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Rhetoric and Composition - Ph.D.

English - Rhetoric and Composition - Ph.D.

The Ph.D. degree in English, with a concentration in Rhetoric and Composition, concentrates on the ways literacy practices shape people's lives in educational, workplace and public spheres. The coursework emphasizes data-rich and methodologically sophisticated research and prepares students to investigate literacy, rhetoric and social practice. Collaborative research with faculty, administrative opportunities and community outreach prepare students to sustain and advance in the discipline. Graduates contribute in meaningful ways to university communities and the larger public sphere.

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Program Information

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Develop knowledge of the field of rhetoric and composition, its application in diverse contexts and its role in contemporary culture.
  2. Generate research questions, develop appropriate research designs and practice ethical modes of inquiry.
  3. Participate in local and international communities of like-minded scholars and teachers.
  4. Contribute new knowledge in the field of rhetoric and composition.
Admissions

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

  • Master's degree from an accredited college or university
  • Minimum 2.750 GPA on a 4.000-point scale
  • Official transcript(s)
  • Writing sample (8-15 pages) relevant to the field of study
  • Goal statement
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
    • Minimum 610 TOEFL PBT score (paper-based version)
    • Minimum 102 TOEFL IBT score (Internet-based version)
    • Minimum 86 MELAB score
    • Minimum 7.5 IELTS score
    • Minimum 73 PTE score
    • Minimum 130 Duolingo English Test score

Application Deadlines

  • Fall Semester
    • Funding deadline: January 15
      Applications must be submitted by this deadline to be considered for an assistantship or any other funded position.
  • Spring Semester
    • Rolling admissions
Coursework

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements
ENG 75012READING AND INTERPRETING RESEARCH ON WRITING 13
ENG 75022RHETORICAL THEORY:GREEK AND ROMAN 3
ENG 75044RESEARCH DESIGN 13
ENG 75051LITERACY:FUNCTIONS, PRACTICES AND HISTORY 3
Theory Electives, choose from the following:9
ENG 75023
RHETORICAL THEORY:18TH, 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES
ENG 75027
ROLE OF COMPOSITION
ENG 75035
LINGUISTICS FOR RHETORICIANS
ENG 85024
DOMAIN RHETORICS AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF KNOWLEDGE
ENG 85025
THEORIES AND SYSTEMS OF WRITING AND REPRESENTATION
ENG 85033
THE RHETORICAL NATURE AND FUNCTION OF EXTENDED DISCOURSE
ENG 85055
THE NATURE AND RELATIONSHIP OF ACADEMIC AND NONACADEMIC LITERACY
ENG 85056
INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF WRITING ASSESSMENT: RESEARCH, THEORY AND PRACTICE
Practice Electives, choose from the following:9
ENG 75052
WRITING ACTIVITY AS SOCIAL PRACTICE
ENG 75053
WRITING TECHNOLOGIES
ENG 85041
FIELD RESEARCH METHODS IN WRITING
ENG 85042
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
ENG 85054
STUDIES IN LITERACY AND COMMUNITY
ENG 85057
RHETORICAL METHODS
Culminating Requirement
ENG 89199DISSERTATION I 230
Minimum Total Credit Hours:60
1

When scheduling permits, students should take ENG 75012 as a prerequisite to ENG 75044; there will be semesters however, when students need to take ENG 75012 and ENG 75044 simultaneously if they want to take ENG 75044. 

2

Students, with guidance from faculty, complete a qualifying examination before writing a dissertation prospectus. Upon the successful completion of the qualifying examination, students form a dissertation committee whose members direct the student through the dissertation and the completion of the degree. Each doctoral candidate, upon admission to candidacy, must register for ENG 89199 for a total of 30 hours. It is expected that a doctoral candidate will continuously register for Dissertation I, and thereafter ENG 89299, each semester, until all requirements for the degree have been met.

Program Delivery
  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus
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