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George Mason University
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2016-2017 University Catalog 
  
2016-2017 University Catalog

Cultural Studies, PhD


Banner Code: LA-PHD-CULT
Web: culturalstudies.gmu.edu

College: College of Humanities and Social Sciences  
Program: Cultural Studies  

For policies governing all graduate degrees, see the Academic Policies  section of the catalog.

Application Requirements


Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in the Admissions  section of this catalog. Applicants to the PhD in cultural studies must already have earned a master’s degree in a relevant field.

For further information specific to the PhD in cultural studies, see Application Requirements and Deadlines on the college web site.

Reduction of Credit


Students must have a master’s degree before being admitted to the PhD in cultural studies. Most students receive a reduction of study of 30 credits based on their previous master’s degree.

Degree Requirements


As with all doctoral programs, the emphasis in this program is on the development of intellectual mastery and professional competence. Students must complete a minimum of 78 credits, 48 beyond the master’s degree. The most important requirements are the field statements and defense and completion of a doctoral thesis that reflects the student’s ability to do original interdisciplinary work that meets professional standards.

Doctoral Course Work (66-69 credits)


Four core courses (12 credits)


Minimum of one course (3 credits) in theory chosen from:


Minimum of one course (3 credits) in a topic chosen from:


Academic Performance Standards


Students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.33 for all coursework, with no unsatisfactory grades. Students who fail to meet this standard at any point will be given a warning and one semester to raise their GPA to the 3.33 minimum. Students who fail to meet this minimum standard for two consecutive or non-consecutive semesters will be terminated from the program.

Field Requirements (18 credits)


Under the guidance of faculty advisory committees, students define two fields that point topically and theoretically toward teaching interests, dissertation research, and related forms of professional development. Students select relevant courses from theory or topic courses not used to fulfill the previous requirements or from special topics courses. If doctoral level coursework is not available in a given area, students may take one independent study (CULT 870 ) to support the development of the field.

Students must take a minimum of three courses (9 credits) in two different fields. The 9 credits in each field must include a relevant section of CULT 880  taught by that field’s primary advisor.

Field Statements


Students demonstrate competence in each of their two chosen fields by producing and orally defending a field statement that consists of a comprehensive, critical literature review. The field statements and the defense constitute the candidacy exam for the PhD in cultural studies.

Up to one course in methodology (0-3 credits)


Students must take one course in a relevant methodology in which they are not already trained. Students choose the specific course from program or departmental graduate offerings (600 level or above) under the guidance of their faculty advisory committee.

A course chosen to fulfill the credits for a field requirement, if relevant, may be used to meet the methodology requirement with permission of the faculty advisory committee. Students who do not take a relevant and approved methodology course in partial fulfillment of a field requirement need to take a methodology course (3 credits) to fulfill this requirement. They will have a degree total of 81 credits.

Proficiency in a foreign language


Students are required to demonstrate proficiency in at least one foreign language before being permitted to defend the doctoral dissertation proposal.

Electives (0-30)


Students can complete the 78 credit requirement through credits of additional coursework chosen in consultation with an advisor.

Advancement to Candidacy


To advance to candidacy, students must successfully complete all course work required on their approved program of study and demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language. Students must also successfully complete two written field statements and pass an oral comprehensive exam based on them.

Dissertation Research (12 credits)


Once enrolled in CULT 998 , students in this degree program must maintain continuous registration in 998  or CULT 999  each semester (excluding summers) until the dissertation is submitted to and accepted by the University Libraries. Once enrolled in 999 , students must follow the university’s continuous registration policy as specified in the Academic Policies  section of the catalog. Students who defend in the summer must be registered for at least 1 credit of 999 .

Students must complete a minimum of 3 credits of 999 . They may apply a maximum of 12 dissertation credits (998  and 999  combined) to the degree.

Total: 78-81 credits