Ph.D. in English-Rhetoric, Writing, & Culture

The Ph.D. in Rhetoric, Writing, and Culture program provides students with employable skills in the area of professional and technical communication. This innovative and regionally unique program invites students to work at the intersection of rhetorical, textual, and cultural studies.

100% of the graduates from this program find employment in their field. Our graduates may pursue careers as:

• Professors in universities or colleges
• Training and development specialists, user-experience experts, and human-computer interaction specialists in the industry
• Technical, scientific, or professional writers and editors in research and development organizations, high-tech companies, non-profit organizations, or government agencies

Hands-on experience is essential to our program. The Rhetoric, Writing, and Culture Ph.D. requires six credits of experiential learning. Students can work with professors or mentors in disciplinary writing. Others opt to intern for non-profits or local industries.

NDSU offers opportunities for students in the Ph.D. program to teach discipline-specific writing, such as:

• Writing in the sciences
• Writing for engineers
• Writing in business and finance

Meet our Ph.D. instructors

North Dakota State University is distinctive as a student-focused, land-grant, research university.

NDSU is ranked 94 among public research universities based on NDSU’s research expenditures reported to the National Science Foundation. In addition, NDSU is listed in the National Science Foundation’s top 100 in several areas, including agricultural sciences; business management and business; communications; computer sciences; natural resources and conservation science; political science and government; social sciences; sociology, demography, and population studies; and visual and performing arts.

The main campus is in Fargo, North Dakota, with Extension Service and Research Experiment Station locations across the state.

Mission, Vision, Core Values

Mission

With energy and momentum, North Dakota State University addresses the needs and aspirations of people in a changing world by building on our land-grant foundation.

Vision

We envision a vibrant university that will be globally identified as a contemporary metropolitan land-grant institution.

Core Values

NDSU is guided by the following key values and principles:

Land-Grant

We reflect and serve geographically and culturally diverse populations. We share institutional success across the university. We anticipate and welcome growth and service that will occur in ways yet to be conceived. We embrace our unique complexities as a land-grant university on the Northern Great Plains. We remain committed to serving people globally.

People

We derive strength and vitality from each other and from the diverse communities we serve. We envision an academic and social environment that is conducive to intellectual and personal development by promoting the safety and welfare of all members of the university community. We promote excellence through individuals participating in decisions and value cooperation for the common good.

Teaching and Learning

We provide a superior teaching and learning environment within and outside the traditional classroom. We promote and value liberal, graduate, and professional education in a collegial environment where divergent ideas can be shared. We foster an environment that promotes life-long learning with individually defined goals.

Ethics

We maintain our integrity through principled action and ethical decision-making.

Culture

We will be the land-grant university that we want to be by welcoming and respecting differences in people and ideas. We support the goals of the North Dakota University System and value collaboration with colleges and universities around the world. We foster accessibility to our programs and services.

Accountability

We have a special relationship with and are accountable to, the people of North Dakota. We actively strive to contribute to our region's economic prosperity and to improve the quality of life.