Rhetoric and Composition (MA)

Rhetoric and Composition

Students join a vibrant community dedicated to studying written discourse and the teaching of writing within a variety of contexts.

Course Work

The M.A. in rhetoric and composition requires 33 credit hours and includes both thesis and portfolio options. All students take core courses that provide a solid and shared foundation in theory, pedagogy, and research methods. Students choose electives to craft a degree program that meets their needs. Thesis students complete elective hours in rhetoric and composition, hours in a cognate, and thesis hours. Portfolio students complete elective hours in rhetoric and composition, hours in a cognate, and hours of directed portfolio course work.

Program Details

Students present papers at regional and national conferences, win awards, and co-author articles with faculty. Graduates distinguish themselves as university writing teachers and professional writing specialists and pursue doctoral studies in top-tier universities.

Program Mission

The goal of the MARC program is to immerse students in historical and contemporary conversations in rhetoric and composition and encourage them to use and contribute to these conversations as they serve the students' own interests and goals. The program is dedicated to students' success by mentoring and collaborating with them, encouraging professional development through workshops and networking, and providing a supportive environment for learning. In short, the program aims to expose students to the richness that is rhetoric and composition and to encourage them to find their own ways to add to this richness.

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Career Options

The MARC degree prepares students to:

• pursue writing careers in business, industry, and nonprofits
• teach writing in high school, community college, and university settings
• develop and administer writing programs and writing centers in these settings
• train teachers of writing
• enter doctoral programs in rhetoric and composition

Program Faculty

MARC faculty members are united under the umbrella of rhetoric and composition and dedication to advocacy and activism, yet diversity is a major strength. Faculty specialize in unique facets of rhetoric and composition, including digital media, Latinx and feminist rhetorics, writing and empathy, and writing center studies, yet understand how these specialized interests intersect and diverge. Outside the program, faculty members hold high-profile positions in national organizations, serve on editorial boards of major journals, present papers at conferences, and publish actively in top-tier journals.