Pitt for Composition?

[depthof_field]

Hello all, is anyone else here considering studying Composition under the framework of U of Pittsburgh’s English PhD in Critical & Cultural Studies? I haven't been able to find a thread on this after some lurking/searching, but let me know if there's any out there! I’m curious as to the reputation/perception of this highly interdisciplinary program – especially in comparison to English departments with more traditional comp/rhet programs (UT Austin, UMass Amherst, UMD, PSU, etc.). In addition, any general or specific thoughts on Pitt are welcome! Thanks!

Edited March 20, 2013 by depthof_field

[This_madness]

I went to Pitt for my undergrad and loved it. Loved the English department, the composition faculty I came to know, and loved living in Pittsburgh. Had I been able, I would've applied there for my PhD in comp/rhet. 

 

Since I tutored in the Writing Center, TAed for freshman classes, and took almost every composition class offered to undergrads, I know many of the faculty members well and have a good sense of how the comp program functions. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to try and answer them!

[depthof_field]

Thanks for sharing your experience! The group of profs and PhD students seemed great, and the program felt like a solid fit. I'd love to hear more about your experience with the writing center, since I was hoping to get involved with that (and keep meaning to email the directors; will get on that eventually). Does Pitt not accept their own undergrads? Hmm. (It seems like you have great choices, though!).

[This_madness]

Yeah, Pitt's English department doesn't really accept its own undergrads into the PhD program, unless that student is so perfect that the adcom can't reasonably deny acceptance. (One of my profs mentioned that only 2 of the department’s undergrads have been accepted into the doctoral program in the last decade, and both declined for Ivy League schools? Or something like that.) I guess it stems from the difficulties of the TT job market, where people with all three degrees from the same school are at a disadvantage. 

 

In any case, the Writing Center is wonderful. The tutors are a healthy mix of faculty members, grad students, and highly trained undergrads who each tutor for 10 hours a week. The undergrad tutors are paid hourly, but I'm pretty sure the faculty members/grad students get 1 course release for 10 hours of tutoring. 

 

It's a nurturing, supportive environment, seemingly free of the infighting that occurs within the rest of the English department. (As an undergrad, I wasn’t privy to the nature of the department’s infighting, but I did hear it mentioned on numerous occasions and one of my recommenders said that it made her regret taking the position there. I’m not sure how much this dysfunction affects grad students in the department.)

 

Tutors attend professional development meetings about once a month or so, usually conducted by tutors themselves who specialize in one thing or another (ESL, developmental editing, etc.) 

 

I’d estimate that 50% of the tutees are ESL students, and another 15-20% are freshman engineering students who have to take a rigorous research writing course. Some of the tutors I worked with found the frequency of ESL/engineering students to be dull and repetitive, but if you’re the sort of person who likes to work with writers of any sort, you probably won’t mind. 

[depthof_field]

Awesome notes re: writing center -- thank you again. Curious you mention infighting -- I was under the impression that the faculty across the department's subfields were on friendly, collaborative terms. Granted, I gleaned these positive vibes from a brief visit.

 

I am curious to hear other opinions regarding the reputation/prestige of the program, as well. It's not a major factor for me, but I know it can impact job prospects, etc. and everyone here seems to have strong opinions (one way or another) about such things.

[depthof_field]

(No other thoughts on composition at Pitt, or Pitt at all? Anyone else heading there or debating between heading there in the fall?)

[ComeBackZinc]

I know that Bartholomae is a boss.

 

My fear with smaller comp programs is that they can suddenly cease to exist, if just a few people retire or take a new job. But they can also be incubators for great young scholars, because they can give personalized attention to smaller cohorts. You might find that you have to work a little harder on the job market to stress your commitment to rhet comp as a discipline, but the basic requirement will be the same as for anyone: be the first or sole author of a research article in a recognized journal. I think you should feel encouraged and happy to be heading there in the fall.

[ahhjudy]

pitt has been around for a long while. picking up on comebackzinc's other posts: fit is everything. EVERYTHING. with this said, if pitt fits . . . acq . . . wait. i mean, it's a great program, and i think you'll be well prepped for a good job out of there. it's a liberal program, not squarely within the rhet/comp field/interests (besides barth), but this could be a great benefit when you hit the market. assuming you develop your knowledge of rhet/comp proper (whatever this may mean), then you'll stand out. you'll be different. and they're doing great work with rhetoric and activism as well as digital/multimodal literacies/rhetoric. good stuff there. 

[depthof_field]

Thanks for the thoughts! Pitt was a bit of a wildcard/last minute choice when I applied -- and it surprised me by being my only definite acceptance (hurrah, waitlists!). Nevertheless, it feels like a great enough fit that I will probably just go for it.