Graduate Studies in Composition and Rhetoric
Our graduate programs in Composition and Rhetoric are designed to provide students with the skills essential for fluent and mature expression in their chosen subject fields. Courses in Rhetoric and the Teaching of Writing (RTW) prepare students to be excellent writers, teachers, and editors. Courses in TESOL prepare teachers of English as a Second Language and English as a Foreign Language. In all of the Comp/Rhet courses students are encouraged to develop informed and independent critical thinking abilities and the skills to communicate articulately in both oral and written modes.
The Rhetoric and Teaching Writing Program (RTW)
The Rhetoric and Teaching Writing program will provide strong overviews of the history, research, methodologies, major emerging voices, and important questions in writing studies, rhetoric, and the teaching of writing. The program will provide a theory and research base for shaping a writing classroom and for further postgraduate work.
Course Descriptions
ENGL 5001 Graduate Studies: History and Research Methods in Composition/Rhetoric (3 units) Focuses on many theories of rhetoric which underlie contemporary classroom practices in the teaching of writing. The goal of the course is to familiarize students with some issues in the field of composition by examining current theories, research, and pedagogy. Required for all students electing the rhetoric and teaching of writing concentration. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of English Graduate Coordinator.
ENGL 5010 Seminar: Composition/Rhetoric (3 units) Emphasis will be on rhetorical theories and composition studies. Topics for this seminar may vary from semester to semester. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of English Graduate Coordinator.
ENGL 5020 Assessment in English (3 units) Focuses on assessment ranging from that of specific assignments, examinations, and types of student discourse to longitudinal program assessment of design, curriculum, instruction, and learning outcomes. Students will participate in departmental or other assigned assessment projects. Prerequisite: ENGL 5001 or concurrent enrollment in ENGL 5001 or consent of instructor.
ENGL 5870 Practicum: Writing and Teaching of Composition (3 units) Supervised observation and participation in existing university writing programs. Includes regular meetings with the student’s assigned supervisor and master teacher. Prerequisite: Completion of one of the MA-RTW core courses.
ENGL 5884 Practicum in Teaching Composition and Literature (1 unit) Supervised discussion of classroom experiences of those teaching literature and composition. Prerequisite: ENGL 5894; or concurrent enrollment in ENGL 5894; or appointment as a graduate assistant in the Department of English for the term.
ENGL 5894 Teaching Composition and Literature (3 units) Practical application of literary and composition theory and research. For those who plan to teach at the college level. Pre- or corequisite for teaching assistantships. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
ENGL 5940 Internship in English (3 units) Supervised instruction and practical experience in teaching literature, composition, and English as a Second Language (ESL). Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
ENGL 5941 Internship: Teaching Writing (3 units) A faculty guided field experience, designed by the student, in work environments related to teaching writing. ENGL 5960 Advanced Projects in
English (1-4 units) Directed study in applied research. Students will refute, refine, or replicate existing research on a subject of relevance to composition or critical analysis. Findings will be presented in a colloquium. The project will usually take more than one term to complete. Prerequisites: ENGL 5001 and consent of the English Graduate Director.
ENGL 5980 Individual Study (1-4 units) For qualified postbaccalaureate students in need of advanced or specialized study. May be repeated for a total of 6 units. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
ENGL 5990 Thesis (3 units)
ENGL 7005 Continuing Thesis or Project (0 units) Non-credit course. Applicable to those students who have completed all registration for graduate coursework and who have registered for the maximum number of thesis or project units required by their program. Students must register each semester or term until they have secured faculty approval for their theses or projects.
The Concentration in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
- The student who elects to pursue the concentration in TESOL will develop a specialist’s knowledge of English grammar, second language acquisition theory, methodology, curriculum and materials development, and crosscultural issues related to the teaching of English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL). This concentration is particularly appropriate for those who want to teach in postsecondary settings such as community colleges, universities, adult education programs, and English language institutes in the U.S. and abroad.
For more information, visit the TESOLrequirements page.