forms are available on the department website and from the Student Affairs Manager. Multiple COMM 593 courses may be taken. One COMM 593 may count toward the content elective requirement, and one additional COMM 593 may be counted as an in-department elective with the approval of the student’s advisor and the Graduate Director. Such approvals are granted only in exceptional circumstances.

Directed Research

Directed Research (COMM 596A) is a research-oriented tutorial experience with a faculty member. The purpose of this course is to provide the student with supervised research experience in an area of communication in the faculty member’s area of expertise. The research activities for which COMM 596A units can be earned include any or all of the following: critically reviewing the literature and formulating hypotheses or research questions, designing measurement techniques, collecting data, analyzing and interpreting results, and writing final reports of studies for a scholarly conference or publication.

Doctoral students must complete 4 units of COMM 596A for their degree requirements. In advance of the Directed Research, students and supervising faculty should develop a contract that describes the goals of the course and the specific nature of the work to be conducted for the precise number of units. Contract forms are available on the department website and from the Student Affairs Manager.

Dissertation

The dissertation represents the culmination of a student's intellectual and scholarly growth. The dissertation should be an original piece of research that makes a significant contribution to knowledge within the field of communication. A successful dissertation demonstrates the ability to frame meaningful questions for inquiry as well as the methodological skill required to provide appropriate answers to the research questions posed. Unlike the master's thesis, which may be the product of a more collaborative effort with the faculty advisor, all aspects of the dissertation (including conceptualization, data collection/analysis, and manuscript preparation) are the sole responsibility of the doctoral candidate. The faculty advisor's role is to provide extensive guidance and feedback throughout the project, in concert with other members of the student's PhD committee.

Extramural funding

This is funding that the student receives from an external source such as the National Science Foundation, the Ford Foundation, or a private enterprise.

Full-Time/Part-Time Status

Maintaining active status as a graduate student involves paying fees and officially registering in classes each quarter. Full time status on UCSB’s campus is 8 units, but it is normative in the Department of Communication to enroll in 12 units to meet coursework requirements. Students are advised to enroll in 12 units most quarters. A typical course load is 13 units per quarter, which includes three courses to fulfill requirements (12 units) and COMM 505: Colloquium (1 unit). Students should not exceed 17 units in any single quarter and must receive prior approval from the Graduate Director in order to exceed 16 units.

Part-time eligibility is available for doctoral students who have not yet advanced to candidacy. The Graduate Division may grant students part-time status on a quarterly basis.

GSACC

The Graduate Student Advisory Committee to the Chair is an elected body of graduate students who advocate for grad students’ interests and promote healthy communication between grad students and faculty. Representatives are elected on an annual basis and serve in roles such as TA Liaison, DEI Graduate Representative, Office Representative, Communication Chair, and more. Visit the Department’s website to learn more.

GSR

A Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) is employed to assist a faculty member with scholarly research, and often collaborates in the publication of research results as determined by supervising faculty. A limited number of graduate student research positions are typically available in the department, and these are awarded by faculty members who have grant-supported research. Graduate students holding a research appointment of 25% time or higher typically will have their educational fees, health insurance, and nonresident tuition paid by the contract or grant that funds the position.

Internal funding

This is funding that comes from the department, a faculty member, or the university, such as central fellowships.

Ladder faculty

Tenured or tenure track PhD faculty with full time appointments.

MA Advisor

MA students must select a ladder faculty advisor who will guide their plan of study, oversee their degree progress and research, and chair their MA committee.

MA Advisors should be nominated by the end of Winter quarter in year 1. Students submit a nomination form through the Department website; nomination forms require both the advisor's and the student's signature. Students may change advisors and committee members as they progress through the program.

MA Committee

The MA committee is responsible for reviewing and approving the student's thesis proposal and evaluating the final version of the thesis. Students must have at least two ladder faculty on their committee in addition to their MA advisor, and at least two committee members must be faculty in the Communication Department. With Academic Senate approval, non-ladder faculty may in some cases be able to serve on MA committees. MA Committee Members should be nominated by the end of Spring quarter in year 1.

MA Thesis

The thesis is typically an empirical research project that addresses an important issue in communication. It may be based on data gathered by the student or on data available from other sources. The thesis is typically a collaborative effort with the student's MA advisor, although the student assumes primary responsibility for the written thesis. The thesis should be approximately 35-50 pages in length (including references and tables) and should follow the general format of a conference paper and/or journal article.

Non-Senate or Non-Ladder faculty

Faculty members who have permanent positions but are not tenure-track appointments.

PhD Advisor

PhD students must select a ladder faculty advisor who will guide their plan of study, oversee their degree progress and research, and chair their PhD committee.

PhD Advisors should be nominated by the end of the Spring quarter of year 1 in the doctoral phase of their program (MA/PhD students), or by the end of Spring quarter in year 1 of the program (PhD students). The PhD Advisor and Committee must be selected no later than the quarter prior to the commencement of qualifying exam preparation.

PhD Committee

PhD committee members are responsible for guiding the student in their preparation for their qualifying exam, preparing qualifying exam questions, actively participating in the qualifying exam defense, and rendering a judgment regarding the quality of the exam responses. PhD committee members are also responsible for reviewing and approving the student's dissertation proposal and the final version of the dissertation.

Students must have at least two ladder faculty on their committee in addition to their PhD advisor, and at least two committee members must be faculty in the Communication Department; doctoral committees must consist of at least 3 ladder faculty. PhD Committee Members should be nominated by the end of the Spring quarter of year 1 in the doctoral phase of their program (MA/PhD students), or by the end of Spring quarter in year 2 of the program (PhD students). Once faculty agree to serve on a PhD committee, students must nominate their committee members in GradPoint Students.

Quals

The qualifying exam process is designed to serve several purposes: to test a student's conceptual mastery of influential theories and research within the student's chosen area of study (interpersonal, organizational, or media communication); to assess a student's methodological skills in addressing communication-related problems; to provide the student with an opportunity to craft original and insightful arguments about issues in communication research; and to provide a diagnostic assessment of the student's preparation to begin the dissertation process.

Students have one quarter to write answers to three questions provided by their Qualifying Exam Committee, which is referred to as the “writing quarter.”

TA

Teaching Assistants help course directors teach undergraduate courses, typically assisting in grading, exam preparation, holding office hours, and often conducting class discussions. COMM 202 is mandatory preparation for any student who wishes to be a Teaching Assistant. Teaching Assistants must be registered graduate students in good standing to be employed.

Teaching Associate

Teaching Associates conduct the entire instruction of a course under the mentorship of a faculty member. Associates are allowed to teach lower division courses (e.g., COMM 88 or 89) and, upon approval from the university, upper division courses (e.g., COMM 107, 110, 113, 160). Teaching Associates are not allowed to hold any other positions (Research, Administrative, or TA) during their quarter appointment as an Associate.

Temporary Lecturers

Faculty members who do not have permanent positions and are not tenure-track appointments.

VI.5 APPENDIX 5 - Standards for Faculty/Graduate Student Relationships

VI.5.1 Overview

The purpose of this document is to specify our departmental standards of behavior for faculty and graduate student relationships. We recognize such relationships are only one facet of departmental climate, but in many ways they are fundamental to a healthy graduate program. We focus on four main types of faculty-graduate student relationships:

  1. The relationship between advisors and their advisees
  2. The relationship between seminar instructors and course participants
  3. The relationship between course directors and teaching assistants
  4. The relationship between faculty and graduate student researchers

For each type of relationship, we describe overarching goals of the relationship, norms of behavior for participants in the relationships, and situations that may signal a problem.

This document is intended to serve several functions. First, it is designed to clarify, reinforce, and promote healthy values and norms among current faculty and graduate students in the Department of Communication. Second, the document should be used to communicate our values and norms to new and visiting faculty, scholars and graduate students. Finally, this document is designed to serve as a vehicle for promoting continuing dialogue about faculty/graduate student relationships.

Value Statement . The Department of Communication seeks to promote the welfare and intellectual pursuits of faculty and graduate students. Toward this goal, we acknowledge that faculty and graduate students are both responsible for contributing to a supportive climate. We believe that faculty-student relationships should be characterized by the following:

The following pages provide more specific goals and expectations for the differing areas of activity in which graduate students and faculty typically interact. Graduate students are expected to familiarize themselves with these principles, and to strive to promote their successful realization. Should a graduate student recognize a situation that is inconsistent with these goals and principles, they is encouraged to bring this to the attention of the Student Affairs Manager or Chair of the Department.

VI.5.3 Advising and Mentoring

The Relationship between Advisors/Mentors and their Advisees

The heart of our graduate education and training and research work is a healthy relationship between advisors and advisees. We see this ideally as a mentorship process with mutual obligations.

Goals:

Advisors should:

Advisees should :

Situations that May Signal a Problem:

VI.5.4 Graduate Coursework

The Relationship between Seminar Instructors and Course Participants

Graduate classes and seminars offer an opportunity for constructive interaction between graduate students and instructors (faculty). We view graduate coursework as a valuable occasion for a mutual exchange and learning. If you have a problem with a faculty member teaching a class, please come see the Graduate Director, Department Chair, or Vice Chair as soon as possible.

Goals:

Instructors should :

Students should :

Situations that May Signal a Problem:

VI.5.5 Teaching

The Relationship Between Course Directors and Teaching Assistants

The Department of Communication depends on both its faculty and graduate students to accomplish its undergraduate teaching mission. We view graduate students and faculty as members of a quality team.

Goals:

Norms:

Situations that May Signal a Problem:

VI.5.6 Research

The Relationship between Faculty and Graduate Student Researchers

The University of California, Santa Barbara is classified as a Research University 1 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The Department of Communication is committed to research that advances our understanding and knowledge of the human communication processes. We view collaborative research between graduate students and faculty as a vital component of our research mission.

Goals:

Norms:

Situations that May Signal a Problem: