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COMM 7017/8017: Introduction to Graduate Studies in Communication
• Ken Bain, What the Best College Teachers Do
• Sonja Foss and William Waters, Destination Dissertation: A Traveler’s Guide to a Done Dissertation
• David Perlmutter, Promotion and Tenure Confidential
• Karen Kelsky, The Professor is In
• Pat Gehrke and William Keith (eds.), A Century of Communication Studies
• Edward Schiappa, Professional Development During your Doctoral Education (available on Teams)
• Wendy Belcher, Writing your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks (optional)
• Materials available on Teams
• Chronicle of Higher Education: http://chronicle.com/section/Home/5 (log in through campus library and you
have full access or access on campus)
• Inside Higher Ed: http://www.insidehighered.com/
• COMMNotes (NCA’s daily emails)—go to NCA site to sign up: https://www.natcom.org/academic-professional-
resources/commnotes
Course description:
This course is designed as an introduction to the norms and expectations of graduate training in communication.
Focusing on the major areas of academic assessment (teaching, research, and service), the course will introduce
students to various communication sub-fields with a particular emphasis on the department expertise; help them begin
to develop a teaching portfolio; teach fundamentals of research such as developing research agenda/finding publication
venues; and begin preparations for the academic and non-academic job market. Students will also be introduced to
some of the main methodological and theoretical approaches used in the discipline.
Course goals:
*To prepare students to teach and/or to enhance the teaching of communication courses at the college level
*To prepare students to begin to create a research agenda
*To introduce students to primary methodological and theoretical approaches used in the discipline
*To prepare students for the academic and non-academic job market
Course requirements:
Teaching philosophy (15%)
Course syllabus (15%)
CV/resume and cover letter (15%)
Annotated bibliography (20%)
Book review/Lit review (20%)
Website for e-portfolio (15%)
Course policies
Late work: All written assignments will be due on the assigned day, unless we have made previous arrangements.
Assignments will be considered late if received after that time. Late work may incur a penalty of one letter grade (10
points) per calendar day.
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Attendance: Absences will inherently affect your course grade. Remote options should allow for attendance in
most cases. Be in touch as soon as possible of there is an illness or other emergency.
Academic Honesty
The term “plagiarism” includes, but is not limited to, the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished
work of another person without full or clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by
another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials. For University of Memphis's
plagiarism policy, visit Office of Student Accountability.
Disabilities
Student with disabilities are encouraged to speak with me privately about academic and classroom accommodations. I would
strongly encourage you to register with Disability Resources for Students (DRS) to determine appropriate academic
accommodations. DRS is located at 110 Wilder Tower, by phone at 901-678-2880 and via email at [email protected]. DRS
coordinates all accommodations for students with disabilities.
Course Grading
The following grading scale will be used for overall course grades:
94 and above=A 90-93%=A- 87-89=B+ 83-86%=B 80-82=B-
77-79%=C+ 73-76%=C 70-72%=C+ 67-69%=D+ 63-66%=D
60-62%=D- 59% or less—F
The following grading scale will be used for assignments:
A+= 98 A=95 A-=91 B+=88 B=85 B-=81 C+=78 C=75 C-=71 D=60 F=50
Support for Writing and Speaking
Keep in mind that you have support for both speaking and writing on the Memphis campus. For free, one-on-one
tutoring in writing and speaking, visit the Center for Writing and Communication. Located on the first floor of
Mcwherter Library, you can also find more information about their services on their web site:
https://www.memphis.edu/cwc/.
COVID-specific information
COVID-19 Health and Safety Policy - Masks and Social Distancing
All students, faculty and staff will wear masks in all public spaces, including our classroom (lab) per the COVID-19 policy. The first
time a student enters a classroom without wearing a face covering, the student will be asked to leave the class until they return a
covering. Further violations will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability. Students who repeatedly or flagrantly violate
these community expectations may be referred for discipline under the Student Code and, if appropriate, immediately removed
from campus by the Dean of Students.
Student Health
Students who are experiencing symptoms such as sneezing, coughing or a higher than normal temperature should inform me by
email so they can be excused from class and should stay home. Students should contact their health care provider or the Student
Health Center at https://www.memphis.edu/health/.
Students who have a positive COVID-19 test should contact the Dean of Students at [email protected].
Student Accommodations
If and when we return to class, students seeking to remain remote for health or other serious reasons should discuss their options
with me. Students with accessibility issues or with other learning accommodation needs due to a disability should contact Disability
Resources for Students (DRS) to submit an official request for course accommodations. Contact DRS at 901.678.2880 or at
[email protected]. (https://www.memphis.edu/drs/index.php)
Student Resources
Students who need additional resources can contact the Dean of Students Office at
https://www.memphis.edu/deanofstudents/crisis/index.php.
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Tentative Weekly Schedule
Date
Topics
Readings
Aug 19
Introduction to the course
Surviving grad school; self-
care; dealing with stress,
time management, imposter
syndrome
Guests: Lionnell “Badu”
Smith, JoAnna Boudreaux,
Shukura Umi
Get familiar with the Chronicle of
Higher Education
(http://chronicle.com-- we will
discuss it often), Inside Higher Ed
(http://www.insidehighered.com ),
and sign up for COMMNotes (the
NCA daily email); Kelsky ch. 1-3, if
you have the book yet
Aug 26
History and evolution of the
discipline
Guests: Roseann Mandziuk
Gehrke and Keith; Sproule; Morris
and Palczewski; Anderson, Goins,
and Howard (from Century of
Comm Studies); Wanzer-Serrano
Sept 2
Introduction to rhetorical
criticism
Faculty guest speakers:
Moss, deVelasco, Johnson
TBD: Selected by guests
Sept 9
Introduction to media
criticism and critical/cultural
studies
Faculty guest speakers:
Levina, Edgar, Stephens,
Goodman
TBD: Selected by guests
Sept 16
Introduction to health
comm
Faculty guest speakers:
Goldsmith, Terui, Young
TBD: Selected by guests
Sept 23
Introduction to relational
communication
Faculty guest speakers:
Hendrix, Matthews, Stewart
TBD: Selected by guests; Kelsky ch
55-57
Sept 30
Reflections on teaching
Thinking about the purposes
of higher education,
challenges in the classroom
Dewey; Bain ch. 1-3; short piece on
critical pedagogy; Deel; Schiappa
(ch. 5)
Oct 7
Teaching nuts and bolts
Designing new courses;
Creating a syllabus,
Civikly-Powell; Bain ch. 4-7; “Being
a Black Academic in America”
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designing effective
assignments
Guest: Lori Stallings
Oct 14
Thinking about academic
writing
Transitioning your writing,
expectations of academic
writing, best writing
practices, editing
Lamott; Foss and Water chap 1-3,
skim ch. 4; Belcher intro and week
1
Oct 21
Tackling “the big project”
(thesis, dissertation, book)
editing, breaking down a big
project
Foss and Water chap 9
Oct 28
Creating a research agenda
and working toward
publication
Navigating the publication
process
revising your work,
submitting to conventions
and journals, presenting
your research
Schiappa (ch. 2, 3, 4, 6); Renzetti;
Foss and Waters chaps 5-6; Kelsky
ch 4-20
Nov 4
The search for employment
looking for job postings,
applying for positions,
interviewing, differences in
campuses
Guests: Michael King, Joy
Smithson
Schiappa (ch. 1, 7, 8); Luther and
Wonders; Perlmutter chaps intro-
3; Kelsky ch 21-47
Nov 11
Job and tenure
negotiating, service, tenure,
finding balance
Schiappa (ch. 9, 12); Moe and
Murphy; Perlmutter chaps 4-6
Finals
week
Nov 18-
24
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