Advanced Graduate Certificate in Teaching Writing
WHAT IS THE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM?
Learning to teach writing effectively requires study of a variety of fields. Our program draws on theories, research, and practices from rhetoric, composition, literary theory, linguistics, genre theory, media studies, and cross-cultural rhetoric. Current and future teachers who are grounded in this body of theory and research are better equipped to implement effective teaching strategies or to undertake doctoral studies in rhetoric and writing/composition.
The Program in Writing and Rhetoric offers a course of study that leads to the Advanced Graduate Certificate in Teaching Writing. The certificate program, a 15-unit graduate program approved by the State University of New York, is designed to complement graduate work in English, linguistics, and cultural analysis and theory, to name a few examples. Individuals who would benefit from this certificate program include MA and MAT candidates in English who are preparing for a teaching career in high school or community college teaching; PhD candidates in a range of disciplines who want to study and apply research methods in teaching writing; and high school and college teachers seeking advanced training, accreditation, mentoring, or promotion. The certificate also provides further professional development and mentoring for those already teaching writing at the secondary or college levels.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?
The Certificate, which can be completed in two years, consists of five courses, chosen from among the following:
- WRT 612 Composition Theory
- WRT 613 Research in Composition
- WRT 614 Topics in Composition and Writing (may be repeated with different topics)
- WRT 698 Practicum in Teaching of Writing (for PhD candidates or teachers with an MA degree)
The following courses from the English Department also qualify among the five courses required:
- EGL 506 Studies in Literary Theory
- EGL 509 Studies in Language and Linguistics
- EGL 592 Problems in the Teaching of Writing
In addition, up to two courses may be taken from the following list, with enrollment permission from the Linguistics Department:
- LIN 522 Phonetics
- LIN 527 Structure of English
- LIN 530 Introduction to General Linguistics
Note 1: One course from another university may be applied towards this Certificate with approval from the Graduate Program Director.
Note 2: Students may petition to both the Director of the Writing Program and Graduate Program Director that a course at Stony Brook other than those above be counted towards the Certificate if the course is determined to contribute to the student’s mastery of writing and language study.
Note 3: A maximum of 9 graduate credits earned prior to being accepted into the certificate program can be applied to the certificate program.
More details about applying to the Certificate Program
For applicants already admitted to the university, admission involves filling out a brief form. In addition, admission to the Certificate is open to any student enrolled in a graduate degree-granting program or to free-standing certificate students who have completed their BAs who meet the admissions criteria. Non-SBU students are required to have earned a bachelor's degree with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 point scale.
Non-matriculated applicants must include the following for admission to the Certificate program:
- The Graduate School application form
- A 1-2 page cover letter stating the purpose of study
- An official transcript of undergraduate record culminating in a bachelor's degree and graduate degree transcript if applicable
- The names and contact information for two references/letters of recommendation from teaching supervisors, professors, or someone who can comment on your academic and/or professional backgrounds and potential.
The materials above must be submitted through the Graduate School application portal.
FACULTY AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Director
Peter H. Khost, Humanities Building 2042, peter.khost@stonybrook.edu
Graduate Program Director
Shyam Sharma, Humanities Building 2109, shyam.sharma@stonybrook.edu
Program Assistant
Adam Schultheiss, Humanities Building 2005, (631) 632-7390, adam.schultheiss@stonybrook.edu
Graduate Faculty
- Davidson, Cynthia. PhD, 1997, University of Illinois at Chicago: Rhetoric and digital media, social media literacy, modern poetry, gender studies.
- Johnston, Katherine. PhD, 2016, University of California, Riverside: 20th and 21st century American literature, surveillance studies, critical data studies, media and cultural studies, feminism.
- Khost, Peter. PhD, 2011, CUNY Graduate Center: Rhetoric of literature, cognition and writing, writing transfer theory, autoethnography, empirical research in writing.
- Lisabeth, Laura. PhD, 2017, St. John’s University, New York, Writing Studies and Culural Studies, critical pedagogy, historiography, and history of standardized English.
- Lucenko, Kristina. PhD, 2009, University at Buffalo: Women’s writing, feminism, life narrative, service learning.
- Medved, Patricia.PhD, 2019, St. John’s University, New York: First year writing, information literacy, authorship, creativity.
- Mitchell, Ryan. PhD, 2020, Carnegie Mellon University: Rhetoric of health and medicine, contemporary rhetorical theory, rhetorical historiographies, vernacular rhetorics, rhetorics of the body, sensory rhetorics
- Salzano, Matthew. PhD, 2023, University of Maryland, College Park: Rhetorical theory and criticism, digital media and internet studies, artificial intelligence, public argument and deliberation, social movements
- Santos, Sara.PhD, 2020, Stony Brook University, New York: environmental humanities, ecocriticism, posthumanism, dystopian fiction, neoliberal rhetoric, rhetoric of the Anthropocene, digital media.
- Sharma, Shyam. PhD, 2012, University of Louisville: Writing in the disciplines, English as a second language.
- Thompson, Roger. PhD, 2000, Texas Christian: Rhetorical theory, history of rhetorical theory, writing about war experience, veterans issues, trauma.
GRADUATE COURSES
WRT 612 Composition Theory
This course explores the relationship between reading and writing skills, the differences
between speech production and writing production, and the relationship between literacy,
culture and language policies.
WRT 613 Research in Composition
This course provides an introduction to the nature of empirical research in composition
studies. Students will survey landmark research studies, learn how to read research
reports critically, and conduct a mini-research project in their own classrooms or
tutoring situations to analyze underlying causes of students' writing problems.
WRT 614 Topics In Composition And Writing
Topics vary from semester to semester. We offer a variety of unique topics, including
Classical Rhetoric, Digital Rhetorics, Global Rhetorics, and more. Separate topics
count for new credit.
WRT 698 Practicum in Teaching Writing
This course provides hands-on experience and instruction in the basics of writing
pedagogy, including designing writing assignments, sequencing assignments, motivating
writing, writing skill development and evaluating writing. Students will also be given
a preliminary overview of the major theories driving composition pedagogy.
Qualified English courses:
EGL 506 Literary Theory: Rhetoric
A survey of rhetoric done largely in two takes: first, as the art of persuasion, and
second, as a perspective in literary criticism. The course also examines special topics,
for example, is logic gendered? A major goal of the course is to enable students to
recognize a rhetorical treatment of a subject matter.
EGL 509 History and Structure of English
This course is an introduction to the linguistic, grammatical, and stylistic analysis
of literary texts, from the Old English period to the late eighteenth century, though
some attention is also paid to non-literary texts, especially in non-standard varieties
of English.
EGL 592 Problems in the Teaching of Writing
This course provides an overview of writing pedagogy as applied to tutoring in a Writing
Center or an English classroom.
Qualified Linguistics courses:
Up to two courses may be taken from the following, with enrollment permission from the Linguistics Department:
- LIN 522 Phonetics
- LIN 527 Structure of English
- LIN 530 Introduction to General Linguistics
For further details about requirements and approvals, see Notes 1, 2, and 3 on this page.