In the last 5 years the number of applications per year has risen from 36 to 106. The number of new students the Department can admit is set by the Graduate Division and varies from year to year but is usually about 8. Rhetoric applicants are increasingly successful in competition for the University's best fellowships. Approximately 8 sections of this undergraduate requirement are taught each semester.
Most sections have both a graduate student instructor and a graduate student teaching assistant.
GSIs are also responsible for discussion sections of lower division courses and of larger, required upper-division lecture courses. Rhetoric graduate students have in the past supported themselves as GSIs for the maximum 4 years. Some Research Assistantships are usually available each semester. These are arranged between faculty with research grants and interested students.