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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). The long-term plan for courses is available here.
| Area of Coursework | Courses | Credits 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 591E 1.0 credit | |
| CORE COURSEWORK | Engl 506 Engl 563A or C* (was 602A 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 500 or Sp Cm 513. | Multimodal composition and speech communication Engl 503, 504, Engl 592B*# Professional communication Engl 505, 508#, 529, 542, 549*, 586, 587, Engl 592C*# Rhetoric Engl 547*, 548*, 563A or C* (not used in Core), Engl 592A*# After designated prerequisites and 6 graduate credits completed, students may take Engl 603, 611*#, 631 | 18 |
| * Cross-listed with Sp Cm # Repeatable | ||
| ELECTIVES Elective credits may come from English Department course offerings or from other university departments or programs (such as WGS 501, Sp Cm 540, Engl 522, or Engl 527). | 3 | |
| INDEPENDENT RESEARCH | Engl 699: Thesis Research or Engl 599: Creative Component | 3 |
| TOTAL | 30 minimum |
NOTE: The MA RCPC program does not include a foreign language requirement.
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 500 Teaching Multimodal Composition | Engl 503 Composition Theory |
| Engl 504 Teaching Advanced Communication | Engl 505 User Experience Architecture and Testing for Advanced |
| Engl 506 Professional Communication Theory | Engl 508 Writing for Academic Publication (summer) |
| Sp Cm 513 Teaching Fundamentals of Public Speaking | Engl 529 Content Management |
| Engl 542 Technical Editing and Publication Management | Engl/Sp Cm 547: The History of Rhetorical Theory from the Classical Era to the Present |
| Engl/Sp Cm 548: Cultural and Critical Theories of Communication and Rhetoric | Engl 549 Multimedia and Interaction Design |
| Engl 563A Research Methods: Qualitative | Engl 563C Research Methods: Rhetorical Analysis |
| Engl 586 Visual Rhetoric in Professional Communication | Engl 587 Internship in Business, Technical, and Professional Communication |
| Engl 590 Special Topics (Independent Study) | Engl/Sp Cm 592A Core Studies: Rhetoric |
| Engl/Sp Cm 592C Core Studies: Professional Communication | Engl 611 Seminar in Rhetorical Theory |
| Engl 631 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.
RCPC Learning Outcomes
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.