DRPW Degree Requirements

For the MA in Digital Rhetoric and Professional Writing (DRPW),  students should consult the handbook (available from the graduate Handbooks and Forms page) published during their first year of study for details about degree requirements and progress expectations. Students may also find Appendix L, the MA-DRPW Advising Guide and also Appendix O: Ideal MA Timeline helpful. Both are available from the Handbook and Forms page.

Course Requirements  

Core Requirements for Plan A and Plan B  

1. All of the following core courses (13 credits):  

    • WRA 415 Digital Rhetoric (3 credits)
    • WRA 420 Content Management for Professional Writers (3 credits)
    • WRA 841 Professional Writing Theory and Research (3 credits) 
    • WRA 882 Contemporary Theories of Rhetoric ** (3 credits)
      • **With the approval of the director and the major advisor, WRA 805 or another theory course may be substituted.  
    • WRA 886 Master’s Research Colloquium (1 credit)

2. Two of the following courses (6 credits):  

    • WRA 410 Advanced Web Authoring (3 credits)
    • WRA 852 Portfolio Workshop or WRA 890 Independent Study (3 credits)
    • WRA 893B Internship in Professional Writing (variable credit) 

3. A minimum of six (6) additional credits from the following list.  

    • WRA 410 Advanced Web Authoring  
    • WRA 453 Grant and Proposal Writing  
    • WRA 482 Information and Interaction Design  
    • WRA 848 Cultural Rhetorics 
    • WRA 853 Workshop in Rhetoric and Writing
    • WRA 860 Multimodal Composing Theory and Practice
    • WRA 877 Community Literacy  
    • WRA 878 Composition Studies: Issues, Theory, and Research  
    • WRA 882 Contemporary Theories of Rhetoric  
    • WRA 992 Seminar in Literacy Studies
    • WRA 893B Internship in Professional Writing  
    • WRA 898 Master’s Thesis Research (1-4) 

NOTE: Completion of WRA 410, WRA 852, and WRA 893B may not count towards both requirements 2 and 3.  

DEGREE COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS

Additional Requirements for Plan A: Thesis prospectus. WRA 899 Master’s Thesis Research (4 credits) and pass a final oral certifying exam on the thesis and coursework.  

Additional Requirements for Plan B: Complete an additional 6 credits of coursework from the list of electives above in consultation with the student’s advisory committee. Present a final certifying portfolio or pass a a final certifying examination. 

The first class counted toward the degree initiates degree progress; completion of the MA must occur within six (6) years of entering the program.