PhD in English - Composition and Rhetoric in Madison United States | University of Wisconsin-Madison

To join the composition and rhetoric PhD program, applicants must hold a master's degree before beginning doctoral studies. This specialization fosters a dynamic scholarly environment where students and faculty explore diverse areas such as literacy research, composition theories and teaching methods, rhetorical analysis, and writing center administration. Our faculty bring expertise in migration studies, racial and ethnic perspectives, critical frameworks, historical and ethnographic approaches, spatial analysis, environmental discourse, scientific communication, visual rhetoric, and cross-border studies. With small class sizes, doctoral candidates receive personalized guidance from faculty advisors during coursework and dissertation work. The program actively partners with departments like Communication Arts, Language Sciences, and Curriculum and Instruction. Students gain extensive professional training in pedagogy, academic research, and writing program leadership, preparing them for comprehensive careers in composition and rhetoric studies.