Rhetorics, Communication and Information Design, PhD

Program Requirements

The PhD program in Rhetorics, Communication and Information Design features an interdisciplinary curriculum developed by faculty from Art, Communication and English. The curriculum provides a solid foundation in theory in addition to extensive training in research and practice.

Admission Requirements

1. Acceptable GRE scores are required. For non-native speakers of English, acceptable TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores must also be submitted.
2. Master’s degree in Communication, English, Art, Professional Communication, or other related field. A student with a master’s degree in another field of study may apply to the program with the understanding that he/she may be required to complete prerequisite, master’s-level courses in professional communication prior to full admission to the PhD program.
3. Minimum grade-point average of 3.5 in previous graduate work. The student must submit all transcripts of previous graduate and undergraduate work.
4. International students seeking graduate teaching assistantships, whose native language is not English and whose secondary education (and beyond) was not taught fully in English, must pass the SPEAK test of proficiency in spoken English. Prospective international teaching assistants will also undergo an interview during which their proficiency in spoken English will be evaluated by faculty members in the RCID program.

In addition, the student must submit the following:

1. Portfolio of previous graduate work, including a writing sample, preferably a sole-authored paper submitted in a graduate class
2. Personal statement addressing the student’s interest and intent in pursuing the PhD in Rhetorics, Communication and Information Design
3. Minimum of three letters of reference from academic sources
4. Completed application for admission

Requirements

Candidates for the PhD degree must complete 36 hours of graduate credit, including five required core courses:

• RCID 8010 - Histories of Rhetorics 3 Credits
• RCID 8020 - Cultural Research Methods 3 Credits
• RCID 8030 - Empirical Research Methods 3 Credits
• RCID 8040 - Visual Rhetorics 3 Credits
• RCID 8050 - Rhetorics, Communication, Information Technologies 3 Credits