The doctoral degree in Rhetoric and Writing prepares students to conduct research and teach courses in writing studies, digital rhetoric, experience architecture, and technical and professional communication. Students learn to do this work by engaging with scholarship, learning with faculty, collaborating on research teams, producing multimodal content for organizations, understanding people-focused experiences, teaching in our programs, and working with local and global communities. Through these experiences, students examine issues of accessibility, ethics, literacy, and storytelling through writing, composing, and making. Central to this work is applying and developing theories and methodologies to be a positive force for structural change, growth, and innovation with an emphasis on culture, context, and access.
This degree prepares students to lead in various workplaces, including academia, civic, corporate, government, and nonprofit organizations. Our students go on to administer programs in academia, conduct user experience research for organizations, design products and services in industry, manage international projects, publish in academic and trade journals, and research and teach in higher education contexts.
Admission
To be considered for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Rhetoric and Writing an applicant must:
- Specify the concentration the applicant wishes to pursue.
- Include in the letter required by the college, a statement of purpose and a statement of instruction philosophy.
- Submit two writing samples (major research paper, summary of master’s thesis, or digital documents).
To be admitted to the program on regular status, an applicant must have a master’s degree or the equivalent, a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 in graduate-level courses, and at least three letters of recommendation from persons qualified to assess the applicant’s ability to pursue advanced graduate study.
In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and the College of Arts and Letters, students must meet the requirements specified below.
Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Rhetoric and Writing
The student must:
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| 1. |
Complete a minimum of 27 credits of graduate course work. No more than 6 credits of 400-level course work will count toward the degree. |
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| 2. |
All of the following core courses (18 credits): |
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WRA |
805 |
Rhetoric Theory and History |
3 |
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WRA |
853 |
Workshop in Rhetoric and Writing |
3 |
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WRA |
870 |
Research Methodologies in Rhetoric and Writing |
3 |
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WRA |
878 |
Composition Studies: Issues, Theory, and Research |
3 |
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WRA |
882 |
Contemporary Theories of Rhetoric |
3 |
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WRA |
885 |
Research Colloquium |
3 |
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Concentrations. |
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Complete at least three courses, a minimum of 9 credits, in one of the following concentrations: Critical Studies in Literacy and Pedagogy, Cultural Rhetorics, or Digital Rhetoric and Professional Writing. A list of courses eligible for each concentration is available from the program director. Courses used to fulfill core requirements may not be used to satisfy concentration requirements. Other concentrations may be approved the student’s guidance committee. |
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Complete the language requirement through one of the following: |
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Demonstrate second-year proficiency in a foreign language including American Sign Language. |
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Complete two courses in language variation. These courses can not be courses used to fulfill the core or concentration requirements. |
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Complete two courses in African American vernacular English and rhetoric. These courses cannot be courses used to fulfill the core or concentration requirements. |
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Complete two courses in teaching English to speakers of other languages. These courses cannot be courses used to fulfill the core or concentration requirements. |
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With the approval of the guidance committee and as appropriate to the student’s research interests, demonstrate proficiency in a specialized symbolic system, such as a computer language, statistics, etc. |
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Pass two written comprehensive examinations: one on the core and one on the areas of concentration. |
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Pass a pre-dissertation examination consisting of an oral examination based on a written prospectus and a preliminary bibliography for the dissertation project. |
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Pass a final oral examination in defense of the dissertation. |
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Academic Standards
A student must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.5 in all graduate courses.
A student may count toward the degree only those courses in which the student has received a grade of 3.0 or higher.
A student may accumulate no more than 6 credits with a grade below 3.0 in rhetoric and writing courses taken for the purpose of satisfying the degree requirements.
A student who fails the comprehensive examinations, the pre-dissertation examination, or the final oral examination in defense of the dissertation, may repeat that examination only once, during the following semester.