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 and the Graduate School also provide academic, professional, and personal support for graduate students.

Importantly, the RSTC 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. 

Pedagogical Support

Writing pedagogies is a critical component of the RSTC 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). 

RSTC Programming

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

Cohort Meetings

The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and Graduate Programs Coordinator (GPC) facilitate cohort meetings each semester. These meetings provide space for students to share feedback about their graduate school experiences, ask questions, and help the program learn how they can better support student progress.

First-Year Mentor Program

The RSTC mentor program pairs first-year and more advanced students to support the transition into the RSTC program and graduate student life at UMN. 

Milestone Meetings

Milestone Meetings are informal question-and-answer sessions about the major RSTC MA and PhD milestones. Topics include coursework planning, the Plan B project, preliminary exams, and the dissertation.

Parlor

Parlor is a monthly, open-format session where two members of the RSTC community share their research. About half of the time is reserved for presentations and the other half for Q&A. Parlor is a great opportunity for students to practice their presentation skills and form collaborations with other students, faculty, and staff.

Professional Development (PD) Sessions

PD sessions support student growth and wellbeing in graduate school. Session topics vary based on student interest, faculty and staff expertise, and trends in the field. Recent topics have included:

  • RSTC alumni panels;
  • transferable skills; and
  • a job search series with Q&As on the major job application materials.

Writing Hour 

We host weekly Zoom sessions for students to work in community and find accountability buddies. 

Research Support

Studying at a major, research-intensive university allows RSTC students to pursue numerous scholarly and professional development opportunities. The RSTC 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 RSTC 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 RSTC 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

RSTC 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;
  • participation in departmental governance through the WRIT Graduate Committee;
  • diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programming; and
  • celebrations of the National Day on Writing and World Usability Day.