MA & PhD Program Student Opportunities and Support

Our program faculty and staff support MA and PhD students throughout their programs. We provide various opportunities to help students get the most out of their studies and pursue their unique professional goals. The College of Liberal Arts Graduate Student Services and the Graduate School Academic & Career Support also provide academic, professional, and personal support for graduate students.

Importantly, the WRTC program is committed to fostering a community that models accessibility, celebrates diverse viewpoints and goals, and is welcoming and inclusive to all. We recognize that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) must be addressed on individual and group levels. Read our department’s Equity and Diversity Statement for more about how we enact our DEIA values. 

Graduate Student Advising

WRTC has a two-stage advising process:

  • Year 1: First-year students are assigned an Initial Advisor based on faculty availability and student interest. Initial Advisors help students navigate program processes and policies during the first year of the program.
  • Year 2 and beyond: At the beginning of the second year, students identify and formalize their Degree Advisor. Degree Advisors support students through remaining coursework, program milestones, and career and professional development. 

The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and Graduate Programs Coordinator (GPC) work closely with students and advisors to foster positive advising relationships.

Pedagogical Support

Writing pedagogies is a critical component of the WRTC curriculum and we provide robust programming to help students develop as teachers. All students take a year-one course sequence of WRIT 5531: Introduction to Writing Theory and Pedagogies and WRIT 5532: Practicum in Writing Pedagogies. At the start of each academic year, students also participate in a week of training sessions tailored to the courses they will teach that year. Both the First Year Writing (FYW) Program and the Technical Writing & Communication Program provide ongoing pedagogical training and support for graduate instructors.

We also encourage students to pursue training opportunities from Writing Across the Curriculum’s Teaching With Writing Program, the Writing-Enriched Curriculum Program and the Center for Educational Innovation (CEI). 

WRTC Programming

We offer robust programming during the academic year. Our programming is designed to support students’ scholarly and personal growth. Recent programming options include:

  • Parlor, a monthly, open-format session where two members of the WRTC community share their research.

  • Professional development workshops on publishing, conference presentations, career exploration, and job searches.

  • Panels with program alums in and beyond the tenure track.

  • A mentor program that pairs incoming and more advanced students to support the transition into the WRTC program and graduate student life at UMN.

Research Support

Studying at a major, research-intensive university allows WRTC students to pursue numerous scholarly and professional development opportunities. The WRTC program disseminates opportunities through a weekly newsletter, including:

Students can also request financial support from the department to help defray research costs and attend conferences. 

Technical Communication Advisory Board

A unique feature of the WRTC program is the opportunity to work with the Department of Writing Studies’ Technical Communication Advisory Board (TCAB). Students learn from technical communication industry leaders through webinars, a mentor program, internships and networking opportunities, and more. TCAB members also provide critical program and curricular feedback so that we can better bridge the gaps between industry and academia.

Student Development Hub

We maintain a robust program website with static resources for WRTC students and faculty. This website offers:

  • information on program milestones, policies, and procedures;
  • our Professional Development Center, with resources for all stages of the graduate student experience;
  • method/ological support and tutorials; and
  • wellbeing resources for being on campus and living in Minnesota.

Departmental Events

WRTC students can engage with a wide variety of departmental events intended to support their professional development and student experiences, including:

  • workshops and webinars with academic and industry experts;
  • diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programming; and
  • celebrations of the National Day on Writing and World Usability Day.