Welcome

Welcome to the Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design (RCID) doctoral program at Clemson University, in the College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities. We are seeking the top students in this evolving field who are interested in an overall balance of ecologies in rhetorics and communication. Our program offers a cross-cultural, transdisciplinary curriculum with a conceptual emphasis on knowing, doing, and making--or theoretical, practical, and productive approaches to knowledge. Our students take positions, for the most part, in departments of English and Communication Studies.

Applications must be made to both the Graduate School and the Program Director. Here's the latest RCID Handbook.

We urge all prospective students to apply early in October and November
for entrance into the program since Graduate Teaching Assistantships and Graduate Fellowships are competitive. The deadline for applications is February 1st. After that point, we cannot be responsible for any applications.

We presently have 20 full-time students enrolled. We are accepting applications now for new students in the Fall, 2012. We will probably accept 5-7 new students. We are offering 6 core and cognate seminars a semester as well as 2 active colloquia and the RCID Research Forum and the Student-Work-in-Progress Forum, both for students and faculty. We offer an array of seminars, labs, and studios. This is a four-year program. Five of our fourth-year students are presently writing their dissertations, and will be on the market this academic year.

We have graduated 15 students in five years--all placed in positions upon graduation:

Four-years ago, one of our third-year students, Mac MacArthur, defended his dissertation and accepted a tenure-track assistant professor position at Queens College, NC. He is now Director, School of Communication Undergraduate Programs. Three years ago, two of our fourth-year students, Justin Hodgson and Amanda Booher, accepted assistant professor tenure-track positions respectively at U of Texas-Austin and Texas Tech.

The past two years, twelve of our third- and fourth-year students accepted positions: Mark Ward (U of Houston, Victoria), Jason Helms (U of Kentucky), Joshua Hilst (Utah Valley University), Michelle Dacus Carr (U of Maryland), Wu Dan (returned to Xi'an International Studies University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China), Steven Thompson (Towson U), Joshua Abboud (U of Kentucky), Sergio Figueiredo (Miami U, Ohio), Andrew Hurley (Clemson U), Randy Nicholes (Limestone College), Josephine Walwema (Oakland U, Detroit), and Alicia Hatter (Senior Usability Engineer at Vanguard's Corporate Headquarters in Philadelphia).

For additional information about us, check out our news blog. Also, again, if you are considering to apply for the RCID program, you should contact Victor J. Vitanza, the Director, as soon as possible.