Rhetoric and Professional Writing
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Department of English offers an MA degree with an emphasis in Rhetoric and Professional Writing and a PhD in Public Rhetorics and Community Engagement. Our department is consistently ranked in the top third and our program is distinguished by its:
- focus on training teacher-scholars,
- a close-knit, supportive community, and
- 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.
Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.
Admission
An applicant must meet Graduate School requirements plus these departmental requirements to be considered for admission to the program:
- Undergraduate major in English or related field, with appropriate background for proposed concentration of study: Plan A, broad background in English and American literature; Plan B, literature, linguistics, and/or composition; Plan C, literature and creative writing; Plan H, background in media studies, film studies, or digital and/or popular culture.
- Undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale).
- Reason statement.
- Three letters of recommendation to the Department’s Director of Graduate Studies from persons familiar with applicant’s academic ability and achievement.
- A sample of academic writing.
- For Plan C admission, an applicant must also submit samples of original fiction or poetry.
For more information about how to apply to the graduate program in English, as well as admissions FAQs, please see the Students/Graduate section of the English department web site.
Plan B (Rhetoric and Professional Writing)
A minimum of 30 credits, including:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses 1 | ||
| ENGLISH 712 | Theories in Public Rhetorics and Community Engagement: | 3 |
| ENGLISH 713 | Research Methods in Rhetorics, Literacies, and Community Engagement: | 3 |
| ENGLISH 750 | History of Rhetoric and Writing Studies: | 3 |
| Select 21 credits of electives 2 | 21 | |
| ENGLISH 427 | Writing for Nonprofits | |
| ENGLISH 431G | Topics in Advanced Communications: | |
| ENGLISH 432 | The Rhetoric of Argument | |
| ENGLISH 439 | Information Design | |
| ENGLISH 443 | Grant Writing | |
| ENGLISH 444 | Technical Editing | |
| ENGLISH 633G | Seminar in Rhetoric and Professional Writing: | |
| ENGLISH 701 | Writing Pedagogies | |
| ENGLISH 711 | Topics in Public and Professional Writing: | |
| ENGLISH 749 | Advanced Internship in Writing and Community Engagement | |
| ENGLISH 755 | Issues in Writing Research: | |
| ENGLISH 790 | Master's Project 3 | |
| ENGLISH 854 | Seminar in College Writing Pedagogy: | |
| ENGLISH 855 | Seminar in Public Rhetorics and Community Engagement: | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
- 1
ENGLISH 712, ENGLISH 713, and ENGLISH 750 may be taken twice with different topics with the second iteration counting toward Electives.
- 2
No more than 6 credits may be from courses below the 700 level. Students may take up to 6 credits of ENGLISH 749 and may take ENGLISH 711, ENGLISH 755, ENGLISH 854, and ENGLISH 855 up to three times with different topics.
- 3
Electives may include up to 6 credits of ENGLISH 790. Please consult your advisor for guidance on enrolling in ENGLISH 790 and preparing for the MA project and exam.
Additional Requirements
- A final project, which shall be a research paper appropriate to the student’s professional goals.
- An oral examination, usually lasting an hour and a half, which covers the final project.