PhD (48 Months)

The requirements of the PhD are:

1. five courses: 
a. 3 Core Courses:
SCCS 910 Professional Development in Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies
SCCS 912 Critical and Theoretical Approaches to Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies
SCCS 914 Histories and Methodologies of Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies

b. 2 Option Courses (electives) from this list or selected from graduate courses taught in various units within the university: SCCS 921 Screen Cultures and Curatorial Summer Institute Micro Course
SCCS 900 Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies Practicum
SCCS 915 Studies in Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies I
SCCS 918 Studies in Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies II
SCCS 920 Media Production Seminar
SCCS 928 Critical Curatorial Seminar
SCCS 930 Curating in Context
SCCS 940 Directed Reading

2. the Qualifying Examination (QE),

3. the PhD Proposal Defense, and

4. the Dissertation/Project (SCCS 999)

Year 1: Fall / Winter - 5 courses;

Summer - Research and Writing

Year 2: Fall / Winter – QE, PhD Proposal, and undergraduate syllabus

Summer: Research and Writing

Year 3: Fall / Winter / Summer: - Research / Writing / Production

Year 4: Fall - Writing / Production

Winter - Submit Dissertation for Supervisory Review / Revise Dissertation

Summer: Defend Dissertation

Advancement to Candidacy: Syllabus and Proposal Defence

Students advance to candidacy for the PhD after:

1. Completing and passing all required coursework;

2. Completing the Qualifying Exam (QE); and

3. Successfully preparing a PhD Proposal and undergraduate syllabus, and passing a Proposal Defense.

Students who have completed all three steps above are considered to have completed their Comprehensive Examination and are advanced to candidacy.  Students who are referred must revise for re-evaluation by the committee, but do not require a second defense. Students who fail must consult with the supervisor and graduate coordinator to decide whether to write and defend a new proposal or to withdraw voluntarily from the program. If a student proceeds to write and defend a second proposal and it also fails, then the student must withdraw.

Dissertation

The PhD dissertation requirement can take any of the four following formats, depending on the focus of the student:

1. a traditional 80000-word thesis;

2. a media work with a 15000-word companion document situating the work into larger debates in the field;

3. a curatorial project/installation with a 20000-word companion document situating the work into larger debates in the field; and

4. a video essay synthesizing studies, curatorial and production questions, a 20000-word companion document situating the work into larger debates in the field.

The dissertation must be successfully defended in accordance with the general regulations of the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (Thesis).