ProfLorax

hunterjumper: I heard the same advice for the same reasons. My suggestion would be to think about how to present your research in a more nuanced, complex way that could potentially open multiple doors for you. An example would be if you were interested in digital archives of Harlem Renaissance poetry. Then, when on the job market, you could market yourself as a digital humanist, a 20th century Americanist, and/or an Af-Am lit scholar--whichever is more advantageous at the time. In general, I think strong candidates (both at the grad school and job market level) articulate multiple yet overlapping interests. This, I'd assume, is especially helpful on the job market. Our most recent TT hire can teach courses on cross-cultural rhetoric, activist rhetoric, and digital rhetoric-- all because of his research on historical and contemporary Thai protest rhetoric.

Trust yourself! You put them into your writing sample for a reason. In your writing sample, adcomms are looking for writing, research, and argumentative skills. Do you have an original argument? Is it presented clearly? Do you enter the current academic conversation? They won't likely be closely reading your sample, so they probably won't even notice their work is being used. Just make sure their work is represented accurately and supports your argument; that's what really matters!

Welcome! About your two interests, how about combining them? Most DH faculty in my program (UMD, which has a huge emphasis on all things digital thanks to MITH) have a literary area of speciality as well. For example, Martha Nell Smith, founding director of MITH, works on digital humanities and poetry, leading to really interesting digital projects on Emily Dickinson. I'm sure lots of digital work is being done on early modern texts!

So happy to hear your story, psych21! I'm hoping to do comps next Spring, when the baby will be about five months old-- now that's wishful thinking! I'm hoping that breastfeeding will give me some quality reading time, but I hear that everyone's nursing experience is radically different. I also plan on teaching until I pop. The last day of class is December 12, and my due date is December 15. I'm cutting it close, so I keep reminding my department that the baby may have a completely different plan! Like you, I'm finding that pregnancy in grad school is completely doable. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and parenting a newborn! Please keep us updated. Threeboysmom, wow! Great to hear from you! I'm not a mom yet, but my advice is to quickly seek out other parents in your program or department: whether that be other grad students or faculty. I have since connected with the moms in my program, and they have been so helpful in letting me know who the family-friendly admins are and who the family-unfriendly admins are. It's so nice to feel a sense of camaraderie! We're also talking playdates and the like. Having a sense of support within the department has been a huge boost in this process. Good luck!

So much good news! I could burst! I probably won't attend the conference itself (it's pretty far from my interests), but I'll be on campus that Friday. As the date approaches, let's chat about potentially meeting up!

Congrats, MM!! I know how much you wanted this, and I'm so stoked that you will be joining a program you love!

I agree with lcampb as well. In California, community colleges in particular prefer candidates from local institutions. Why? Because they are more likely to have experience teaching a similar student demographic. I think it's fine to stick with in-state programs, but see if you can find ones that offer teaching experience. The other thing to realize that is with CC teaching, you WILL adjunct for some years before finding a full-time gig. So while the degree is important, at least in my experience teaching at the CC-level, having teaching and service experience will be even more important for securing a full-time position.

I did my MA program in San Francisco, which was about 35 miles away from home. I lived in a small, in-law apartment near campus with my own room. I did take out a small amount of loans (I'd say about $7,000/year). I would have needed to take more out, but I lived with roommates, which helped with the finances a lot. I also worked about 20 hours a week outside of my program and full-time during the summers.

Definitely check out Maryland. We have MITH and lots of people working with digital writing, archives, and text. Plus, we have lots of faculty with your interests, and since we are an English department with both literature and rhet/comp programs, lots of people study incorporate both into their work.

bhr, that's a wonderful list! We'll have to remember it's here for future rhet/comp MA applicants with similar questions. To everyone else: bhr and I met this weekend at Computers and Writing. We hugged. It was magical. Back to the OP: Okay, now that I have my thinking cap on, I have to agree that UMD is not a great fit for you. I actually like that it's in the English Department, but in general, our MA program tends to be unfunded and specifically geared for people who want to prepare for a PhD program, which means lots of research and absolutely no teaching. The PhD program, however, is great, if you decide to pursue another degree when you're done! I imagine Pitt and Carnegie Mellon are the same, especially since both websites do not mention funding in the form of TA'ships. Typically, no funding means no teaching. Also note that the MA in Rhetoric at Hofstra is in the Communication Studies department. From my experience teaching at a CC, it's MUCH easier to get a job teaching writing with an MA in English; hiring committees tend to favor the ease of applicants who don't have to go through the equivalency process. However, if you want to teach public speaking, then an MA in Communications could open up those doors. Another program to add to the list: George Mason University has only recently starting offering an MA and PhD in Writing/Rhetoric; they mention GTA'ships, but they don't specify if they are intended for all grad students or just PhD students. If you are interested in the DMV area, you may want to check out more specifically how they fund MA students!

Thanks, Chad, for your response. I keep missing the "MA" part, and I agree, finding TAships in an MA program can be more challenging. You may want to check out the Funded MA thread here: Though that thread is a mix of lit and rhet/comp programs, it may be a good place to start because these programs will primarily fund students through teaching opportunities. In addition to Oregon State, on the top of my head, Purdue and Miami of Ohio also tend to fund a handful of MA students through TAships. You may also want to consider applying to programs like Penn State and University of Illinois at UC, which offer funded MA's, but as feeder programs to their PhD programs.

I find that many, if not all, rhet/comp programs emphasize pedagogy. I mean, that's a huge part of our field's ethos, right? We are all invested in teaching and teaching writing, and this directs much of our research, even if we aren't explicitly studying the classroom. I do think that any PhD program will push you to pursue research above teaching, and that's because the PhD is research degree.* Still, each and every rhet/comp program I've looked into (and that's a lot!) very much values teaching, and especially sub-fields like basic writing, language diversity, and student diversity, all topics that would prepare you for job search at a small state school and/or community college. *I just wanted to add that while, yes, PhD programs will emphasize research over teaching, the great thing about rhet/comp is that your research can be about teaching, and therefore, not be entirely separated from one other. We are a field teacher-scholars, and I love that.

While it's great that you wouldn't have to take out loans, spending all of your savings on an MA program is rough. I went into my fully funded PhD program with some savings thanks to working for a few years, and I can't tell you how often I fall back on it. Our savings helped us buy a house (and our mortgage is less than the rent of my peers), helped fund conference travel, and now is helping with baby preparation. I would really hold onto your savings, because even in a funded program, having a safety net to fall back on is a huge (and much needed) relief.

Great questions! I'll answer them, but know that I do so from the perspective of a PhD student; I don't know as much about the MA program. Do you feel the program is a balanced mix between academic writing and practical application (such as teaching in a writing center or providing opportunities for grad students to teach comp classes?) Yes! We all (PhD students) teach starting year two. We have the opportunity to teach a handful of classes (101, intro to rhetorical theory, professional writing courses, digital writing, etc); plus, we can work and have administrative roles in the Academic Writing Program and Writing Center office. Pretty much all rhet/comp PhD students file through the AWP office as Assistant Director at some time. How do you feel about professors' involvement in your research? I'm not sure what you mean by this question. They don't get too involved, in that we have pretty much control over what topics and questions we want to pursue (with guidance, of course), but that's the same as with most humanities programs. However, professors are all incredibly supportive. I workshopped a seminar paper from my first semester with the professor over the course of several months and submitted it for publication soon after. I'm still waiting to hear back, but that's an example of how from the beginning, professors support our growth as scholar-teachers through feedback, mentorship, and cheerleading. My main advisor has also sent me a deleted chapter from her book; she wants to know if I want to collaborate to digitize her research. More evidence about prof support: I am the only student studying disability studies, and even though no one (in any department!) does, my professors forward me anything DS-related and some even read DS texts alongside with me. And are students permitted some literature courses in addition to rhetoric classes? Definitely. Coming in with an MA, I had to take nine courses; only two courses were mandated, and I could take any other course I want for the remaining seven. The only downside of Maryland's program, actually, is the lack of rhet/comp coursework. I've only taken rhet/comp courses, but to do so required much creativity and persistence. Most rhet/comp grad students take a handful of lit courses, and the professors are supportive of students writing rhet-based seminar papers for those classes. Also, do you know Maryland's placement rates? I'll just copy and paste Jane's response via email when I asked the same question after accepted: "3. The job placement rate is nearly 100% for our Rhet/Comp students. We have placement in the last 10 years at Carnegie Mellon, Hunter College, Ohio State, Loyola in Baltimore, and Rutgers at Camden." The only recent grad I know who didn't have a job right away chose to take herself off the job market in the Fall after she found out she was pregnant (the first trimester makes doing most things super challenging!); she'll be back on the market this Fall, and I am very confident she'll perform well.

Hi LitGirl! I'm studying rhet/comp at the University of Maryland, College Park. Do you have any specific questions about the program? I'm happy to answer them!

Same. I woke up at 4:30AM yesterday, and managed to sleep in until 5:00AM today. I actually like having these quiet morning hours to myself, though. I've gotten lots of work done (both on my presentation and on self-care in the form of vegging).

I remember some folks were gonna be at Computers and Writing this week! After thirteen hours of travel (metro! plane! plane! shuttle!), I am happily resting in the dorm room at WSU. If you're also here, PM me or connect on the Twitter: @ruthieoo. YAY FRIENDS!

Have y'all seen the MLA Report on Doctoral Study? Two of the recommendations of the report speaks directly to all of your concerns: Validate diverse career outcomes. Departments must give students a full under- standing of the range of potential career outcomes and support students’ choices. Prospective and new students should have information about the program’s placements, the academic job market, and the casualization of the academic workforce. Expand professionalization opportunities. Departments should provide students with ways to acquire skills necessary to scholarship and future employment, such as collaboration, project management, and grant writing. Internships and work with professional associations can provide transformational experiences. Hopefully, these suggestions will encourage placement officers to help PhD students seek careers outside of academia. For me, rather than pursue another degree, I am constantly thinking about how I can market my future dissertation to a broader market. While I hope to stay in academia, I'd also be happy working in advocacy or non-profit work, and I hope my dissertation will enable me to pursue those careers as well. Consider talking to your advisors or placement officer about how you can present your work in a way that can open up alt-ac avenues.

katiegud, I don't think you're behind, but if you are concerned, there is an easy remedy: email your supervisor and introduce yourself. Then, follow their lead regarding how much interaction and preparation you need before you start your program.

My program assigns first year advisors as well, and it has been fine. In fact, I'm happy I got a chance to spend time with one senior scholar who I would have never sought out if we weren't assigned to one another. I have asked the other two assigned advisors to sit on my exam and dissertation committees, and they've said yes! Really, the first year is all about making sure you're settling in and staying on track. Your DGS might be intentional in assigning entering students especially empathetic, warm advisors--regardless of academic interests--for the first year.

I also included a column on transcripts (some schools want unofficial transcripts uploaded, others want three official transcripts mailed to three different campus offices), supplemental info (a few programs want a typed list of relevant coursework or a diversity statement), program name (Rhetoric and Composition; Rhetoric, Literacy, and Composition; Rhetoric, Composition, and Teaching English, etc.) department and faculty contact (and when and how I contacted them), resumes/CV's (most, but not all, programs required one), application fee, GRE code, and my username and password for each application website (perhaps the most important column in my spreadsheet!).

The best models, I believe, are going to be journal articles that speak to your style. There is much diversity in academic writing styles, so find a journal related specifically to your interests, and read, read, read until you find some articles that read like you would want to sound. In general, I think it's important that we all discover our own writing styles as academics, and reading a variety of models can help determine what writing choices you like and what writing choices you don't. Of course, know that most writing samples are not journal article level quality, so don't feel like you have to produce a sample with a bajillion footnotes or archival research or a whole new theoretical framework. Still, the articles can help you see how different people structure their arguments. In my observation, there is typically two or three paragraphs of general introduction, perhaps a partition paragraph, a few pages outlining the theoretical framework, then the rest focuses on close reading and application of theory to support your initial claim. The conclusion usually points to the significance of your research and/or future trajectories of possibility within the realm of your research. And like hj2012 says, your writing sample should match your stated interests. I wouldn't necessarily start from scratch; perhaps look at some short writing assignments from undergrad that you think could be expanded into a writing sample. Lastly, I was a bit confused by your post. Are you at an MFA program now? If so, could you take a poetry class (lit focused) in the Summer or Fall with the purpose of producing a writing sample? Or an independent study with a professor you would want to write you a letter of rec, with, once again, the purpose of producing a writing sample?

Oh, the GRE matters, especially for funding. I just don't know if it is the ultimate, deciding factor of where a person will end up, which is how the OP's advisor described GRE scores.

May_Me_D, you are talking about two separate problems: one, mistreatment from this professor, and two, questionable hiring processes at your institution. However, as a graduate student, you only have one problem, and that is with this one professor. Frankly, we do not have the authority to challenge or rewrite hiring policies. And since you did not serve on the hiring committee, you only have conjecture about why this prof was hired. Still, if your professor is treating you in a way that makes you want to leave the program, that is a big problem that concerns you. I would focus my energy on resolving that issue. If you feel like you can't approach your advisor, the DGS or ombuds person will be good folks to approach. But when you do, just focus on your own problems with the professor. That is all that can be resolved at this point, and that is the most immediate barrier to your success.

You sound like you already have some solid application materials: a strong GPA, honors. Nice work! I'm surprised that your advisor feels that the GRE is a strong indicator of where you will end up; that doesn't seem to be the case, especially since some MA programs don't even require GRE scores at all. Either way, you should try your best, but if you have to decide to put your time and energy toward your writing sample or GRE prep, choose the writing sample! As for programs, I'd search for a program that is funded and offers teaching experience, since that is your career goal. You can look at this old thread for As for what to study, at some MA programs, you can do both. I earned my MA at San Francisco State, where lit MA students could earn a certificate in composition. Keep in mind that with an MA in hand, you'll most likely be teaching primarily composition. I just did a brief perusal of the job postings for full-time lecturers and instructors in the WPA listserve, and most require at least coursework in composition. So, even if you choose to pursue literature, make sure you find a program that offers a handful of graduate composition courses. Other than funding and teaching opportunities, consider applying to programs that offer courses that intrigue you, are in areas you want to live in (others may disagree; I feel like location can be justified as a higher priority for MA applications, as opposed to PhD applications), offer funding and support for professional development (in both teaching and research), and are committed to helping students get to their end goal. Good luck!