COMMU-PHD - Communication (PhD)

Students who completed graduate coursework at another institution are encouraged to transfer course units in the winter quarter of their first year of doctoral study. The Director of Graduate Studies will evaluate the transfer of units on a course-by-course basis. Graduate work accepted for transfer of residency does not automatically exempt a student from having to complete a course requirement for the degree. University policies related to the transfer of credit for graduate work done elsewhere are in the Stanford Bulletin – Graduate Residency.

The Department of Communication is committed to providing academic advising in support of graduate students’ academic and professional development. When most effective, this advising relationship entails collaborative and sustained engagement by both the advisor and the advisee. As a best practice, advising expectations should be periodically discussed and reviewed to ensure mutual understanding. Both the advisor and the advisee are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity.

Students are assigned a temporary advisor upon admission to the department. By the end of the third quarter of the first year, students confirm in writing that they will remain with or change their advisor. The faculty advisor must be an Academic Council member and a member of the Communication department. Faculty advisors guide students in critical areas such as selecting courses, designing and conducting research, developing teaching pedagogy, navigating policies and degree requirements, and exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways.

It is the responsibility of the student to meet with their advisor at least once per quarter during the academic year to discuss academic standing and graduate degree progress.

In addition, the Director of Graduate Studies is always available to PhD students for consultation.

Graduate students are active contributors to the advising relationship, proactively seeking academic and professional guidance and taking responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for their graduate program.

See Graduate Advising for a university policy statement on graduate advising.

Requirements, milestones, and more detailed descriptions of the program’s expectations of advisors and students are listed in the “Degree Requirements and Department Procedures for PhD Students and PhD Advisors” on the department website.