Graduate students in our program develop a strong record of research and publication. Many of them have published journal articles and book chapters. They are also actively involved in local, regional and national professional organizations, presenting papers and workshops at such conferences as the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC), National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), Association Internationale de Linguistique Appliqee (AILA), Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), the North East Writing Center Association Conference (NEWCA), Northern New England TESOL (NNETESOL), Thomas Watson Conference, and the Symposium on Second Language Writing.
Graduate students can find research opportunities in programs such as the First-Year Composition, Writing Across the Curriculum, and Robert J. Connors Writing Center. Opportunities for archival research is also available; UNH Library maintains the library of Richard S. Beal, which forms the core of the National Archives of Composition and Rhetoric.
Professional Opportunities
Our doctoral program provides multiple and ongoing opportunities for involvement in professional activities. UNH is the home of a well-established biennial conference on composition studies. Graduate students can also become involved in the Symposium on Second Language Writing, which is organized by one of the faculty members.
In addition, the New Hampshire Summer Institutes provides opportunities not only to take various courses during the summer but also to interact with faculty from other programs, departments, and institutions.
UNH is also the home of the Richard Beal Collection, which forms the core of the National Archives of Composition and Rhetoric.
Support for Professional Conferences
The English Department offers some modest support for graduate students who are giving a paper or chairing a session at a professional conference in their field. Because these awards are made on a first-come, first-serve basis, you should make application as soon as you can in the academic year. To apply, write the Graduate Coordinator a letter requesting support; include the title of your paper (or session, if you are chairing a session), the conference and location at which it will be given, the dates of the conference, and an estimate of your anticipated expenses. The Graduate Coordinator will notify you in writing about the availability of support.
The Graduate School also offers modest support for graduate students who are giving a paper or chairing a session at a professional conference. These awards can be combined with support from the English Department. Last year, awards were $200 per conference and were awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis.
To apply, write to Bruce Mallory, the Dean of the Graduate School, or Harry Richards, Associate Dean of the Graduate School, requesting support. Include the title of your paper, the conference and location at which it will be given, the dates of the conference, and an estimate of your anticipated expenses. Include an acknowledgment that you have received support from the English Department (if you have). The Graduate School will notify you in writing about the availability of support. It is a courtesy to the Graduate School to thank them after the conference for supporting your work.
At present, the English Department and Graduate School do not offer financial support for attending professional conferences without giving a paper.
