Research Programs

We offer two programs for students to develop expertise in rhetoric, writing studies, and technical communication: a Master of Arts (MA) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Rhetoric and Scientific & Technical Communication (RSTC). Additionally, we offer two research-based minors for students already enrolled in another graduate program at UMN. 

Students in these programs engage with the intersections of language and society through interdisciplinary research, teaching, and community engagement. Drawing from fields including rhetoric, writing studies, and technical communication—and complementing these with students’ chosen areas of specialization—our students and faculty pursue transformative research with local, national, and global significance.

We are a community committed to writing, teaching, and research that matters in our communities, classrooms, and disciplines. Our alumni hold leadership positions in academic and non-academic industries that require a deep understanding of rhetoric, writing, and technology in contemporary contexts. 

Students graduate from our programs prepared to:

  • plan, conduct, and communicate research that builds knowledge and intervenes in the program’s core areas of rhetoric, writing studies, and technical communication;
  • lead in academic, professional, scientific, and civic contexts connecting discourses, identities, and power relations;
  • advocate for and enact social justice as scholar-teachers and professionals;
  • create innovative pedagogies to enable student engagement, agency, and transformative learning; and 
  • empower students as writers, teaching their students to skillfully compose texts that will help them to shape their worlds. 

MA and PhD in Rhetoric and Scientific & Technical Communication (RSTC)

The MA and PhD in RSTC prepare students for academic and professional positions that require expertise in our core areas of rhetoric, writing studies and pedagogy, and technical communication. The curriculum provides broad foundational knowledge in our core areas, research methods, and writing pedagogies while offering flexibility to build specialized expertise. Students also take courses outside the Department of Writing Studies to develop specialized knowledge and skills related to individualized interests. We encourage you to explore the MA degree requirements, the PhD degree requirements, and other aspects of the programs in the Research Programs section of this website.

The MA is a two-year program and the PhD is a five-year program. Both programs are residential, meaning that students are expected to participate in the programs on the UMN-Twin Cities campus. In the fall of their second year, MA students making satisfactory progress are invited to apply to the RSTC PhD program. MA courses transfer to the PhD upon admission.

Learn more about our MA and PhD programs:

Graduate Minors

We offer graduate minors for students pursuing another graduate degree at the University of Minnesota:

Please contact Allie Cooperman at [email protected] for more information.

Non-Degree Graduate Credit

The RSTC program welcomes non-degree-seeking students to take their graduate courses. Prospective students should contact the class instructor for permission. Please view our Non-Degree Graduate Credit page for more information about the registration process.

Contact Us!

We invite you to learn more about our programs and the opportunities that the Department of Writing Studies provides our graduate students. We welcome your questions! Please contact Allie Cooperman, Graduate Programs Coordinator by:

We also invite you to register to attend an information session to learn more about our programs and how to apply. If you are considering applying for one of our programs, review our application requirements.