M.A. in Writing, Rhetoric, and Social Change

Graduate

Writing, Rhetoric, and Social Change Specialization

Theory and Practice

Students in this specialization join a vibrant community of scholars who research the transformative potential of writing and rhetoric and analyze the social, cultural, economic and historical forces shaping writing and rhetoric in theory and practice. Through analysis of and engagement with diverse contexts for writing, students create and apply methods for addressing shared social problems in classrooms and communities. Our graduates study in top tier rhetoric and composition Ph.D. programs, teach composition and rhetoric at secondary and post-secondary levels, and work for social change through careers in government, publishing, industry, and non-profit organizations.

To find out more about the specifics of this program, take a look at these resources:

Teach and reshape lives through classrooms and communities. Work for social change through government, industry, nonprofit. Direct a Writing Center or Writing across the Curriculum program. Work in Public Relations, professional writing or technical writing. Write for the public sphere, effect policy, influence digital culture and challenge boundaries.

Draw on a wide range of resources. These include, but aren’t limited to, a nationally recognized faculty with expertise in the history, practice, and theory of writing and writing instruction

Course offerings within the department covering key issues in the field

Courses offered in related departments, such as Speech Communication and Journalism and Technical Communication

Nationally recognized program for preparing graduate students to teach writing

Strong commitment to innovative uses of technology to support writers and teachers of writing, including a dedicated computer lab for graduate students, two computer-supported writing classrooms, and resources available online

Opportunity to participate in funded research conducted through the University’s Center for Research on Writing and Communication Technologies

What Are Students Saying?

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Joe Schicke

“My experience as a Rhetoric and Composition student at CSU was formative and inspiring, thanks in large part to an amazing ‘All-Star Team’ of professors. In addition to guiding my academic studies, they made me aware of the critical issues in higher education labor, essentially preparing me to be a socially conscious faculty member and citizen.”

 ~Joe Schicke, MA English: Rhetoric & Composition

Faculty

  • Timothy Amidon

    • Associate Professor of Digital Rhetoric
    • Director Writing, Rhetoric, and Literacy Programs
  • Genesea M. Carter

    • Associate Director of Composition
    • Associate Professor
  • Doug Cloud

    • Associate Professor
  • Sue Doe

    • Professor, Executive Director of The Institute for Learning and Teaching Director of the Center for the Study of Academic Labor
  • Tobi Jacobi

    • Professor
    • Director of University Composition Program
    • Director of Community Literacy Center
  • Lisa Langstraat

    • Associate Professor
  • Sarah Sloane

    • Professor
  • Erika Szymanski

    • Associate Professor (Microbiome Initiative Hire)
    • Graduate coordinator
    • Affiliate faculty, Cell and Molecular Biology program