Graduate Studies in Literature and Rhetoric/Composition

The area of study in literature and rhetoric/composition allows the student to focus on the history of rhetoric, theories of rhetoric, analysis and production of text, and pedagogy. Complementary courses are offered in the Departments of English and Communication. Careful selection among the complements will encourage an interdisciplinary view of rhetoric.

Required Courses

ENGL 501 Bibliography and Methods of Research
OR ENGL 525 Methods of Research in Technical Writing

ENGL 503 Traditions in Written Rhetoric

ENGL 510 Rhetoric of Prose Composition

Electives in Rhetoric and Communication (6-9 semester hours--If ENGL 501 is chosen, 9 semester hours are required in rhetoric and communication)

ENGL 500 Internship in the College Teaching of English

ENGL 502A Literary Theory and Criticism: History of Literary Theory

ENGL 504 Topics in Materials for the English Classroom

ENGL 526 Technical Writing

ENGL 527 Technical Editing

ENGL 529 Topics in Rhetoric

ENGL 530 Theory and Research in Rhetoric and Professional, Technical Writing

ENGL 600 Topics in the Teaching of College English

ENGL 603 Seminar: Rhetorical Studies

COMS 500 The Classical Tradition in Rhetorical Theory

COMS 502 Contemporary Rhetorical Theory

COMS 503 The Rhetoric of Controversy

COMS 504 Methods of Rhetorical Criticism

COMS 505 Theory and Uses of Argument

COMS 506 Communication Ethics

COMS 510 Symbolic Behavior and Communication

COMS 520 Rhetoric of Social Movements

COMS 540 Seminar in Communication and Gender

COMS 607 Seminar in Persuasion

COMS 660 6 Seminar in Rhetoric

Electives in literature (12-15 semester hours - If ENGL 525 is chosen, 15 semester hours are required in literature)

For further information, contact:

Dr. John Schaeffer
Department of English
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115-2863
(815) 753-6614
tb0jds1@corn.cso.niu.edu

Dr. Susan Callahan
Department of English
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115-2863
(815) 753-6610
callsusan@niu.edu

Dr. Phillip Eubanks
Department of English
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115-2863
(815) 753-0188
eubanks1@niu.edu