Rhetoric and Composition

Our Rhetoric and Composition program has been a national leader for well over a decade. In addition to gaining state-of-the-art sophistication in rhetorical history, theory, criticism, and pedagogy, students joining the rhetoric group at Penn State enter a lively intellectual environment in which rhetorical studies, composition studies, technology studies, literary studies, women’s studies, African American studies, Latino/a studies, science studies, and cultural studies interanimate one another.

Graduate students will find a strong tradition in rhetorical studies, a large and accomplished rhetoric faculty (not only in English but also in Communication Arts and Sciences) with wide-ranging interests, a chance to collaborate with other faculty, a variety of teaching opportunities, and an optimistic and talented community of fellow graduate students who are actively involved in teaching and research. All faculty members are closely involved in the education of all rhetoric students, who invent rich dissertation topics and become professionally active through conference presentations and publications.

In short, students accepted into the program can look forward to strong support and stimulating studies, personal relationships with faculty and students, and opportunities to benefit from other English Department faculty and rhetorically minded faculty in other departments. 97.5% of our graduates have earned tenure-line appointments upon graduation.

Some Recent Graduate Seminars