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Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication: MA

Our program fuses theory with practice and prepares you for a wide variety of opportunities in today’s dynamic world. Our program offers contemporary coursework that spans diverse disciplines, from rhetorical theory to web design, helping you acquire the skills needed to thrive in today’s professional landscape. With engaged faculty who are leaders in the field, robust career opportunities, and a rich interdisciplinary environment, you can to tailor your studies to align with your career aspirations while having the support and resources you need to succeed.

Graduates of our program have pursued diverse paths, from careers in communications, technical writing, and web design to academia. Whether you’re crafting persuasive messages for corporate audiences, designing user-friendly digital interfaces, or shaping the next generation of communication scholars, a degree in Rhetoric and Professional Communication from Iowa State University opens doors to limitless possibilities. Join us and embark on a transformative journey where theory meets practice, and where the skills you develop today will shape the world of tomorrow.

MA in Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication

The curriculum in Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication (RCPC) lies at the intersection of fields some have called “writing studies”—but also allows students to pursue a focus that suits their individual interests. The program strongly suits students who are interested in careers in industry as web designers, technical editors, grant writers, or social media specialists. But it also suits well those who want to teach writing at a community college. In addition, the RCPC degree provides a strong foundation for a doctoral degree. All students graduate as teacher-scholars who not only understand theory but can also apply it.

Our faculty are strongly committed to students’ professionalization, particularly through conference presentations. Faculty and students regularly collaborate on research and subsequent presentations at the conferences of professional organizations such as the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing, the Association for Business Communication, the National Communication Association. In addition, faculty and students have collaborated on publications. In addition, many RCPC students choose to enroll in the program’s internship course, gaining credit while getting real-world experience.

Coursework and outcomes

Students in the MA in Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication (RCPC) program do not declare a specialization but may choose electives from a particular area of concentration to strengthen their understanding of that area (e.g., teaching multimodal composition, teaching professional communication, teaching speech communication, developing professional documents, understanding and using communication technology, analyzing visual design).

Degree requirements

Area of CourseworkCoursesCredits Towards POS
CO-REQUISITES

This course does not count towards degree requirement credits. Students complete co-requisite their first fall semester upon entry into the program. Previous coursework that meets co-requisite must be documented by submitting the Pre/Co-Requisite Equivalency Petition.		ENGL 5910E
1.0 credit
CORE COURSEWORK
ENGL 5060
ENGL 5630A or C* (was 6020A or C)		 6
ADVANCED STUDY IN RCPC
Choose from any of the courses in the categories listed.
TAs may count 3 credits of either ENGL 5000 or SPCM 5130.

Multimodal composition and speech communication
ENGL 5030, 5040, ENGL 5920B*#
Professional communication
ENGL 5050, 5080#, 5290, 5420, 5490*, 5860, 5870, Engl 5920C*#
Rhetoric
ENGL 5470*, 5480*, 5630A or C* (not used in Core), Engl 5920A*#
After designated prerequisites and 6 graduate credits completed, students may take
ENGL 6030, 6110*#, 6310		 18
* Cross-listed with SPCM
# Repeatable
ELECTIVES
Elective credits may come from English Department course offerings or from other university departments or programs (such as WGS 5010, SPCM 5400, ENGL 5220, or ENGL 5270).		 3
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH
ENGL 6990: Thesis Research
or
ENGL 5990: Creative Component		 3
TOTAL 30 minimum

Thesis and creative component options

In your last semester as an RCPC student, you will complete a substantial research project—either a traditional thesis or a creative component. We encourage students who are planning to enter the workforce after graduation to consider one of the two creative component options available. The creative component options allow you to apply and display what you’ve learned in your coursework.

RPC course selections
ENGL 5000 Teaching Multimodal CompositionENGL 5030 Composition Theory
ENGL 5040 Teaching Advanced CommunicationENGL 5050 User Experience Architecture and Testing for Advanced
ENGL 5060 Professional Communication TheoryENGL 5080 Writing for Academic Publication (summer)
SPCM 5130 Teaching Fundamentals of Public SpeakingENGL 5290 Content Management
ENGL 5420 Technical Editing and Publication ManagementEnGL/SPCM 5470: The History of Rhetorical Theory from the Classical Era to the Present
ENGL/SPCM 5480: Cultural and Critical Theories of Communication and RhetoricENGL 5490 Multimedia and Interaction Design
ENGL 5630A Research Methods: QualitativeENGL 5630C Research Methods: Rhetorical Analysis
ENGL 5860 Visual Rhetoric in Professional CommunicationENGL 5870 Internship in Business, Technical, and Professional Communication
ENGL 5900 Special Topics (Independent Study)ENGL/SPCM 5920A Core Studies: Rhetoric
ENGL/SPCM 5920C Core Studies: Professional CommunicationENGL 6110 Seminar in Rhetorical Theory
ENGL 6310 Administration and Organization of Multimodal Writing Programs

Brief course descriptions of the above courses can be found in the ISU Catalog under the English department section.

TERM/COURSE NO.COURSE TITLE
Spring 2024
5080Writing for Academic Publication
5480Cultural and Critical Theories of Communication and Rhetoric
6030Seminar in Composition Theory
Fall 2024
5470
The History of Rhetorical Theory from the Classical Era to the Present
5630AResearch Methods in Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication: Qualitative Research
5910EDirected Readings – 1-credit course for new RCPC and RPC students
6110Seminar in Rhetorical Theory
Spring 2025
5050User Experience Architecture and Testing
5920Core Studies: Rhetoric
6310Administration of Multimodal Writing Programs
Fall 2025
5060Professional Communication Theory
5630CResearch Methods in Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication: Rhetorical Analysis
5860Visual Rhetoric in Professional Communication
5910Directed Readings – 1-credit course for new RCPC and RPC students

The RCPC program combines the pedagogy focus of a degree in rhetoric and composition with the technical skill and practicality of a degree in professional communication. Upon graduation, students will demonstrate the ability to:

  • Demonstrate understanding of the interplay of rhetoric, composition, and professional communication in local and global contexts.
  • Analyze a rhetorical situation and develop communication that responds to it effectively and ethically.
  • Develop communication that helps build a socially just society.
  • Use communication to contribute to an affirming and inclusive classroom/workplace environment.
  • Apply the historical and theoretical understanding necessary to assess the use of specific communication technologies within complex organizations.
  • Combine verbal and visual communication skills to produce effective communication in contemporary organizations.

Measures for evaluating a student’s success in meeting these objectives include these:

  • Achievement on coursework
  • Familiarity with useful and common software programs and technologies
  • Successful completion of a thesis or a creative-component project.

Important information

Program requirements

Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree prior to their first semester in either program and must meet stated application preferences and English proficiency requirements (for nonnative speakers of English only). See our How to Apply page for more information.

Financial aid

Iowa State and the English department offer a variety of financial aid for graduate students. The majority of our students are funded through graduate assistantships, which provide a full tuition waiver (PhD) or half tuition waiver (MA), a monthly stipend for teaching courses or for conducting research, and health insurance benefits. Applications for assistantships are part of the process for applying for admission.

Faculty and students

Learn more about our faculty and students.

Ready to apply?

Graduate program resources