Academic Programs Catalog

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional and Public Writing is for students wishing to specialize in writing as an area of expertise. Students develop advanced writing strategies and skills with emphasis on rhetorical approaches and practices such as writing anchored to audience, context, purpose; writing attentive to community and cultural dynamics; and writing in consideration of public and professional trends and contexts. Students write in digital spaces including web pages, social media, and content-management systems; write for and in diverse public and disciplinary communities and audiences; and edit and publish in a variety of public and professional contexts. The major prepares students for careers in professional editing and publishing, technical writing, information development, communications management, communications strategy, content management, and web authoring. It also prepares students for graduate work in rhetoric, writing, public and community writing, technical writing, the teaching of writing, and the study of culture.

Students who elect the Professional and Public Writing major should contact the Associate Chair and Director of Undergraduate Programs in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures. Students should work closely with the department academic advisor, the program director, and with program faculty to shape a focus or theme in the major that fits their career interests and plans. Internships, management of writing projects, and development of a professional portfolio are all important aspects of student preparation for work in writing-related professions, in public or private settings such as nonprofits, small, and large corporations, or in graduate study.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Professional and Public Writing

1. The University requirements for bachelor’s degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional and Public Writing.
   The University’s Tier II writing requirement for the Professional and Public Writing major is met by completing one of the following courses: Writing, Rhetoric and Cultures 320, 331, or 370. Those courses are referenced in items 3. below.
2. The requirements of the College of Arts and Letters for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
3. The following requirements for the major:

   a.	All of the following courses (16 credits):
   	WRA	202	Introduction to Professional and Public Writing						3
   	WRA	260	Rhetoric, Persuasion, and Culture						3
   	WRA	325	Writing and Multimodality						3
   	WRA	360	Visual Rhetoric						4
   	WRA	455	Portfolio Seminar						3
   b.	Completion of a set of courses oriented toward a theme in the major (12 to 15 credits minimum). Students may obtain a list of example themes and courses from the program academic advisor. Themes vary and are determined in consultation with the program’s academic advisor.
   c.	Completion of elective courses meant to complement and extend the student’s chosen theme. An internship for credit is strongly recommended in the major. Courses used to fulfill requirement b. above may not be used to fulfill this elective requirement (3 to 6 credits):
   	WRA	210	Introduction to Web Authoring						3
   	WRA	211	Documentary History and Theory						3
   	WRA	214	Social Media and the Start-up						3
   	WRA	225	Introduction to Composing for Digital Video						3
   	WRA	290	Independent Study						3
   	WRA	291	Special Topics						3
   	WRA	308	Invention in Writing						3
   	WRA	311	Introduction to Documentary Production						3
   	WRA	320	Technical Communication (W)						3
   	WRA	330	Writing Research in Communities and Cultures						3
   	WRA	331	Writing in the Public Interest (W)						3
   	WRA	345	Topics in Writing						3
   	WRA	350	Sound Writing and Rhetoric						3
   	WRA	355	Writing for Publication Workshop						3
   	WRA	370	Introduction to Grammar and Editing (W)						3
   	WRA	395	Writing Center Theory and Practice						3
   	WRA	401	Rhetoric, Leadership, and Innovation						3
   	WRA	410	Advanced Web Authoring						3
   	WRA	411	Collaborative Documentary Design and Production (W)						3
   	WRA	415	Digital Rhetoric						3
   	WRA	420	Content Strategy						3
   	WRA	441	Social Justice as Rhetorical Practice						3
   	WRA	453	Grant and Proposal Writing						3
   	WRA	471	Rhetoric of Grammar						3
   	WRA	480	Publication Management						3
   	WRA	482	Information and Interaction Design						3
   	WRA	483	Community Publishing						3
   	WRA	484	Ethics in Writing						3
   	WRA	490	Independent Study						1 to 6
   	WRA	491	Special Topics						3
   	WRA	493	Internship in Professional or Public Writing						1 to 4
   	WRA	499	International Research in Professional or Public Writing						3 to 6
   	One or two writing or design courses from outside WRA may be used with approval of the student’s academic advisor.

The Minor in Writing, administered by the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures, engages students in rhetorical analysis, community-based research, and writing strategies. This knowledge and skill base may be used to complement majors in a wide range of fields. The minor is intended for students who wish to develop as writers beyond what is offered in Tier I or Tier II and who recognize the value of writing for their majors, fields, and communities. Students are invited to work with the department academic advisor and with the program director to select courses in the minor and connect the minor to their degree programs.

The minor is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University except those in the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Professional and Public Writing. With the approval of the department and college that administer the student’s degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Students who plan to complete the requirements of the minor should consult an undergraduate advisor in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures.

Requirements for the Minor in Writing

Complete a minimum of 15 credits from the following:

1.	Both of the following courses (6 credits):
	WRA	202	Introduction to Professional and Public Writing						3
	WRA	330	Writing Research in Communities and Cultures						3
2.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
	WRA	325	Writing and Multimodality						3
	WRA	415	Digital Rhetoric						3
3.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
	WRA	331	Writing in the Public Interest (W)						3
	WRA	333	Writing in Corporate Contexts						3
	WRA	335	Writing in Scientific Contexts						3
	WRA	337	Writing and Public Policy						3
4.	Complete 3 to 6 credits of electives in WRA or XA at the 200-level or higher as approved by the student’s academic advisor.

 

The Master of Arts Degree in Rhetoric and Writing is an innovative, flexible degree program focused on educating the next generation of humanities leaders and thinkers who will engage their work in both academic and professional contexts. The degree serves both as a professional degree for students interested in technical and professional writing and a career track in industry, nonprofits, or in non-faculty roles in educational institutions, and as a preparatory degree for doctoral work in rhetoric, writing and composition studies, communication studies, or technical communication.

The program provides students with a theoretically grounded yet practical experience in rhetoric and writing, and offers concentration areas for students to select from: Professional Writing and Technical Communication, Composition Studies and Writing Pedagogy, Digital Rhetorics, Cultural Rhetorics, and Custom Emphasis.

Admission

To be considered for admission to the Master of Arts degree in Rhetoric and Writing an applicant must:

1. Include in the letter required by the college, a statement that addresses the applicant’s goals in pursuing the degree.
2. Submit two writing samples demonstrating your ability to engage in graduate-level study.
3. Three letters of reference.

To be admitted to the program on regular status, an applicant must have a baccalaureate degree in humanities, writing, communications or a related field and have a minimum grade-point average of 3.25.

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 Master of Arts Degree in Rhetoric and Writing

The program is available under either Plan A (with thesis) or Plan B (without thesis). A total of 30 credits, of which no more than 12 credits at the 400-level, is required for the degree. The student’s program of study must be approved by the program director. The student must meet the requirements specified below:

Requirements for Both Plan A and Plan B:
1.	All of the following courses (9 credits):
	WRA	805	Rhetoric Theory and History						3
	Or
	WRA	882	Contemporary Theories of Rhetoric						3
	WRA	810	Writing, Composing, Designing, Making						3
	WRA	886	Master’s Research Colloquium						3
2.	One of the following concentrations (21 credits):
	Professional Writing and Technical Communication
	1.	All of the following courses (12 credits):							3
		WRA	420	Content Strategy					3
		WRA	453	Grant and Proposal Writing
		Or							3
		WRA	483	Community Publishing					3
		WRA	841	Professional Writing Theory and Practice					3
		WRA	893B	Internship in Professional Writing
	2.	Complete a minimum of 9 additional credits selected in consultation with the program director.
	Composition Studies and Writing Pedagogy
	1.	All of the following courses (12 credits):
		WRA	870	Research Methodologies in Rhetoric and Writing					3
		WRA	878	Composition studies: Issues, Theory and Research					3
		WRA	888	Methods in the Teaching of College-Level Writing					3
		WRA	891	Special Topics in Rhetoric and Writing					3
		Or
		WRA	889	Writing Center Theory and Administration					3
	2.	Complete a minimum of 9 additional credits selected in consultation with the program director.
	Digital Rhetorics
	1.	All of the following courses (9 credits):
		WRA	415	Digital Rhetoric					3
		WRA	841	Professional Writing Theory and Research					3
		WRA	860	Multimodal Composing Theory and Practice					3
	2.	Complete a minimum of 12 additional credits selected in consultation with the program director.
	Cultural Rhetorics
	1.	All of the following courses (12 credits):
		WRA	882	Contemporary Theories of Rhetoric					3
		WRA	848	Cultural Rhetorics Theory and Methodology					3
		WRA	891	Special Topics in Rhetoric and Writing					6
		WRA 891 should be completed in two different offerings.
		WRA 882 may not be double-counted in the core requirement.
	2.	Complete a minimum of 9 additional credits selected in consultation with the program director.
	Custom Emphasis
	Students will complete 21 credits determined in consultation with the student’s advisor.
	Elective Courses Available for Concentrations
	WRA	401	Rhetoric, Leadership, and Innovation						3
	WRA	410	Advanced Web Authoring						3
	WRA	415	Digital Rhetoric						3
	WRA	420	Content Strategy						3
	WRA	441	Social Justice as Rhetorical Practice						3
	WRA	453	Grant and Proposal Writing						3
	WRA	455	Portfolio Seminar						3
	WRA	471	Rhetoric of Grammar						3
	WRA	480	Publication Management						3
	WRA	482	Information and Interaction Design						3
	WRA	483	Community Publishing						3
	WRA	484	Ethics in Writing						3
	WRA	491	Special Topics						3
	WRA	495	Advanced Studies in Writing and Tutoring Pedagogy						1
	WRA	805	Rhetoric Theory and History						3
	WRA	841	Professional Writing Theory and Research						3
	WRA	848	Cultural Rhetorics Theory and Methodology						3
	WRA	853	Workshop in Rhetoric and Writing						3
	WRA	860	Multimodal Composing Theory and Practice						3
	WRA	870	Research Methodologies in Rhetoric and Writing						3
	WRA	872	Methods of Research in Rhetoric and Writing						3
	WRA	878	Composition Studies: Issues, Theory, and Research						3
	WRA	882	Contemporary Theories of Rhetoric						3
	WRA	888	Methods in the Teaching of College-Level Writing						3
	WRA	889	Writing Center Theory and Administration						3
	WRA	891	Special Topics in Rhetoric and Writing						3
	WRA	893B	Internship in Professional Writing						3
	WRA	893D	Internship in Literacy and Pedagogy						3
	WRA	992	Seminar in Literacy Studies						3
	Additional 400- or 800-level course work outside the department may be available with approval of the advisory committee and the Director of Graduate Studies.
Additional Requirements for Plan A
1.	Complete 4 to 6 credits of WRA 899 Master’s Thesis Research.
	These credits will count towards the credits for the concentration.
2.	Pass a final oral certifying examination in defense of the thesis and course work.
Additional Requirements for Plan B
1.	Complete an additional 3 to 6 credits of course work from the list of electives above. These credits will count towards the credits for the concentration.
2.	Pass a final certifying examination on the course work or complete a final portfolio and pass a final oral examination on the portfolio.

 

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:

1. Specify the concentration the applicant wishes to pursue.
2. Include in the letter required by the college, a statement of purpose and a statement of instruction philosophy.
3. 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:

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.
2.	All of the following core courses (18 credits):
	WRA	805	Rhetoric Theory and History				3
	WRA	853	Workshop in Rhetoric and Writing				3
	WRA	870	Research Methodologies in Rhetoric and Writing				3
	WRA	878	Composition Studies: Issues, Theory, and Research				3
	WRA	882	Contemporary Theories of Rhetoric				3
	WRA	885	Research Colloquium				3
3.	Concentrations.
	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.
4.	Complete the language requirement through one of the following:
	a.	Demonstrate second-year proficiency in a foreign language including American Sign Language.
	b.	Complete two courses in language variation. These courses can not be courses used to fulfill the core or concentration requirements.
	c.	Complete two courses in African American vernacular English and rhetoric. These courses cannot be courses used to fulfill the core or concentration requirements.
	d.	Complete two courses in teaching English to speakers of other languages. These courses cannot be courses used to fulfill the core or concentration requirements.
	e.	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.
5.	Pass two written comprehensive examinations: one on the core and one on the areas of concentration.
6.	Pass a pre-dissertation examination consisting of an oral examination based on a written prospectus and a preliminary bibliography for the dissertation project.
7.	Pass a final oral examination in defense of the dissertation.

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.