Funded Writing and Rhetoric MA Programs

[KendraA]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone knows of any funded writing and rhetoric MA programs. I want to go straight for the PhD, but I worry that with just a BA it might be a long shot to get accepted to any of these programs.

Thanks!

[ComeBackZinc]

The best place to start looking is likely the Doctoral Consortium in Rhetoric and Composition.

http://www.cws.illinois.edu/programs/rc_consortium/

R/C funds a few MAs every year here at Purdue, typically 2 or 3.

One thing that I always point out is that for many schools, departmental/TA funding may not be available for masters students, but there are still opportunities out there. Here at Purdue, many funding opportunities come across the listserves for GAs from various administrative and student service departments across campus. These usually require a half time (20 hour a week) commitment in an office job in exchange for tuition waiver and a modest stipend, on line with what TAs receive. That might not be ideal, but it's a way to avoid taking out student loan debt. Plus, if you can secure this sort of funding for your first year, you might be able to develop relationships with faculty and administrators within your department, potentially leading to an TA for your second year. I know of several people who have done that at other schools. Beat the bushes and see what you can find.

[KendraA]

Thank you ComeBackZinc, you are a lifesaver.

[Two Espressos]

Thank you ComeBackZinc, you are a lifesaver.

He is--he's one of the nicest, most reliable people on these boards. He gives excellent advice.

[KendraA]

I agree!

[ComeBackZinc]

Yes, but I'm doing it all for devious ends.

Maniacal laugh! Maniacal laugh!

[GuateAmfeminist]

Yes, but I'm doing it all for devious ends.

Maniacal laugh! Maniacal laugh!

I hope you were quoting the new Muppets movie because that is my new favorite movie. Who doesn't love Rowlf the dog?

EDIT: sorry, I was so excited that I messed up

Edited May 4, 2012 by GuateAmfeminist

[Historiogaffe]

If you're up for applying to Canada, the universities of British Columbia and Alberta both have strong rhetoric focuses. (UBC for history of rhetoric, rhetoric of science/medicine, and linguistics; Alberta for rhetoric and composition, pedagogy, and digital humanities.) Their MAs are funded, and, as a bonus, both place their MA students very well in American PhD programs. UBC MAs have gone to Michigan, Brown, and Harvard recently; and, while I know less about Alberta's stats, I know they've just put someone in Michigan.

UBC is very highly ranked for its English scholarship; Alberta's going full-throttle ahead to get itself into the international top 50 by 2020, according to Imre Szeman -- which means it's padding its admission offers with serious cash.

Waterloo and Simon Fraser both offer rhetoric coursework; the former a rhetoric-specific MA program. Neither is prestigious, but both fund.

Funding is basically the norm in Canada -- with U of T as the exception -- normally in the form of a TA- or RA-ship, or one of those and a scholarship. If you PM me I can give you specific examples of funding offers I received.

Edited May 27, 2012 by A Proper Pun

[impending]

I want to go straight for the PhD, but I worry that with just a BA it might be a long shot to get accepted to any of these programs.

After applying for Fall 2012 with just a BA, I learned that some schools actually prefer applicants who don't have an MA first. I know this is true of Penn State, which usually accepts around 3 funded "MA students" who are really expected to stay through the PhD, then only one maaaybe two PhD students who already have MAs. UT Austin accepts and funds students directly to the PhD program both with and without MAs, but I have less of an idea whether they actually prefer BA-only applicants. From what I understand this may actually be a growing trend, but I'm not sure what other programs have this mentality. But don't rule out PhD programs just because you assume you can't compete--do some digging first!