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.
Degree Requirements (these requirements are in effect as of Fall 2006)
In addition to meeting the requirements of the Graduate School, students must fulfill the following requirements.
Requirement 1: Coursework (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 coursework, 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 a capstone course
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 Pedagogy and Practicum [designed for first-semester English Dept. graduate assistants]
Note: Students may take either Engl 570 or Engl 571 as a core course. Taking a second course will count under the area of specialization.
Core Critical/Cultural Studies Courses
- 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
Requirement 2: Specialized Courses (12 credit hours) Students take four additional courses in their area of specialization determined in consultation with an advisor. Students are encouraged to take English 510: Proseminar in Rhetoric and Professional Communication early in their time as a graduate student. This course is appropriate for all areas of specialization. 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 549: Graduate Study in Writing
- Engl 555: Graduate Study in Rhetoric of Scientific Literature
- 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 543: Multimedia Theory and Production
- 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
Rhetoric Courses
- Engl 511: Theories of Discourse
- Engl 530: Theories of Argument
- Engl 546: Ethics and Ethos in Professional Communication
- 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
Requirement 3: Methods course (3 credit hours)
Students take one course in research methods. Appropriate courses include:
- Engl 548: Graduate Study in Empirical Research
- Engl 601: Qualitative Research
- Engl 602: Quantitative Research
- Engl 603: Rhetorical Criticism
Requirement 4: Elective coursework (6 credit hours) Students fulfill the elective coursework by one or more of the options below:
- 3 to 6 credit hours of elective coursework. 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.
- 3 to 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.
- 3 credit hours of English 599. Students electing to complete a thesis as part of the degree requirements (in place of a portfolio or master's essay) may partially fulfill this requirement by enrolling in Engl 599 for an additional three hours (along with the three hours for the capstone requirement).
Requirement 5: Master's Capstone Requirement (3 credit hours) As part of their degree, students either write a thesis, develop a portfolio or revise an essay for publication. Students fulfill the capstone requirement through one of the options below:
- 3 credit hours of English 585: Preparing a Professional Portfolio
- 3 credit hours of English 598: Master Essay
- 3 credit hours of English 599: Master's Thesis
- In exceptional circumstances and with advisor approval, students may develop an alternative capstone experience and enroll for appropriate credits (such as independent study).
Master's Portfolio
Students electing the portfolio option complete a master's portfolio, which should provide an introductory essay and representative documents to illustrate communication expertise. Guidelines for the portfolio are available at here or from advisors.
Students who develop a portfolio take an oral exam after obtaining approval on the portfolio. The oral examination covers coursework as well as the portfolio. The exam 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).
Master Essay
The M.A. Master Essay requires revision of a scholarly essay of 25-30 pages, the approximate length of a journal article, and reformulation of this essay to the 7-8 pages appropriate for presentation at a conference, preferably a department colloquium. In addition to the primary focus on revision, the process for this project involves research of appropriate publication venues, and a final oral examination of the project as whole. The project's intent is to demonstrate that the student is able to engage in the process of and produce scholarly work at a level expected by the profession and consistent with the degree program. In both length and in level of scholarship the long version of the paper should be modeled after articles published in specific scholarly journals in the field and the abbreviated version should reflect familiarity with conventions of conference presentation.
Further guidelines for the Master's Essay are available here or from advisors.
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, which also conducts the oral examination. 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).
Students who write a thesis take an oral exam after obtaining approval on the thesis. The oral examination covers coursework as well as the thesis.
