In partnership with the Business Communications Center at the Fox School, the PhD Student Communication Initiative (PCI) launched in 2019, which aims to improve the communication skills of PhD students across three dimensions: written, oral (presentation) and interpersonal. PCI evaluates PhD students’ communications skills and hosts workshops, classes, online trainings and professional resources to help students improve these skills. Activities include an assessment of written, interpersonal and presentation skills; two seven-week asynchronous courses are offered in both the fall and spring semesters; and various workshops, coaching sessions and tutoring opportunities are offered throughout the year.

The PhD program requires a two-week foundational mathematics course in August for incoming PhD students before their first semester within the program. This non-credit course aims to prepare students for their subsequent methodology courses. Courses may be waived pending an examination. This introductory course does not count toward the overall 48-credit PhD curriculum.

In 2019, the Fox School has integrated a new format for research presentation called “Three Minute Thesis” (3MT) into its doctoral programs and grant-funding competitions, helping students and junior faculty members enhance their presentation and translational research skills. The competition, originally developed by the University of Queensland in Australia, seeks to help students communicate their research to a broader audience beyond their personal academic fields. As the name suggests, participants have three minutes and a single, static presentation slide to explain their research, from the theoretical concept to their results and findings. Temple University hosted its inaugural university-wide 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition in April 2021.

PhD News