Composition and Rhetoric Graduate Certificate Programs

Updated: Dec 20, 2023

Earning an online composition and rhetoric graduate certificate prepares professionals to develop skills that are needed to communicate with diverse audiences and to advance current skills in written and digital communications. Educators strengthen their pedagogical skills as secondary teachers, and may advance opportunities in education administration. This program provides people in other professions with the power to use composition and rhetoric in the pursuit of professional, political, or social goals.

What Are the Online Composition and Rhetoric Graduate Certificate Requirements?

The Online Graduate Certificate in Composition and Rhetoric program at Shawnee State University is designed for those who want to pursue advanced teaching and education administration career positions. Students complete just six courses to earn the graduate certificate.

The 18-credit hour program includes courses that focus on exploring the history, theory, and research methods of composition and rhetoric.

The requirements for admission to the program include:

Contact an enrollment counselor
Submit a completed application
Must have completed a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in English or English Education or a closely related field and preferably a master's degree
Submit transcripts from all previously attended institutions

What Type of Classes are Included in the Online Composition and Rhetoric Graduation Certificate Curriculum?

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock lists its online program as an online Graduate Certificate in Rhetoric & Writing titled the Online Graduate Certificate in Writing Instruction. The school recognizes that teaching courses online is rapidly expanding as an educational delivery method and that teachers need to become skilled in creating effective writing courses online.

The program consists of 18-credit hours of study. The courses include:

RHET 7371 Introduction to Online Writing Instruction (7 weeks)
RHET 7372 Multimedia for Online Writing Instruction (7 weeks)
RHET 7373 Special Topics in Online Writing Instruction (7 weeks)
RHET 7360 Practicum (15 weeks)
One elective in Rhetoric and Writing (7 or 15 weeks)
Graduate Level Theory Course

Students who have previously completed a graduate-level theory course may request to have this course waived upon review.

What Type of Careers Can I Pursue with an Online Composition and Rhetoric Graduate Certificate?

The online composition and rhetoric graduate certificate program provides writing teachers and other educators with an opportunity to enhance their current skills and to gain new skills in the constantly evolving profession of education. People who currently work in or who plan to work in professions such as law, gender and cultural studies, communications, digital humanities, or English as a Second Language (ESL) who complete the online composition and rhetoric graduate certificate program learn how to use both traditional and 21st-century composition and rhetoric so that they can become more marketable for future employment.

Shawnee State University students who complete the program have the opportunity to choose career options that include:

High School Teacher: Many teachers choose to teach writing or composition at the high school level. Teachers may have the opportunity to teach more than one course and to teach students in an online format. Some teachers teach ESL courses after completing the online composition & rhetoric graduate certificate program.
College Instructor: College instructors have the opportunity to teach a variety of writing courses, composition and rhetoric courses, or other academic courses.
College Writing Program Administrator: The college writing program administrator manages the writing program services offered to students. Examples of other responsibilities include planning writing workshops and supervising the research that is conducted through the writing program.

Northern Arizona University offers an online Rhetoric, Writing, & Digital Media Studies Graduate Certificate program. Students who complete this graduate certificate program may have additional career opportunities. One example provided by the school includes:

Career Specialization: Add a career specialization to a current career in editing and technical writing, social media and digital content writing or in freelance writing