Virginia Commonwealth University’s 42-hour MATX PhD curriculum comprises 36 hours of coursework and a minimum of six hours of dissertation research.

All incoming students must take four required core courses during the first two years. Three of the courses are doctoral seminars that provide a shared historical and theoretical foundation for the study of media, art and text. The fourth, a workshop, offers the opportunity to develop and expand the skills needed to maintain a professional presence online and to support dissertation research. In addition, all students will take a course on research methods in a field relevant to their anticipated area of dissertation research.

Beyond the core, students select 21 hours of elective credits from course offerings in disciplines relevant to their research interests and career goals. The program occasionally offers a topics seminar focused on the history, theory or practice of media, art and text. Independent study and internships are also available as electives.

Together, the core and the electives provide a foundation for the interdisciplinary work of the dissertation, which is an original examination of some aspect of media, art and/or text. It is supervised by a committee consisting of four or five members drawn from disciplines relevant to the research topic. Although the dissertation is a scholarly research document, it may include work in media other than text. Such non-textual elements will relate to the primary research component in a manner approved by the dissertation committee.

MATX Sequence

For full-time students:

• Two years coursework (one core course each of your first four semesters)
• One semester for candidacy requirements
• Dissertation

Part-time students should also take all four core courses within their first two years, electives at their own pace.

The core elective (methods) can be taken any time during years one or two.

All candidacy requirements must be completed in the fall of year three.

Dissertations usually take from one to three years, depending on the topic and the home discipline.

Year	Fall	Spring
1	MATX 601 or 602	MATX 603 or 604
	Elective	Elective
	Elective	Elective
2	MATX 601 or 602	MATX 603 or 604
	Elective	Elective
	Elective	Elective
3	Competency	Dissertation
	Bibliography exam
	Dissertation prospectus and defense
4	Dissertation credits as needed	Minimum one per semester

Curriculum Map

Core and Elective Courses	Student Learning Outcomes
	Advanced communication skills	History and theory foundation	Research methods	Specialized knowledge	Independent research and new knowledge	Professional practice
601: Text and Textuality	X	X			X
602: History of Media, Art and Text	X	X			X
603: History of Interdisciplinarity and Multimedia	X	X	X		X	X
604: Workshop	X		X		X	X
Methodology Elective			X
Subject Electives (7)				X
Dissertation	X		X		X

Read more about the MATX program on the VCU Bulletin website:

• Overview (includes student learning outcomes)
• Admission requirements
• Degree requirements