Our master's degree in English Composition was created to provide an opportunity for students to study, teach, and practice writing and rhetoric in a variety of contexts. The concentration in Composition focuses on writing—how written texts work rhetorically and stylistically; how historical and social conditions affect what we write and how we construct meaning as we read; and how to teach people to write effectively. The program is firmly grounded in theory and research, with a strong emphasis on pedagogy.
Our program prepares students to teach composition in a variety of settings, including "traditional" and networked classrooms in universities, community colleges, and K-12 settings. The program also prepares students for doctoral work in composition studies, and we enjoy a nearly 100% placement-and-fellowship rate for our Ph.D.-bound students. The program will also benefit those who need expertise as writers of grants, interpreters of public policy, editors, and others interested especially in non-fiction prose.
We offer a range of carefully developed graduate courses in rhetoric and composition studies, from histories of Western rhetoric to seminars in writing center theory/practice to praxis-based courses in computers and writing. Often working collaboratively and across "specialization" lines, our faculty and students engage in a well-rounded program of teaching, research, and outreach. In fact, one of our program's strengths is the opportunity to work closely with faculty in composition studies, literature, and linguistics in developing teaching and research expertise.
2. Application and Admission
Please consult the 2008/2009 Bulletin for current admission requirements. The pages for our program are available here in pdf format:
1. Apply for admission to the University (you must do this even if you are currently a CSUSB undergraduate). You can apply online. Be sure to specify both our program and your desired concentration on your application. You will be required to provide transcripts from all instituions of higher education you have attended to the Admissions Office..
2. Print copies of the "Recommendation Waiver Form," (available on this website), complete the forms, and give them to three individuals capable of commenting upon your aptitude for graduate study. Ask those individuals to supply letters of recommendation accompanied by these forms to the coordinator of your desired concentration, or pick them up from your recommenders in sealed, signed envelopes and include them with the materials listed in (3).
3. Submit to the coordinator of your desired concentration the following materials:
a. A writing sample (5-10 pages); and
b. A statement of purpose (1-2 pages) explaining your interest in our program and how our program is appropriate to your future goals.
4. You can check the Admission Status Page to monitor the progress of your application to the University. When your application has been sent to us for our review and we have received your supporting materials (the three letters of recommendation, your writing sample, and your statement of purpose), we will be able to reach an admission decision. You will be informed of this decision by e-mail. If you do not hear from us within one month of our receipt of your completed application and supporting materials, including letters of recommendation, please contact us.
5. Attention international students: There are additional documents required for international student applications. For information about these requiremments and forms, please see the CSUSB International Student Services "Application Assistance" website at: http://iss.csusb.edu/en/index.asp
3. Degree Requirements (48 units)
Please consult the 2008/2009 Bulletin for current degree requirements. The pages for our program are available here in pdf format:
It is the students' responsibility to monitor their own progress. They should be very aware, at all times, of their GPA, their graduate status, and any other aspects of their graduate studies. It is the students' responsibility to know the regulations regarding all facets of their graduate studies. Keep in mind that the CSUSB Bulletin of the year in which a student enters the program will be the most authoritative source of regulations and policies. In case of a discrepancy between the Bulletin and any other sources of information, including this website, it is always the Bulletin that counts. Since policies and curriculum do change, it is essential that a student have a copy of the Bulletin and be familiar with all information relating to his or her graduate studies.
Students are required to obtain a copy of A Guide to Graduate Studies from the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies (Administration Building Room 127, x75058) and a CSUSB Bulletin.
5. Along the way towards graduation
After you have been admitted, contact the Coordinator for an appointment to set up a course of study.
If you have prerequisite courses to fulfill, try to take them first. If there is a problem in doing so, contact the Coordinator for advice.
If you are admitted as "conditionally classified," try to met the conditions noted on the decision form as soon as you can. Once these conditions are met, contact the Coordinator for classification.
For electives, you do not have to obtain permission for 600-level English classes. Other classes, however, must be preapproved by the Coordinator.
Keep an accurate record of your course work and remember to bring the record every time you come to see the Coordinator regarding your graduate studies.
Once you are eligible to advance to candidacy, contact the Coordinator to file the necessary paperwork.
One quarter before your planned graduation, file a "Grad Check" with the Office of Records and Evaluation.
Check with the Coordinator regarding the Department's policy on your eligibility to participate at the commencement ceremonies held in June and December.
6. Potential pitfalls
Keep in mind that you have a maximum of seven (7) years to complete your degree. Failure to do so may result in termination of your graduate work in the program.
Should you have to be absent from the program, you should file a Leave of Absence petition. Failure to do so will terminate your graduate student status.
Keep an accurate record of your grades. A GPA that falls below 3.0 will place you on probation. A grade below 2.0 will prevent you from graduating.
International students: make sure that you are always in valid status. Being out of legal status (in violation of the conditions specified by relevant federal regulations for student visas) may result in complicated legal issues. You are encouraged to keep in close contact with the Office of International Student Services regarding your status and other related matters.
From A Guide to Graduate Studies: "While the University faculty and staff are available for information and assistance, it is ultimately the student's responsibility to be aware of all academic and administrative deadlines and requirements set by the department and the Office of Graduate Studies."
Note: Some forms and documents on this website are in pdf format. In order to view and print these forms, you need the Acrobat Reader; If you do not have the Acrobat Reader installed on your computer, it is available as a free download.
