The Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English (RCTE) program offers the MA in English, with a concentration in RCTE, and the PhD in RCTE. The mission of the graduate program in RCTE is to provide an education in rhetoric and composition... Show Full Description

The Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English (RCTE) program offers the MA in English, with a concentration in RCTE, and the PhD in RCTE. The mission of the graduate program in RCTE is to provide an education in rhetoric and composition that will help students develop in themselves and others the literacies needed for citizenship in a world of diversity and change. Students in the program take courses in the history of rhetoric, composition theory, literary theory, research methodology, composition pedagogy, language, and literature, and may take courses in complementary fields outside English. Students in RCTE have opportunities to work with UA's comprehensive undergraduate Writing Program, with Writing Specialists and others doing outreach, articulation and assessment, and with Rhetoric Review, a major journal in the field.

The RCTE program prepares graduate students to conduct research in rhetoric and composition, to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in the field, and to develop writing programs in school settings and on the job. The RCTE program has a 100% placement for students seeking jobs in higher education, 97% of those tenure-track positions.

The MA program is designed for students intending to teach in the public schools and community colleges. MA students must complete thirty units of coursework and pass an MA examination.

The PhD program is designed for students intending on teaching in four-year colleges or writing programs. PhD students must complete forty-five units of coursework, and pass qualifying and comprehensive examinations. In addition, PhD students must complete 18 units of dissertation credit and write an acceptable dissertation.

Applicants must have completed the equivalent of an undergraduate degree with a grade point average of at least 3.00. Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation, a vita, Graduate Record Examination scores, and a sample of their scholarly or critical writing. These materials should be addressed to the RCTE Program Director in the Department of English. For more information, please see: http://www.u.arizona.edu/~rcte/