Students must complete at least 33 credit hours, including 12 credit hours of required courses, 18 credit hours of elective courses, and a minimum of 3 credit hours toward the culminating project. The most up-to-date requirements can also be found in the program’s page in the UCF Graduate Catalog.


Required Courses (12 Credit Hours)

  • ENC 6335 Rhetorical Traditions (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6720 Research Methods in Rhetoric and Composition (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 5705 Theory and Practice in Composition (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6712 Studies in Literacy and Writing (3 credit hours)

Elective Courses (18 Credit Hours)

Restricted–12 Credit Hours

  • ENC 5237 Writing for the Business Professional (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 5276 Theory and Practice of Tutoring Writing (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 5337 Rhetorical Theory (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 5745 Teaching Practicum (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6945 Community Literacy Practicum (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6244 Teaching Technical Writing (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6306 Persuasive Writing (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6247 Proposal Writing (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6332 Gendered Rhetoric (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6333 Contemporary Rhetoric and Composition Theory (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6338 The Rhetorics of Public Debate (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6339 Rhetorical Movements (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6429 Teaching Writing with Computers (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6245 Teaching Professional Writing (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6740 Topics in Rhetoric and Composition (3 credit hours) Note: This course may be used in the degree program a maximum of 2 times when course content is different.
  • LIN 5137 Linguistics (3 credit hours)
  • LIN 5675 English Grammar and Usage (3 credit hours)
  • LIT 6435 Rhetoric of Science (3 credit hours)
  • ENC 6428 Rhetoric of Digital Literacy (3 credit hours)

Unrestricted–6 Credit Hours

Students will work with an adviser to choose two other graduate-level Writing & Rhetoric courses or approved courses outside the department (e.g., English, Texts & Technology, History).


Thesis/Non-Thesis Options (3 Credit Hours minimum)

The program requires that students complete a culminating project that is approved by the graduate faculty and that contributes to some aspect of rhetorical, writing, and/or literacy studies.

  • ENC 6971 Thesis (3 credit hours) – Students complete a formal thesis on a topic selected in consultation with an advisory committee. See the Thesis Requirement page for more about the thesis process and requirements and for strategies and resources for developing the thesis.
  • ENC 6918 Directed Research (3 credit hours) – For the non-thesis options, students complete either an essay intended for publication or a portfolio representative of their work in the program. See catalog for additional requirements.

Tracking Your Progress

You and your advisor(s) will regularly meet and update your student checklist form to ensure that you stay on track and plan appropriately.

You, the program director, and any other advisors will also regularly check your Graduate Plan of Study (GPS) to ensure that it accurately reflects your progress.