COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Arts in Composition, Rhetoric, and Professional Writing requires the completion of 30 semester units, including required courses, electives, internships, and a culminating experience. The program begins with 16 units of required courses, including Teaching College Composition (ENGL 220A), Teaching and Composition Research (ENGL 220D), Professional Writing (ENGL 220P), and Topics in Rhetorical Theory and Practice (ENGL 220R), which provide students with a strong foundation in composition theory, professional writing practices, and pedagogical skills. Students must also select one internship course from options including Writing Center Theory and Practice (ENGL 410A), other internship courses (ENGL 410C, ENGL 410E, ENGL 410W) totaling 4 units, providing hands-on teaching and professional experience. In addition, students complete 8 units of electives, which may include courses such as Topics in Composition Studies (ENGL 220C), ESL Writing and Composition (ENGL 215B), Second Language Acquisition (ENGL 210G), Methods and Materials of Literary Research (ENGL 200A), Contemporary Theory (ENGL 201D), or courses from the ENGL 230, 240, 250, 260, 275, or 280 series, allowing students to tailor their studies to their professional or scholarly interests. The program concludes with a 2-unit culminating experience (ENGL 500), in which students synthesize their learning through a project or thesis under faculty supervision. This structure ensures that graduates gain both theoretical knowledge and applied skills in composition, rhetoric, and professional writing, preparing them for teaching roles, professional writing careers, or further graduate study.