Auburn University

Program Information

Degree Offered

Master of Arts in English with Concentration in Composition and Rhetoric, Ph.D. in English with Concentration in Composition and Rhetoric

Format: Campus

Program Description:

The Department's MA concentration in Rhetoric and Composition and PhD concentration in Rhetoric and Composition feature six nationally recognized faculty members, including international scholar Victor Villanueva. These programs house Rhetoric and Composition's premier monograph series, Studies in Writing and Rhetoric. Graduates of the MA program have secured employment in business and industry, been accepted to prestigious doctoral programs, and attained faculty positions at a number of colleges and universities. Students completing the PhD emphasis, which is currently being revitalized, have attained tenure-track positions at a variety of institutions across the nation. In addition to a broad and substantive knowledge of rhetorical theory and practice, the MA and PhD in Rhetoric and Composition provide students with opportunities to develop expertise in areas including writing pedagogy, literacy studies, rhetoric of science and technology, community writing advocacy, and writing program administration. Both the MA and PhD programs are small enough to provide students with a wealth of personal attention from the faculty.


Requirements for the MA concentration in Rhetoric and Composition:

The MA in Rhetoric and Composition requires 30 hours of coursework beyond the BA. These include:

Three required major area courses (9 hours):
1) English Composition; Issues and Approaches
2) Studies in Composition
3) Rhetorical Theory and Practice

Three distribution courses (9 hours) in Technical and Professional Communication, Linguistics, Literature, or Creative Writing.

Two minor area courses (6 hours) in a discipline relevant to the student’s professional and academic goals (e.g., communication, adult education) as approved by the student’s advisory committee.

Two elective courses (6 hours) in English as approved by the student’s advisory committee.

The MA concentration in Rhetoric and Composition also requires students to develop a portfolio and demonstrate competency in a foreign language.

Requirements for the PhD concentration in Rhetoric and Composition:
The PhD concentration in Rhetoric and Composition requires 60 credit hours beyond the BA. These include:

Three required courses (9 hours) in Rhetoric and Composition
1) English Composition; Issues and Approaches
2) Studies in Composition
3) Rhetorical Theory and Practice

Additional courses in Technical and Professional Communication, Linguistics, Critical Theory, and/or other areas relevant to the student’s professional and academic goals.

10 dissertation hours.

The PhD concentration in Rhetoric and Composition also requires students to pass comprehensive exams, demonstrate competency in two foreign languages, and write and pass an oral exam about an in-field dissertation.

Accreditation:

SACS

Tuition & Financial Aid

Financial Aid Offered: Yes

Classification: Doctoral/Research Universities - Extensive

Institution Sector: Public

Locale: Small City

Size & Settings: 20,000 and above