PhD (48 Months)

The requirements of the PhD are:

1.  five courses:
   1. 3 CORE COURSES 
      SCCS 810 Professional Development in Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies
      SCCS 812 Critical and Theoretical Approaches to Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies
      SCCS 814 Histories and Methodologies of Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies

   2. 2 ELECTIVES from this list:  
      SCCS 815 Studies in Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies I
      SCCS 818 Studies in Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies II
      SCCS 820  Media Production Seminar
      SCCS 828 Critical Curatorial Seminar
      SCCS 830 Curating in Context 
      SCCS 840 Directed Reading

2. a Qualifying Examination, and
3. the Dissertation/Project (SCCS 999)

• Year One: Fall / Winter 5 courses
• Year Two: Summer: Research and Writing
• Year Three: Fall / Winter / Summer: Research and Writing
• Year Four: Fall: Writing/Production
• Year Four: Winter: Submit Dissertation for Supervisory Review; Revise
• Year Four: 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. successfully preparing a proposal and
3. passing a Proposal Defence, which serves as the qualifying examination.

Students who pass the Proposal Defense 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 (Thesis).