From: decemj@vccnorthe.its.rpi.edu (John Arthur December)
Subject: Technical Communication & Rhetoric at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York
Keywords: technical communication, rhetoric, graduate, MS, PhD
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 16:59:31 GMT


_________________________________________________________________________

                          Graduate Programs in 

                        TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION 

                                 and 
 
                       COMMUNICATION AND RHETORIC 

                                  at 
                    Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
                            Troy, New York
_________________________________________________________________________


The Department of Language, Literature, and Communication at Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute seeks outstanding students for advanced study
leading to the M.S. degree in Technical Communication and the M.S. and
Ph.D. degrees in Communication and Rhetoric.


M.S. in Technical Communication

The program of study leading to the M.S. in Technical Communication
combines work in theory, skills of writing and text design, and
analysis of communication systems and contexts.  It prepares students
for employment as information and writing specialists in industry or
government, although this program can also serve as prelude to doctoral
studies either at Rensselaer or elsewhere.


M.S. in Communication and Rhetoric

The master's program in Communication and Rhetoric emphasizes theory
and research methods for studying communication in context, including
but not limited to the context of science and technology.  This program
prepares students for teaching at the community college or secondary
level, for work in industry or government, or for doctoral study either
here at Rensselaer or elsewhere.


Ph.D. in Communication and Rhetoric

Students may be admitted to the doctoral program immediately upon
completion of the master's degree either here at Rensselaer or
elsewhere, although many of our students begin doctoral study after
some years of experience in teaching or in industry.  The program
requires 60 credit hours beyond the M.A. or M.S., up to half of which
will be devoted to intensive research culminating in a dissertation.
As in our M.S. program, various theoretical and methodological
perspectives are represented.



FACULTY AND RESEARCH INTERESTS

David Carson (Ph.D., Delaware)--Technical, professional, and scientific
communication; forms and processes of writing in industry.

Carol Colatrella (Ph.D., Rutgers)--Literary theory; feminist literary
criticism; modern European and American fiction; literature and
science.

Ellen Esrock (Ph.D., New York University)--Literary theory;
philosophical and psychological foundations; interrelationship of the
arts.

Cheryl Geisler (Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon)--Social and cognitive aspects
of reading and writing; theories of pedagogical practice; critical
thinking in the disciplines.

S. Michael Halloran (Ph.D., Rensselaer)--Rhetorical theory and
criticism; the rhetoric of scientific discourse; history of American
rhetoric.

Teresa Harrison (Ph.D., Bowling Green)--Communication theory;
organizational and interpersonal communication.

Robert Krull (Ph.D., Wisconsin-Madison)--Theory construction; research
design and methodology; on-line information displays.

Karen Burke LeFevre (Ph.D., Rensselaer)--Rhetorical invention; teaching
writing in all disciplines; social aspects of rhetoric and
composition.

Marie W. Meteer (Ph.D., Massachusetts-Amherst)--Computational
linguistics; natural language processing; discourse analysis.

Roxanne Mountford (Ph.D., Ohio State)--Rhetorical theory; feminist
rhetorical criticism; history of religious rhetoric; composition theory
and research.

Alan Nadel (Ph.D., Rutgers)--Literary theory; modern and contemporary
American literature; American cultural studies; creative writing.

Lee Odell (Ph.D., Michigan)--Composition theory and research; writing
in nonacademic settings; writing across the curriculum.

David Porush (Ph.D., Buffalo)--Literary and discourse theory; science
and literature; science writing; contemporary fiction; creative
writing.

Philip Rubens (Ph.D., Northern Illinois)--Communication research;
visual and verbal literacy; impact of new technologies and theory on
the communication process.

Patricia Search (M.A., Goddard)--Visual design theory and practice;
computer-generated imagery and graphics; computer animation; hypermedia
interface design.

Timothy Stephen (Ph.D., Bowling Green)--Interpersonal communication;
small group behavior; marital and family interaction.

Merrill D. Whitburn (Ph.D., Iowa)--Writing process in industry;
teaching of technical communication; history of English studies;
history of rhetoric; rhetoric bibliography.

James P. Zappen (Ph.D., Missouri)--History of rhetoric; scientific
rhetoric; technical communication.



FACILITIES

Rensselaer has an extensive computing network comprised of PC/DOS and
Macintosh personal computers, Sun and IBM UNIX workstations, and UNIX
large scale systems.  Hundreds of desktop workstations, many with
sophisticated graphics capabilities, are readily available for
students' use in public access laboratories and in student residence
halls.

Access to Internet, Usenet, and BITNET are available.  The 400,000
volume Folsom Library is supplemented by a number of other research
libraries in the immediate area, to which students have direct access
through the Capital District Library Council.

Departmental facilities also include a Writing Center and a
Communication Research Laboratory.



ADMISSION AND SUPPORT

Students holding a bachelor's degree in any field may apply to our
graduate program.  For additional information and an application form,
direct correspondence to:

        Merrill Whitburn, Chair 
        Department of Language, Literature, and Communication 
        Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 
        Troy, New York 12180-3590

or call 518/276-6469.  Electronic mail may be sent to Susan M. Katz,
Assistant to the Chair, at usergtuz@mts.rpi.edu or 
USERGTUZ@RPITSMTS.BITNET.  Mention where you saw this notice.

Applications are considered throughout the year but should be made as
early as possible.  All applicants who wish to be considered for
assistantships should apply by February 15, but other forms of aid are
available.  All applicants must take the GRE.

All support is awarded competitively; however, many students who seek
support do receive aid.


----- 
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute admits qualified students
without regard to sex, sexual preference, race, color, national or
ethnic origin, religion, age, marital status, or handicap.

-- 
John December/decemj@rpi.edu/Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute/Troy, New York
PhD Student/Department of Language, Literature, and Communication 
Newsgroups: soc.college.gradinfo