Graduate Concentration in Rhetoric and Composition
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Department of English offers M.A. and Ph.D. degrees with an emphasis in Rhetoric and Composition. Our department is consistently ranked in the top third, and our program is distinguished by its
- focus on training teacher-scholars,
- close-knit, supportive community,
- interdisciplinary scholarship.
Our faculty members publish award-winning books and articles, serve on the editorial boards of leading journals and book series, hold leadership positions in national organizations, and are frequently invited to conferences as featured or keynote speakers.
Opportunities
Graduate students have the opportunity to teach a rigorous curriculum to a diverse student population under the direct supervision of a leading senior composition scholar. In this curriculum, first-year undergraduates work through a sequence of assignments, experimenting with and revising their reading and writing practices. Graduate students can also develop and teach a wide range of undergraduate courses in expository and creative writing, literature, and film studies. Many of our students serve as course coordinators and teacher mentors, acquiring experience in program administration, curriculum review, and teacher training.
Students draw on the UWM English Department's strengths in the areas of creative writing, film and media studies, linguistics, literary studies, modern studies, and professional writing. UWM's nationally recognized English faculty offer courses in related areas such as contrastive rhetoric, critical race theory, feminist theory, film and cultural studies, Marxist theory, multicultural American literature, and professional writing. Students can also participate in the programs offered by UWM's Center for 21st Century Studies, the Center for International Education, and the Cultures and Communities Program. UWM is also actively involved with the Milwaukee community, and our students and faculty participate in programs such as the Milwaukee Area English Alliance.
Placement
Our program has a high degree of success in placing doctoral graduates in positions at two- and four-year colleges and at major research universities. Recent alumni serve on the faculties of Syracuse University, St. Louis University, Southern Illinois University, Southern Connecticut University, North Carolina State University, East Carolina State University, University of Colorado-Denver, University of Colorado-Boulder, and St. Thomas University.
Core Faculty
Mary Louise Buley-Meissner (Cross-Cultural Studies, Pedagogy, Experimental Writing)
Alice Gillam (Composition Studies, Classical Rhetoric, Writing Center Studies, and Writing Program Administration)
Peter Sands (Computer-Mediated Pedagogy and Writing, Writing Across the Curriculum, Rhetorical/Literary Theory, American Studies, Science Fiction and Utopian Studies)
Charles Schuster (History and Theory of the Essay, Bakhtinian Theory, History of Composition Studies, Rhetoric and Style, Administrative Theory and Practice, and 19th Century British Literature)
Participating Faculty
Dave Clark (Rhetoric of Technology, Research Methods, Technical Writing)
Patricia Mayes (Contrastive Rhetoric, Linguistics)
Jane Gallop (Feminism, Psychoanalysis, Literary Theory, Academic Writing)
Gregory Jay (American Literature, Cultural History, Critical Theory)
Michael Noonan (Linguistics, Language Typology and Universals)
Patrice Petro (Film Theory, Marxism, Feminism)
Rachel Spilka (Professional and Technical Writing, Rhetoric, Qualitative Research, Usability Testing)
The Writing Center
Our Writing Center offers one-to-one conferences to writers throughout the university. The peer tutors average more than 100 conferences per week. Graduate students play a vital role in the Center by shaping policy and by working as senior tutors and program consultants. In turn, the Center serves graduate students by sponsoring dissertation support groups and peer tutoring at the graduate level. The Writing Center provides a rich environment for inquiry and research about writers and writing. Contact the Writing Center Coordinator: Margie Mika.
Computer Classrooms
Curtin Hall houses two computer classrooms each with twenty-plus PCs, scanners, laser printers, overhead display for both computer and video images, Internet connections, and a wide variety of word-processing, hypermedia, collaborative writing, and desktop publishing software. Graduate students and faculty engage in a variety of teaching and research activities involving computer-assisted instruction, electronic mail, electronic conferencing, and desktop publishing. The computer classrooms schedule open hours for writing of all kinds, from short assignments to dissertations.
Admissions
To be admitted, applicants must meet general Graduate School requirements plus the following departmental requirements:For the Master of Arts:
- Undergraduate major in English or related field with appropriate background.
- Undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale).
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores must be less than five years old at the beginning of the semester of entry to the program. (Though not required, the English Literature test is recommended.)
- Three letters of recommendation.
- A statement of purpose.
- An academic writing sample.
For the Doctor of Philosophy
- M.A. in English or related field.
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) must be scores less than 5 years old at the beginning of the semester of entry to the program.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- A statement of purpose.
- An academic writing sample.
Program Requirements
The M.A. degree requires students complete a minimum of 24 credits (8 courses) as described in the Graduate Student Handbook. Students in the M.A. program who wish to enter the Ph.D. program should discuss their plans early with both their advisor and the Plan B Coordinator. The Ph.D. requires 54 credits (18 courses) beyond the B.A. with no more than 27 credits earned at the master's level, as described in the Graduate Student Handbook Ph.D. Requirements. Students holding a master's degree from other institutions, and some students who have an M.A. from UWM in other areas, must take the Academic Review within six weeks of completing 12 credit hours. Students choose a major professor who advises and supports them in their course of study, academic interests, and writing of the dissertation.
Contact PersonProfessor Dennis Lynch
email: TBA
phone: (414) 229-4509
office: Curtin 414
