Graduate Courses

Graduate Course Offerings

The following classes are offered on an annual/semi-annual basis. For the latest information about a course’s status, availability, time, and prerequisites, please consult GoSOLAR.

ENGL 6510. Grant and Proposal Writing
Study and practice in grant and proposal writing in business and organizational settings.

ENGL 6521. Archival Research Methods (Cross-listed with ENG 4521)
Introduces students to archival research methods through the study of print and digital primary resources. Includes study of methodologies, methods, material conditions of archival collections, researcher positionality, and the cultural contexts of production and collection of primary materials.

ENGL 8005. Practical Grammar
This course is a practical examination of English grammar, with application to writing seminar papers, theses, and dissertations. Students will learn nomenclature, traditional methods of language analysis, and solutions for the grammatical dilemmas they face as writers.

ENGL 8100. Directed Individual Research
Specialized research projects for doctoral and advanced M.A. students. May be repeated if topics vary.

ENGL 8115. Technical Writing 
Study of scientific and technical styles; practice in various formats, including reports, proposals, instructional manuals, and professional papers.

ENGL 8120. Proseminar: Writing for Academic Publication**
Study of academic writing and publication opportunities; focus on submitting conference abstracts, book reviews, and journal articles for publication; prospectus writing for M.A. and Ph.D. theses and dissertations. Students will have the opportunity to develop and expand their research in the field in which they choose to write a thesis or dissertation. (required for MA and PhD, recommended to be taken after the first year)

ENGL 8121. Rhetoric of Digital Media
This course will introduce current theories and practices for design and production with digital media with the goal of developing rhetorically savvy composers and critics. Covers current digital media theory, digital literacy, and theories of visual, aural, haptic, spatial, and other analysis important for digital rhetoric and composition.

ENGL 8122. User Experience Research
Introduces students to qualitative research methods developed in the software and web design industries that are now used in a wide variety of businesses where an interest in design thinking and customer- or user-centered design have become important. Students will learn how to develop effective questionnaires, conduct insightful interviews, lead focus groups, and write actionable persona descriptions. Focus on workplace-based applications.

ENGL 8123. Digital Media Production
This course will be production-intensive and focus on current practices in web design and other digital media design for different applications such as scholarly projects, digital pedagogy, online teaching and digital editing.

ENGL 8125. Writing and Research Methodology**
Theory and practice of reading and conducting empirical research for the study of writing. Strong emphasis on theoretical and ethical principles of research methodology important for critically reading empirical research and designing new studies. (required for MA and PhD, recommended to be taken after the first year)

ENGL 8170. History & Theory of Rhetoric & Composition I**
The first of a two-part survey of the field of rhetoric and composition, this class explores the major works, ideas, and theories developed in roughly the first 1,000 years of rhetorical history. Selected readings and emphases may change in different sections. (required for MA and PhD)

ENGL 8171. History & Theory of Rhetoric & Composition II**
The second of a two-part survey of the field of rhetoric and composition, this course explores the trajectory of developments in oratory, belletristic rhetoric, composition pedagogy, print rhetoric, and varied venues of rhetorical engagement from the Early Modern period to the present. Selected readings and emphases may change in different sections. (required for MA and PhD)

ENGL 8175. Topics in Rhetoric and Composition
Focused study of a problem, question, issue, genre, or specialized subject not covered in other courses. May be repeated as topic varies.

ENGL 8180. Composition Theory** 
An introduction to the field of Composition Studies, including bibliographical resources and competing theoretical debates; the relationships of literature, rhetoric, and literacy theory to composition studies; the application of composition theory to pedagogy; and major social, political, and curricular contexts for writing. (required for MA and PhD)

ENGL 8195. Composition Pedagogy
An introduction to methods and contemporary practices for teaching writing in classroom and writing center settings; practical applications focusing on strategies for course development and assignment design, response, assessment, and reflective classroom practices.

ENGL 8900. Topics in English
Seminars are offered every semester under this general topics number and include Visual Rhetorics, Computers and Composition, and Literacy Studies, among others.

ENGL 8950. Independent Study Capstone
This course is a requirement for all students in the Dual Degree and MA Independent Study tracks in the Literary Studies and Rhetoric and Composition concentrations. Course readings, assignments, and classroom discussion help students select topics for their Projects and provide instructor and peer feedback on research methods, materials, and Project drafts. The course culminates in a public-facing symposium in which students present a conference-length summary of their Projects.

ENGL 8999. Thesis Research

ENGL 9030. Non-Thesis Individual Research
An independent study course for students who are conducting research with faculty or  preparing for comprehensive examinations at the M.A. and Ph.D. levels.

**Denotes a required course at the MA/Ph.D. level

Projected Courses

To view a list of projected courses for the next two years visit: English Graduate Course Projections