The Master of Arts in Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric is a 30-credit program that offers a variety of graduate courses in technical writing, digital rhetoric, and writing technologies and provides opportunities for hands-on experience, advanced scholarship, internships, and professional development. Students can complete the program onsite or online.
Paid Graduate-Assistant Positions
We offer paid graduate-assistant positions for students interested in teaching first-year writing. The program consists of 30 credits of coursework, including a culminating activity.
Required Courses (9 credits total)
- ENGL 6401 Research Methods in Technical Writing and Digital Rhetoric – 3 credits
- ENGL 6400 Advanced Editing – 3 credits
- ENGL 6402 Critical Theories in Technical Writing and Digital Rhetoric – 3 credits
Elective Courses (18 credits total)
Choose 6 of the following courses
- ENGL 6820 Practicum in Teaching College Composition (required for GAs) – 3 credits
- ENGL 6480 Special Topics in Technical Writing (repeatable) – 3 credits
- ENGL 6460 Special Topics in Digital Rhetoric (repeatable) – 3 credits
- ENGL 6470 Special Topics in Writing Technologies (repeatable) – 3 credits
- ENGL 6920R Directed Readings in Technical Writing and Digital Rhetoric (required for thesis option; repeatable) – 1-3 credits
Choose 1 of the following culminating activities (3 credits total)
- ENGL 6972R Master’s Thesis – 3 credits
- ENGL 6971 Professional Portfolio in Technical Writing and Digital Rhetoric – 3 credits
- ENGL 6900 Professional Internship – 3 credits
Course Rotation
2-Year Schedule
The TW&DR program will publish a tentative course schedule two years in advance so that prospective and current students can see the course rotation to plan their progress toward graduation. This will also give faculty time to prepare quality graduate curriculum. Note that thesis, portfolio, internship, and directed readings credits are not listed as courses.
| COURSE | INSTRUCTOR |
|---|---|
| FALL 2023 | |
| ENGL 6820: Practicum in Teaching College Composition | Dr. Shauna Wight |
| ENGL 6401: Research Methods in TWDR | Dr. Joy McMurrin |
| ENGL 6402: Critical Theories in TWDR | Dr. Florence Bacabac |
| ENGL 6480: Designing Text for New Media | Dr. Cheri Crenshaw |
| SPRING 2024 | |
| ENGL 6400: Advanced Editing | Dr. Cheri Crenshaw |
| ENGL 6460: User-centered Design | Dr. Joy McMurrin |
| ENGL 6470: Multimodal Production | Dr. Chalice Randazzo |
| FALL 2024 | |
| ENGL 6820: Practicum in Teaching College Composition | Dr. Jim Haendiges |
| ENGL 6401: Research Methods in TWDR | Dr. Florence Bacabac |
| ENGL 6402: Critical Theories in TWDR | Dr. Joy McMurrin |
| ENGL 6480: Writing Technologies, Multiliteracies, and Global Englishes | Dr. Shauna Wight |
| SPRING 2025 | |
| ENGL 6400: Advanced Editing | Dr. Cheri Crenshaw |
| ENGL 6460: Audiovisual Client Narratives | Dr. Amanda Scott |
| ENGL 6470: 5 Canons of Rhetoric and A.I. | Dr. Joy McMurrin |
| FALL 2025 | |
| ENGL 6820: Practicum in Teaching College Composition | Dr. Shauna Wight |
| ENGL 6401: Research Methods in TWDR | Dr. Florence Bacabac |
| ENGL 6402: Critical Theories in TWDR | Dr. Joy McMurrin |
| ENGL 6480: Visual Design | Dr. Jim Haendiges |
| SPRING 2026 | |
| ENGL 6400: Advanced Editing | Dr. Cheri Crenshaw |
| ENGL 6460: Rhetoric of Data and Information | Dr. Lacy Hope |
| ENGL 6470: Technical Writers as Advocates | Dr. Chalice Randazzo |
| FALL 2026 | |
| ENGL 6820: Practicum in Teaching College Composition | Dr. Jim Haendiges |
| ENGL 6401: Research Methods in TWDR | Dr. Florence Bacabac |
| ENGL 6402: Critical Theories in TWDR | Dr. Joy McMurrin |
| ENGL 6480: GIS Mapping and Rhetoric of Place | Dr. Theda Wrede |
| SPRING 2027 | |
| ENGL 6400: Advanced Editing | Dr. Cheri Crenshaw |
| ENGL 6460: User-centered Design | Dr. Joy McMurrin |
| ENGL 6470: Multimodal Production | Dr. Chalice Randazzo |
| FALL 2027 | |
| ENGL 6820: Practicum in Teaching College Composition | Dr. Shauna Wight |
| ENGL 6401: Research Methods in TWDR | Dr. Florence Bacabac |
| ENGL 6402: Critical Theories in TWDR | Dr. Joy McMurrin |
| ENGL 6480: Personal and Corporate Identities (or Writing for Digital Media) | Dr. Cheri Crenshaw |
Application Deadlines
NOVEMBER 15
Spring Semester
APRIL 15
Fall Semester Priority and Graduate Assistants
JULY 15
Fall Semester
Contact
Mike Peterson, Ph.D.
Department Chair
Email: Mike.Peterson@utahtech.edu
Phone: 435-879-4373
Office: Holland 446
Joy McMurrin, Ph.D.
Technical Writing & Digital Rhetoric Program Chair
Email: Joy.McMurrin@utahtech.edu
Phone: 435-879-4294
Office: Holland 448
Lillian Minar
Administrative Assistant
Email: lillian.minar@utahtech.edu
Phone: 435-652-7815
Office: Holland 465