Master’s Degree in Speech Communication & Rhetoric.

The University of South Carolina welcomes applications from students interested in pursuing the Master’s Degree in Speech Communication & Rhetoric.

The Master of Arts program in Speech Communication & Rhetoric offers students an opportunity to undertake inquiry in the areas of rhetorical theory, textual interpretation and criticism, argumentation, critical social theory, visual, performance and cultural studies, and the philosophy of rhetoric. Throughout its curriculum, the program places particular emphasis on how the close reading of rhetorical practice yields theoretical insight and the ways in which rhetorical theory supports the capacity of speech to invent the terms of everyday life, energize public debate, and foster new forms of political and social engagement.

Rooted in a rich tradition of scholarship, the University of South Carolina program in Speech Communication & Rhetoric is committed to interdisciplinary inquiry that advances critical understanding of human discourse and expression. Consciously and critically aligned with the Rhetoric and Composition program in the Department of English, the South Carolina program is one of the few in the nation that seeks to build substantive bridges between different disciplinary interpretations of rhetorical and communicative inquiry. Working together, the core and affiliated faculty undertakes research and teaching that draws from a variety of fields, including literary studies, critical social theory, cultural and performance studies, social anthropology, feminism, philosophy, and political theory.

For graduate students, the program’s core curriculum is comprised of courses that that provide foundational training in rhetorical and social/cultural theory, critical analysis and hermeneutics, and the history of public discourse and rhetorical practice. Together, these seminars provide students with a basis to undertake advanced study and research that sheds new light on the potential of rhetoric and communication.

Successful applicants may come from a variety of fields, including rhetoric, speech, communication studies, cultural studies, political theory, philosophy, and religious studies.

While working toward their degree, students have the chance to be part of a program that provides an excellent faculty–student ratio, generous assistantships, and a diversity of teaching opportunities.

Applications for admission for the Fall 2012 semester are due by 15 December 2011.

For more information, please visit the program website at http://www.cas.sc.edu/speech or contact the graduate program coordinator for Speech Communication & Rhetoric, Professor Pat Gehrke, at PJG@PatGehrke.net