The Composition and Cultural Rhetoric Doctoral Program (CCR)

Current Students: Degree Timeline

First Year students will take required core courses and begin to study the Core Reading Exam List. Students awarded Teaching Assistantships teach three undergraduate writing studio sections per academic year, usually two in the fall and one in the spring, and participate in The Writing Program's teaching practicum course with weekly meetings. Students awarded Fellows typically take additional coursework in their first fellowship year. Students are encouraged to propose conference papers for national or regional conferences from the first year.

In the Second Year, students complete their required course work. During the academic year, they should continue studying the Core Reading List as well as choose either choose a seminar paper on which to base their exam-mandated publishable article or begin work on the annotated bibliography, also required as part of the comprehensive exams. Initial conversations with possible Exam committee members should also occur. During the summer of their second year, students will actually take the Core Reading List exam. Second year students are also registered for the Future Professoriate Project and begin participating in FPP events. Teaching Assistants develop courses and begin collecting material for a professional portfolio.

By the Third Year, in the Fall Semester, students should select an exam committee and complete the final two portions of the comprehensive exam (publishable article/annotated bibliography). Once exams are completed, students should select a dissertation committee and work begins on the prospectus, which should be approved early in the Spring semester. Students continue to participate in the Future Professoriate Project, work with their teaching mentor, and develop and teach an upper-division course. Student should continue to present papers at conferences, and to develop their research into journal articles when appropriate.

Students who have followed the degree timeline to this point will have the Fourth Year available for dissertation writing and polishing, and career development. Through the Future Professoriate Project, students complete their teaching portfolio and earn the Teaching Associate Certificate in University Teaching. Students work with the program's Placement Committee and begin the job search, making applications, preparing for interviews and campus visits.

Students who need an additional year or more to complete the dissertation may apply for funding beyond the fourth year. We offer two positions in the Graduate Editing Center of the Writing Center and also often have TAships come available that we can offer.   A number of our students have applied for and received TAships in the Department of Women's and Gender Studies.  We also can provide support as you apply for dissertation fellowships. The Director of Graduate Studies will work with you to figure out a plan for funding beyond the fourth year.