Rhetoric and Composition is a field that encompasses studies in classical and modern rhetoric as well as studies in composition - how to write, teaching others to write, the writing process, cultural boundaries, etc.  Rhetoric and composition is an excellent field for those wishing to teach writing at the community college or university level, teachers at the secondary level who wish to further their studies by focusing on writing and argument within the classroom, or those seeking writing jobs in the business world.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the MARC assistant Cheyenne Riggs via email, marc@txstate.edu, or telephone, 512.245.7684,  for more information. or peruse our course offerings and descriptions here.

Instructional Assistants
Duties of IAs vary, but most assist in large literature courses taught by lead teachers; IAs attend lectures, operate media equipment, grade papers, and—in some cases—conduct review sessions.  At midterm and at the end of the semester, lead teachers submit evaluations of the IAs to the Director of Lower-Division Studies.  During their initial semester in the program, IAs must take English 5172 (Practicum in English Studies), a one-credit course for intructional assistants in English.  IAs are also required to attend a one-day training workshop in August a few days prior to the beginning of the fall semester.  Instructional assistantships are granted for one year only; IAs who wish to become TAs must complete the 18 requisite hours in English.  IAs earn $9,855 per academic year, paid in 9 monthly installments beginning the first working day of October.

Teaching Assistants
TAs teach their own sections of a first-year English class under the supervision of the Director of Lower-Division Studies.  During their initial semester in the program, TAs must take English 5182 (Practicum in Composition), a one-credit course for those teachign English 1310 on their own for the first time.  TAs are also required to attend one-day training workshops in August and January a few days prior to the beginnign of the semester.  TAs earn $12,213 per academic year, paid in 9 monthly installments beginning the first working day of October.

Benefits
IAs and TAs are eligible for in-state tuition.

Length of Appointments
IAs and TAs are hired during the spring and begin their duties in August.  Appointments are renewable, depending on favorable evaluation, but may not exceed a total of 2 years for MA students or 3 years for MFA students.  Any exception to these limits will be specified in the initial letter of appointment.  Shorter limits will apply to canidates who have completed some degree requirements prior to appointment.

Course Load
As a condition of continuing appointment, graduate assistants must take at least 9 credit hours of course work in each long semester, and at least 18 hours of course work per academic year, including summer school.

Conversion from IA to TA Status
Those intitially hired as IAs may be offered subsequent appointemtns as TAs.  This change of status, however, depends on the student's qualifications (including completion of at least 18 graduate horus in English), the number of available TA positions, and the needs of the Department.  The change is not automatic.

Outside Employment
A graduate assistantship is considered full-time work. IAs and TAs shoud not ordinarily accept additional employment.  IN this respect, they are subject to the same Regents' Rules that apply to all faculty.  These rules state that:

faculty should be discouraged from accepting regular employment outside the component Unioversity...any outside employment must be approved in advance by the Chair or the Director.

Application Procedures
If you need an application form sent to you or require further information, please contact the director, or

he Graduate College has limited funds to support graduate student travel to professional meetings.  To be eligible for these funds, the student must be presenting a paper or poster.  The student must also be enrolled during the semester the conference is held and meet all Texas State travel regulations.

The maximum allocation from the Graduate College is $300 for out-of-state and $150 for in-state travel.  To request travel funds, the student should obtain the required Graduate Student Travel Funds Request form, complete the form and submit the form to their department.  In most cases, the student’s department and academic College also contribute funds for the student’s travel.

Registration is open to incoming graduate students during the first day of late registration. More information can be found here about how to register. After your first semester as a graduate student, you are eligible (and encouraged) to sign up for classes during the early registration period.