Graduate Program Director: Lori Beth De Hertogh
Phone: (540) 568-3301
Email: dehertlb@jmu.edu
WRTC Graduate Program Website
Program Description
The School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication prepares writing professionals to be agents of change who can solve complex communication challenges. Through close faculty mentoring, students engage in applied, interdisciplinary learning that connects theory to real‑world practice.
The master’s degree is designed for students who are passionate about writing, design, storytelling and communication and who want to build meaningful careers in professional writing contexts. Program graduates pursue jobs in industry, nonprofit, academic and government settings.
Degree candidates must successfully complete a minimum of 33 credit hours of graduate course work, which includes a minimum of two semesters of course work completed at JMU. Students work with WRTC advisors to design a program that fits their unique educational needs and career aspirations. Depending on their interests and career goals, students may take coursework beyond the required 33 hours to obtain additional knowledge or skills in specialized areas. For example, students may choose to take extra course work to enhance their skills in communication technologies or to deepen their academic training in the writing, rhetoric and technical communication content areas in which they intend to work as professional writers or editors.
This program is designed to be completed in 2 years. Summer courses are not required.
Writing Careers
WRTC graduates pursue writing careers in:
- Technical Communication
- Medical Writing
- Professional Editing
- Science Writing
- Information Design
- Digital Storytelling
- Content Strategy
- User Experience
- Grant Writing
- Teaching Writing
- Publication Management
Program Advantages
- Assistantships to cover tuition and provide a stipend to qualified applicants
- Design & Technological Skills to pursue writing careers in digital storytelling, publication management, professional editing, content strategy, UX, and more
- Public & Professional Writing and Health & Science Writing tracks
- Students From Diverse Majors including science, English, sociology, business, education, writing studies, psychology, journalism, and more
- Career Support that includes close mentorship, career advising, job application guidance, and conference travel funding
- Internship or Thesis Option to pursue either an internship or write a research-based thesis
Graduate Program Financial Support
WRTC provides Graduate Assistantships (GAs) to qualified applicants. Assistantships cover in-state or out-of-state tuition and provide a stipend.
Working closely with a faculty member, GAs support the faculty’s scholarly interests by participating in research and teaching projects. GAs may also assist with special projects such as creating digital and social media content and project management for national conferences and other on-campus events.
Second-year GAs may teach their own sections of first-year composition (WRTC 103) after requisite training.
Admission Criteria
Admission decisions will be based on the following:
- Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended.
- Three letters of recommendation from people qualified to comment specifically on the applicant's academic preparation and professional experience.
- A statement of intent that explains how the graduate program relates to the applicant's prior experience, how specific faculty research agendas speak to the applicant's own interests and how the program fits into their long-term professional and/or academic goals.
- 20-30 pages (or the equivalent) of academic and/or professional work samples (essays, reports, proposals, websites, visual campaigns, etc.) comprised of one or more documents.
Online applications for Fall admission are considered from October 1 until March 1 or until available program seats are filled. To be considered for a Graduate Assistantship, all application materials must be submitted by February 1.
Applications from outside North America and Europe must be submitted by February 1 to allow sufficient time for obtaining travel and visa documents to study in the U.S. Applicants will be notified of their application status by March.
There are many areas on campus that offer assistantships, including WRTC. Graduate students interested in assistantships should go to JMU PageUp to search for available positions.
Applicants will be considered for available funding from WRTC. Admission to the program does not guarantee funding through WRTC. The WRTC graduate program encourages applicants with diverse academic and professional backgrounds, including (but not limited to) science, business, computer science, education, English, geography, mathematics, philosophy, political science, psychology, rhetoric and composition, or writing.
Degree Requirements
Students in the program must successfully complete three required courses (nine credits), two courses of thesis or internship hours (six credits) and six courses of WRTC electives (18 credits).
At least 18 of the students' credits must come from course work at the 600 level or above. Up to six of those hours may be WRTC 700 or WRTC 701.
Capstone
Degree candidates have two options for satisfying the capstone requirement for the master's degree:
- Complete a 300-hour internship with an external client on a relevant topic.
- Complete a research-based master's thesis on a relevant topic.
It is important that the student understand that they are solely responsible for the success of the thesis/internship. The student is in charge of completing all paperwork for the school, The Graduate School, registrar, etc., and for meeting all deadlines to matriculate successfully. The student will need to contact these offices well ahead of the semester in which they plan to graduate to ensure that all deadlines can and will be met.
Comprehensive Exam
All students must pass a comprehensive exam in the form of a defense of their capstone project.
Requirements
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| WRTC 500 | Critical Questions and Conversations | 3 |
| WRTC 504 | Professional Editing | 3 |
| WRTC 508 | Research Methods | 3 |
| 9 |
| WRTC 700 | Thesis Research | 6 |
| or WRTC 701 | Internship |
| 6 |
| 18 |
| Organizational Communication | |
| Special Topics in Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication | |
| Ethics in Communication | |
| Intercultural Literacies | |
| Publication Management | |
| Teaching Writing | |
| Public Work of Rhetoric | |
| Genre in Action | |
| Legal Writing | |
| Issues in Rhetorical Theory | |
| Proposal and Grant Writing | |
| Health and Medical Rhetorics | |
| Rhetoric of Science and Technology | |
| Electronic and Online Publication | |
| Communicating Science | |
| Electronic Graphic Design | |
| Content Management | |
| Writers Who Design | |
| Readings and Projects in Technical Communication | |
| 18 |
| Total Credits | 33 |
