Rhetoric and Writing

MA in Rhetoric and Writing

Our program integrates philosophy and theory with the concerns of day-to-day teaching and writing. It provides the opportunity to teach in a public university setting, and it draws on the resources of a land grant university, including a diverse student population, a university-wide writing center, a well-established writing across the curriculum program, a nationally recognized library, and an innovative undergraduate Academic Success Program.

OSU's two-year Rhetoric and Writing concentration offers coursework across disciplines:

Current Composition Theory
The Teaching of Writing
Literacy Studies
Historical Studies in Rhetoric
Literature and Pedagogy
Advanced Composition
A range of workshops, including: Critical Reviewing, and Magazine Article Writing

Our MA in Rhetoric and Writing prepares students to:

Teach in community colleges
Undertake Ph.D. studies in rhetoric and writing
Work as writing program administrators
Hold a variety of positions that emphasize writing (editing, technical writing, private and public sector work, etc.)

Is there anything else I should know about the MA in rhetoric and writing at Oregon State University?
Our favorable faculty-student ratio makes it possible for students to get to know the rhetoric and writing faculty well, and to form a close working relationship with the faculty member who chairs their committee. Because the MA program in English as a whole is small, graduate students have the opportunity to form the kinds of intellectual and personal friendships that are often not possible in larger graduate programs. Students majoring in other areas in the department's MA program often minor in rhetoric in composition.

They do so because they want to learn how to become more effective teachers of writing-and because they realize that coursework in rhetoric and writing demonstrates to potential employers that they take writing and the teaching of writing seriously.

What does our program offer students?

A faculty of engaged scholars with diverse but complementary interests in the discipline of rhetoric and writing. Faculty in rhetoric and writing also share areas of interest with other English department faculty members. Chris Anderson teaches a class in creative non-fiction that is part of the MFA program. Lisa Ede, Anita Helle, and Vicki Tolar Burton teach classes included in the literature and culture emphasis in the English department's MA. (See the Faculty Page for more information on rhetoric and writing faculty.)
A well-developed core curriculum with courses in current composition theory, the teaching of writing, the history of rhetoric, literacy studies, advanced composition, and literature and pedagogy
Additional coursework in literature, theory, pedagogy, and media communication

Degree requirements
The program requires 18 credits of core requirements and 18 credits in the area of Rhetoric and Writing.

Core requirements
12 credits in literature (including 6 credits in English and/or American)
6 credits Pre-1800 Literature
6 credits Post-1800 Literature
6 credits in theory (including two courses from the following with not more than one from a single area)

Composition WR 512, WR 595
Language ENG 590, ENG 591, ENG 595
Criticism ENG 575

Rhetoric and Writing requirements
6 credits Thesis WR 503
3 credits Rhetorical Tradition and the Teaching of Writing WR 593

9 credits from the following:
Studies in Nonfiction ENG 545
The Teaching of Writing WR 511
Current Composition Theory WR 512
Advanced Composition WR 516
Studies in Writing WR 520
Advanced Technical Writing WR 527
Introduction to Literacy Studies WR 595

What additional opportunities does our program provide?

Further academic activities