Graduate Certificate in Composition Studies (Online)

Overview

The Graduate Certificate in Composition Studies is an 18-hour online program designed to provide English and Writing/Composition instructors with the credentials needed to teach dual-credit/enrollment courses in Texas high schools or lower-division writing courses at local universities and community colleges.* Courses are taught online by faculty with extensive experience and expertise in teaching composition and writing courses. The program provides courses relevant to the challenges of teaching college writing in Texas – teaching that must negotiate different levels of academic preparation, language differences, and cultural differences by incorporating diverse pedagogical strategies.

Admissions Criteria

Applicants must hold a BA, BS, or an equivalent degree from an accredited college or university in the US or overseas and have proficiency in English (if a graduate of a university in which English is not the native language) provided by adequate TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores. The recommended/preferred GPA for applicants is 2.5 or higher.

How to Apply

Complete and submit all of the following items in order to be considered for admission. Personal statements and writing samples can be uploaded through the applicant portal, emailed to [email protected], or mailed to:

• Submit an application
• Pay the $35 application fee
• Request/submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended to the email or mailing address above (including community college work and prior graduate work).
• Provide a 10-15 page academic writing sample. We ask that you compose a researched, argument-driven academic essay on a topic of general interest using a generally recognized academic style sheet for references (MLA, APA, or Chicago).
• Provide a personal statement of approximately 500 words that addresses the following questions in detail. Support your views with reasons and examples drawn from such areas as your reading, experience, observations, or academic studies. Be sure to develop your ideas fully and organize them coherently:
  • Why do you want to study rhetoric and composition?
  • What topics or issues in our field might you want to study further and why?
  • What qualifies you to embark upon this field of study?
  • What experience do you have in this field?
  • How do you plan to use your degree?
• Provide TOEFL scores of 550 with section scores of 50 or higher (if a graduate of a university in which English is not the native language).

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