Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. degree program prepares students to choose careers as teachers on the college and university levels or in secondary schools, to conduct scholarly research, and to write at a professional level. At the end of their Ph.D. courses, students should demonstrate a superior understanding of composition pedagogy and practice, knowledge of the history of rhetoric, knowledge of workplace writing theory and practice, and the technical skills necessary for communicating in electronic environments.

Admission Requirements

Applicants should be aware that meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the Ph.D. program. Admission is competitive and is determined by a committee that weighs all of the following requirements:

1. a master’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university.

2. transcripts (one from each institution attended)

3. three Letters of Recommendation sent directly from persons who can testify to the applicant’s ability to do graduate work. (Recommendations are to be requested via email during the digital GSU Graduate Admission Application process.)

4. statement of purpose composed by the applicant stating his/her goals and career objectives.

5. a ten-to-twenty-page writing sample that demonstrates the ability to do library research, literary analysis, and/or graduate-level composition.

6. satisfactory scores (usually those well above the 50th percentile) no more than four years old on the General portion of the Graduate Record Examination.

7. official TOEFL/IELTS Scores (international applicants only)
Institutional code 5251 should be used for reporting GRE and TOEFL scores

Application Deadlines

See the College Admissions Website for more details and to apply.

Contact Information

Graduate Director: Tanya Caldwell

Graduate Student Advisor: Joyce Kane