Special Program Features, Composition and Rhetoric

Graduate students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst benefit from a range of teaching and other professional development opportunities, opportunities that prepare students to enter scholarly communities.   For those interested in Composition and Rhetoric, these include a regular informal gathering called Compshare where graduate students and faculty share work in progress, brainstorm ideas for conference papers, and discuss professionalization.  Such meetings provide an ideal opportunity for faculty and graduate student to collaborate as colleagues outside of more structure relationships in seminars.  The English Department also sponsors the Walker Gibson Lecture, given annually by a leading scholar in composition and rhetoric.  

Other opportunities include the following: 

University Writing Program

The University Writing Program’s emphasis on writing education and teacher training has earned national recognition, receiving accolades in 2002 by U.S. News World and Report.  Graduate students can teach and conduct research in the Program’s first-year writing courses and in the junior-year courses that are part of the university’s Writing Across the Curriculum project. 

The Program offers ongoing support to teachers of the first-year writing courses: a week-long orientation, ongoing practica, and ongoing mentorship by faculty and experienced graduate students.  Experienced teachers may also apply to teach in the Program’s computer classrooms, teach Basic Writing, and propose to teach Experimental Writing courses.  Experimental Writing courses are special topic writing courses that enable graduate students to design a course and allow undergraduates to broaden their writing experiences.

Moreover, graduate students can join conversations around curricular development.  Students can participate in the University Writing Committee as well as the Program’s committees on curriculum, textbook selection, and diversity.  In addition to teaching positions, the Program makes available several professional positions for graduate students: an Instructional Technology Assistant, Resource Center Instructional Development staff (experienced graduate student teachers who mentor new Program teachers), and Writing Center Assistant Directors.

University Writing Center

The University Writing Center, housed in the university student support center of the Learning Commons, offers one-on-one writing tutoring for undergraduate and graduate students.  Graduate students, in addition to their teaching appointments, may work as hourly tutors and, with experience, can apply to be a Writing Center Assistant Director.

Western Massachusetts Writing Project

A National Writing Project site, the Western Massachusetts Writing Project is based at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.  The WMWP is in the 10%-most-active category of the 160 NWP sites. The WMWP offers a Summer Institute, extensive in-service programs, and special workshops for large numbers of teachers, primary school through college including graduate students. Most recently, its workshops have included Teachers as Researchers, Writing for All (a program that serves ESL/Bilingual teachers), and Teachers as Writers.

Fellowships and Awards

Charles and Kay Moran Graduate Fellowship in Composition and Rhetoric

The Charles and Kay Moran Graduate Fellowship is awarded annually to a promising incoming graduate student with special interest in the teaching of writing.  This Fellowship has been made possible through a generous donation from the Morans with supporting donations from alumni, faculty, and friends.

Walker Gibson Essay Award

The Walker Gibson Award is given annually to the best graduate student essay on studies in composition and rhetoric.  An emeritus professor of our Department, Walker Gibson is known for his work on persona and style, including the book Tough, Sweet and Stuffy: An Essay on Modern American Prose Style.   He is also a former President of the National Council of Teachers of English. 

Conference Travel Support

Graduate students who present at professional conferences may request supplemental support from the Writing Program in addition to support offered by the Department of English.

See the Graduate Program page for additional information on Fellowships and Awards.

Faculty

Courses

Recent Graduates

Program Features