Doctor of Communication

What is this course about?

CSU's Doctor of Communication is a research degree providing the opportunity for advanced critical reflection on professional practice in the disciplines of Journalism, Public Relations and Organisational Communication, Advertising, Cultural Performance and other closely related fields.

The Doctor of Communication taught subjects are student-centred and project-driven. They are designed to encourage experienced practitioners in a range of communications fields to consider their practice from a societal, cultural and technological perspective as well as examine practice in detail. Over this period, the student will develop their research proposal which is presented to Faculty and peers before the start of the independent research project(s).

Course objectives

The objectives of the Doctor of Communication are to:

• provide a research grounding for reflective practitioner research and practice-based research in the disciplines that constitute the field of communication
• extend the student's knowledge of the disciplines of communication and closely related fields
• develop the attributes required of the candidate to successfully identify, investigate and resolve problems confronting these fields
• enable candidates to carry out a program of independent research into current problems confronting communication and present the findings of the research in a thesis or portfolio of research
• provide graduates with a competitive advantage in achieving high-level success in their profession.

International Higher Degree by Research students can commence study on campus no sooner than six weeks before the session start date and no later than the census date.

Academic expectations

For each 8 point subject at CSU, students should normally expect to spend between 140-160 hours engaged in the specified learning and assessment activities (such as attending lectures or residential schools, assigned readings, tutorial assistance, individual or group research/study, forum activity, workplace learning, assignments or examinations). The student workload for some subjects may vary from these norms as a result of approved course design.

Students will be assessed on the basis of completed assignments, examinations, workplace learning, or other methods as outlined in specific subject outlines.

Where applicable, students are responsible for travel and accommodation costs involved in workplace learning experiences, or attending residential schools (distance education students).

Expectations relating to academic, workplace learning, time and cost requirements for specific subjects are provided in the subject abstracts and in course materials.