Welcome to the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures
The department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures is the heart of and home for writing at Michigan State University. Across our initiatives, in the research and scholarship we pursue, and in the teaching and learning opportunities we offer, we emphasize curiosity, discovery, and the robust exchange of ideas along with attention to the importance of writing and communication—drawing across techniques and media, being attentive to audience and purpose, and sharing one’s ideas with the world.
If you have any questions about enrolling in a Fall 2026 First-Year Writing course (WRA 101 or WRA 195H), please see our frequently asked questions page.
we offer
First-year writing experience
Our First-Year Writing courses are the core composition experience for most MSU students, which prepares students to leverage their experiences as writers and learners as assets for their ongoing development as writers.
Undergrad major in professional and public writing
The BA in Professional and Public Writing (P2W) provides students experience in the writing and communication strategies crucial for academic, professional, and personal success in today’s digital world.
Minor in Writing
The Minor in Writing gives students collaborative experiences and writing tools to become great leaders, advocates, and communicators at work and in public spaces. The minor helps students reach their professional goals in any number of careers or graduate programs.
undergrad major in Experience Architecture
The BA in Experience Architecture (XA) provides students experience in developing strategies for UX research, design, development of digital applications, project management, coding, and writing for success in digital and professional spaces.
graduate program in Rhetoric and Writing
Our MA and PhD programs support graduate students in developing the intellectual, pedagogical, and professional skills to be activists and leaders in academic and beyond-academic careers.
2019 Professional Writing Student of the Year
Emily Jenkins
2018 Professional and Public Writing
2018 Experience Architecture Student of the Year
Ashton Keys
2019 Experience Architecture
“This program has given me so much—the skills and tools to feel like I can enter the workplace at an advantage and people who I can count on along the way.”
SOPHIE SCHMIDT
Professional and Public Writing Alum
The Student Experience: Professional AND Public Writing Major
A quick look at the Bachelor of Arts in Professional and Pubic Writing (P2W) degree at Michigan State University, featuring P2W students, faculty, and alumni.
Spartan Strong: The Strength to Overcome Cancer
Justin Alexander (Experience Architecture ’20) was the picture of health. A baseball player and quarterback of his high school football team, there was no reason to be overly concerned when he developed a persistent cough. So it came as a shock when he first heard he had Hodgkin’s lymphoma, life as he knew it was placed on hold.
featured stories
Record Number of Nominations from College of Arts and Letters for Rhodes and Marshall Scholarships
A record number of Michigan State University College of Arts and Letters students and alumni have been nominated for two of the world’s most prestigious international scholarship programs, the Rhodes Scholarship and the Marshall Scholarship, both of which provide opportunities for graduate study in the United Kingdom. Three College of Arts and Letters students and one alum are nominated for both the Rhodes and Marshall scholarships, while three additional College of Arts and Letters students are nominated for the Marshall Scholarship. The nominees represent a range of academic disciplines within the college, including Arts and Humanities, German, Humanities-Prelaw, Professional
Experience Architecture Student Finds Inspiration in 1920s Printing Presses
Julia Bolash’s path into design started with fonts. As her interest in design grew, so did her curiosity about what makes design effective — not just visually, but in how it serves the people using it. That led her to user experience design and, eventually, to the Experience Architecture (XA) program at Michigan State University.
2026 Faculty Award Winners Recognized for Outstanding Achievement
The College of Arts and Letters honored its 2026 Faculty Award at the College of Arts and Letters Faculty and Staff Welcome Reception on Sept. 28 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center. The honorees were recognized for their outstanding leadership, teaching, innovation, mentorship, and community engagement, as well as the significant impact they have made in enhancing curriculum and student experiences.