In Fall 2018, the Rhetoric and Writing Graduate Program changed the completion options for MA students. Now, MA students in Digital Rhetoric and Professional Writing (DRPW) and in Critical Studies in Literacy and Pedagogy (CSLP) can pursue one of three MA completion options: an exam, a thesis, or a portfolio.
Students should always refer to the graduate program handbook (available on the WRAC web site at
http://wrac.msu.edu/graduate-programs/graduate-handbooks/) and can always direct questions to the Associate Chair of WRAC who serves as Director of Graduate Studies.
Detailed information is included in the handbook, but some helpful portfolio aspects include:
- MA students are expected to talk with their committee about which route they plan to take (i.e., exam, thesis, or portfolio) in their year one annual review meeting with their advisory committee.
- The portfolio is made up of two components: A reflective, synthesizing essay (8–10 double-spaced pages) and the portfolio itself.
- A web-based digital portfolio is not required, but is strongly recommended.
- Portfolios must include at least five pieces of work from coursework taken in the student's MA program, but may also contain other artifacts, like conference presentations, collaborative projects, teaching materials, and more.
- We do not expect students to create five entirely new pieces of work or projects for the portfolio, but rather to select strategically from and among work they've produced during your time in the MA program. That said, some students have launched new projects specifically to include in their portfolios.
- The primary audience for an MA portfolio is the student's advisory committee, but students should also consider broader audiences, such as using the portfolio as part of PhD program applications, or to share professional materials for the job search.