English (Writing, Rhetorics and Literacies), PhD
Advocacy, Argument, Communication, Community, Composition, Culture, Digital Media, Language, Multilingual, Research, english, literacy, literature, rhetoric, writing
Explore history, theories and methods of rhetorical inquiry across disciplines such as anthropology, law, psychology, religion, history, cognitive science and beyond. Prepare yourself for entrance into academia or for a variety of careers through internships, professional development opportunities and a strong mentoring program.
The Doctor of Philosophy program in English with a concentration in writing, rhetorics and literacies promotes the study of rhetorical strategies, production, distribution and interpretation of oral, written, digital, visual, discursive, material and symbolic texts.
Students study the history, theories and methods of inquiry as well as pragmatic and social actions of writing, rhetoric and literacies. With theories and methods from both historical and contemporary contexts, students learn strategies for inquiry; the ways in which communication creates knowledge and action; and how communication is constructed, circulated, reacted to and repurposed over time and across space. Program requirements are designed to encourage a full understanding of theoretical and applied aspects of writing studies, rhetorical studies and literacy studies. Students also are provided many opportunities to explore the intersections and tensions that exist within and between the three different areas of inquiry.
The program encourages transdisciplinary study, and its flexible requirements enable students to pursue those aspects of the disciplines that interest them the most.
- College/school:
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Location: Tempe
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
84 credit hours, a foreign language exam, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation
Required Core (3 credit hours)
ENG 501 Approaches to Research (3)
Concentration (9 credit hours)
ENG 551 Rhetorical Traditions (3)
ENG 552 Composition Studies (3)
ENG 556 Theories of Literacy (3)
Focus Area (9 credit hours)
Electives or Research (48 credit hours)
Other Requirements (3 credit hours)
ENG 588 Writing for Publication (3)
Culminating Experience (12 credit hours)
ENG 799 Dissertation (12)
Additional Curriculum Information
When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree. Students who do not hold a master's degree are required to take additional elective and research credit hours to reach the 84 credit hours required for this program.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants | International applicants | English proficiency
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants with bachelor's or master's degrees in fields such as anthropology, applied linguistics, cognitive science, communication, comparative languages and literatures, English literature, education, history, law, linguistics, modern languages, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, rhetoric, composition, sociology, and speech and hearing science are considered.
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- graduate admission application and application fee
- official transcripts
- statement of purpose
- resume or curriculum vitae
- three letters of recommendation
- academic writing sample relevant to the field
- statement of teaching philosophy (teaching assistantship only)
- proof of English proficiency
Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English and has not graduated from an institution of higher learning in the United States must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. Applications are not processed without valid proof of English proficiency; official scores must be sent to ASU in order for the application to be processed.
The well-considered, one- to two-page statement of purpose should explain the applicant's scholarly background and training, career goals, proposed research specialization, any secondary field of interest, and why the applicant wishes to pursue a PhD in English with a concentration in writing, rhetorics and literacies at Arizona State University. Applicants applying for funding must also submit a statement of teaching philosophy.
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 01/01 | Final |
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program has the following program outcomes:
- Evaluate competing knowledge claims within rhetorical studies and draw relevant interdisciplinary connections between those claims and one's own research topics.
- Evaluate and draw from relevant disciplinary histories, theories and methods to support rhetorical inquiry into their research topics.
- Design and carry out an original research study that produces data, findings and applied strategies for publication in professional, scholarly venues.
Professionals with expertise in written communication, research and knowledge management are in high demand across sectors and industries, including business, media, law, entertainment, politics, nonprofits and community organizations. Skills in the measurement and analysis of data for the development of multimodal content (digital, print, oral, visual) are valuable to businesses, organizations and institutions relying on data-driven strategies to address and communicate complex, knowledge-rich issues to broad professional audiences.
Graduates are prepared for work as teachers, scholars and communications professionals. Career examples include:
- editor and content manager
- English or communications professor
- human resources specialist
- market research analyst
- public relations specialist
- publishing copy editor or proofreader
- social media manager
- technical writer
Department of English
|
RBHL 170
enggrad@asu.edu
480-965-3168
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
