Graduate Programs

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Master of Arts Degree in English: Emphasis in Rhetoric and Professional Communication
The M.A. program in English with an Emphasis in Rhetoric and Professional Communication prepares students for further study at the Ph.D. level and for employment in a variety of fields including teaching, technical communication, and professional writing. The emphasis allows students to take courses across the wide range of topics within rhetoric and professional communication and to choose from one of four areas of specialization: Composition, Critical/Cultural Studies, Professional and Technical Communication, or Rhetoric.

The faculty in the Rhetoric and Professional Communication Program approach research, teaching, and other professional practices from multiple perspectives. We value collaboration and synthesis. We encourage critical engagements that challenge the borders traditionally drawn between theory and practice, production and reception, and creativity and critique. We promote situated inquiry that negotiates cultural, technological, disciplinary, and textual constraints in order to imagine and realize new possibilities.

Students entering the program before Fall 2006 can access PDF or Word versions of the previous requirements here:

MA in Rhetoric- PDF version Word version

MA in Technical and Professional Communication- PDF version Word version

Degree Requirements | Thesis, Portfolios, Exams | Assistantships | Application

Faculty

Degree Requirements (these requirements are in effect as of Fall 2006)
In addition to meeting the requirements of the Graduate School, students electing this emphasis must fulfill the following requirements.

Requirement 1: Course Work (36 Semester Credit Hours)
Students in the program will develop individualized plans of study in consultation with an advisor. Students will complete at least 36 hours of graduate course work, including

12 credit hours in core courses;
12 credit hours in courses in an area of specialization
3 credit hours in a methods course
6 credit hours in elective courses
3 credit hours in capstone courses

Core Courses. (12 credit hours).
Students take two core courses from their area of specialization. In addition, students take two core courses from any of the other three core areas.

Core Composition Courses

Engl 564: Composition History and Theory
Engl 570: Graduate Study in Approaches to Composition
Engl 571: Composition Theory and Pedagogy

Note: Students may take either Engl 570 or Engl 571

Core Critical/Cultural Studies Courses

Engl 515: Introduction to Critical Theory
Engl 517: Graduate Study in Critical Theory
Engl 568: Rhetorical /Cultural Studies

Core Professional and Technical Communication Courses

Engl 512: Graduate Study in Writing in the Workplace
Engl 572: Technical & Professional Communication: Theory and Pedagogy

Core Rhetoric Courses

Engl 518: History of Rhetoric
Engl 519: Modern Rhetorical Theory

Specialized Courses (12 credit hours). Students take four additional courses in their area of specialization determined by consultation with an advisor. Appropriate courses for each specialization are suggested below:

Composition Courses

Engl 549: Graduate Study in Writing
Engl 550: Graduate Study in Literacy
Engl 561: Issues in Writing Program Administration
Engl 573: Assessment
Engl 579: Computers and Writing

Critical/Cultural Studies Courses

Engl 511: Theories of Discourse
Engl 555: Graduate Study in Rhetoric of Scientific Literature
Engl 549: Graduate Study in Writing
Engl 550: Graduate Study in Literacy
Engl 590: Master’s Seminar in Rhetoric

Professional and Technical Communication Courses

Engl 451: Grammar
Engl 478: Document Design
Engl 549: Graduate Study in Writing
Engl 562: Client Practicum
Engl 565: Intercultural Communication
Engl 577: Workshop: Advanced Technical and Professional Writing
Engl 578: Topics in Technical Communication
Engl 579: Computers and Writing
Engl 582: Graduate Study in Publications Management

Rhetoric Courses

Engl 511: Theories of Discourse
Engl 530: Theories of Argument
Engl 546: Professing Ethics and Ethos
Engl 547: Graduate Study in Rhetorical Invention
Engl 549: Graduate Study in Writing
Engl 555: Graduate Study in Rhetoric of Scientific Literature
Engl 590: Master's Seminar in Rhetoric

Methods course (3 credit hours).
Students take one course in research methods. Appropriate courses include:

Engl 548: Research in Written Composition
Engl 601: Qualitative Research
Engl 602: Quantitative Research
Engl 603: Rhetorical Criticism

Elective course work (6 credit hours).
Students fulfill elective course work by choosing 6 credits from one of three options OR by combining 3 credits from one option and 3 credits from another option:

6 credit hours of elective course work. These two advisor-approved courses can be taken in the English Department or in Departments such as Business, Computer Science, Education and Language and Linguistics. For example, students with an emphasis in professional communication might take courses in computer science or students with an emphasis in composition and teaching might take courses in literature or creative writing.
6 credit hours of English 597 and the completion of an internship. Students may also fulfill this requirement by completing a paid or unpaid advisor-approved internship and enrolling in Engl 597 for as many as six hours.
6 credit hours of English 599 and the completion of a thesis. Students electing to complete a thesis as part of the degree requirements (in place of a portfolio) may fulfill this requirement by enrolling in Engl 599 for as many as six hours.

Master’s Capstone Requirement (3 credit hours). Students fulfill the capstone requirement through one of the options below:

3 credit hours of English 577: Workshop in Technical Communication.
3 credit hours of English 585: Preparing a Professional Portfolio.
With advisor approval, students may develop an alternative capstone experience and enroll for appropriate credits (such as independent study).

Any variation from these requirements must be approved by the Department Head. Requests should be submitted in writing to the Graduate Studies Committee through the advisor.

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Requirement 2: Master’s Thesis, Master’s Portfolio, and the Oral Examination
As part of their degree, students either write a thesis OR develop a portfolio.

Master’s Thesis
Students electing the thesis option complete a master's thesis on an appropriate topic, chosen in consultation with a thesis director and approved by the thesis committee. The committee consists of the director and one other member of the graduate English faculty and one member of the graduate faculty from outside the department (who generally serves as the representative of the graduate school). This committee also serves as the oral examination committee. See below.

Students who write a thesis take an oral exam after obtaining approval on the thesis. The oral examination covers course work as well as the thesis.

Master’s Portfolio
Students electing the portfolio option complete a master’s portfolio, which should provide representative documents to illustrate communication expertise and an introductory essay. Guidelines for the portfolio are available on the NMSU English Department website or from advisors.

Students who develop a portfolio take an oral exam after obtaining approval on the portfolio. The oral examination covers course work as well as the portfolio.

Oral Examination Committee
The oral examination committee should be formed by students towards the end of the third semester of course work and consists of two members of the English graduate faculty and one member of the graduate faculty outside the department. The committee administers and evaluates the oral examination.

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Graduate Assistantships
Students interested in being considered for Graduate Assistantships should also submit an Application for Financial Support.

Each year a limited number of graduate assistantships are available for qualified students. To be eligible, students must have regular admission status certified by NMSU's Graduate School. The graduate stipend for 2007-2008 is $15,500 for the academic year for master’s students. An assistantship requires twenty hours of work per week; normally this includes teaching one course and performing additional duties such as working in the writing center, working on the department's publications, or other instructional assignments. For the first year, Graduate Assistants pay tuition at the in-state tuition rate. After the first year, Graduate Assistants will be responsible for establishing New Mexican residency so that they can continue to pay tuition at the in-state rate. All new Graduate Assistants are required to attend a weeklong teaching orientation that begins the week before classes start. In addition, all new Graduate Assistants are required to enroll in English 571: Composition Theory and Pedagogy during their first semester as assistants. Assistantships at the MA level are exceptionally competitive. Applicants to the MA in Rhetoric and Professional Communication should not apply with the expectation of receiving a GA.

Note: Students who believe they might be exempt from Engl 571 on the basis of previous degree work or teaching experience must apply for a formal exemption before the assistantship begins. Written requests outlining the rationale for exemption should be addressed to the Department Head.

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Application Procedures
Admission to the M.A. program in English with an emphasis in Rhetoric and Professional Communication will be determined by the English Department's Graduate Studies Committee. The Committee will consider any material that an applicant presents, but a completed application must include the following:

A completed Application for Admission to Graduate School (the last page of the NMSU Graduate Catalog or register online at http://gradschool.nmsu.edu/)
Complete official transcripts of all college work.
A completed Application for Study in English http://www.nmsu.edu/~english/apply/application.htm
A curriculum vitae or professional resume.
A statement of purpose addressing personal, academic and professional interests and experience. This statement should also indicate how our program is appropriate for the applicant’s research interests and career goals and which emphasis the applicant plans on pursuing.
A statement of teaching interests and qualifications, with a description of relevant experience.
Samples of writing. These samples should include academic work that reflects strong research potential. They may also include work done as a professional communicator, such as grant proposals, research reports, manuals, program evaluations, or brochures. Work whose authorship is either shared or unspecified should be accompanied by a brief statement clarifying the applicant’s role in the project.
Three letters of recommendation from professors, employers, or others qualified to evaluate potential for graduate work. If applying for a graduate teaching assistantship, these letters should also address experience or potential as a teacher.

Note: Students interested in being considered for a Graduate Assistantship should indicate their interest on the application form for the English Department.

The first two items on the list should be submitted to the Graduate School. All remaining items (and the Application for Financial Support) should be submitted to the Director of Graduate Studies in the English Department. An application cannot be considered until all items are received. Applicants who wish to be competitive and who are applying for a graduate assistantship should complete the application procedure by February 1 for Fall admission, October 1 for Spring admission.

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