Representing 
Writing Program Administration: 
Narratives, Maps, and Metaphors
Seminar in Writing Program
Administration 2000
Purdue University
English 680A
Professor Shirley Rose
 
 
Course Requirements
Calendar of Class Meetings
Bibliography
Exemplary Student Work
Course Description
What do Writing Program Administrators do?

How do we describe and explain the work of a WPA?

Course Emphasis

Focusing on two primary arenas of a WPAs work, curriculum development and faculty development, the seminar will explore the ways in which the intellectual work of writing program administration is documented and described within academic discourse.

Areas of Inquiry

Course readings, seminar discussions and activities, and course assignments will address themes and subjects such as the following:

  • what stories do WPAs tell one another about their work and what are the ethical implications of these stories?  what analytical tools can be used to map the arenas of WPA work?
  • what rhetorical strategies do they use to document their work in writing programs administration?
  • what metaphors do WPAs use to characterize the institutional and organizational politics of writing program administration? and
  • other questions suggested by students and course readings.
  • Assignments:
    In addition to contributing to class discussion and auditing the WPA-L listserv, students will complete course assignments including oral presentations, experiential learning activities, and empirical and archival research on writing program administration.

    This seminar is required for the Ph.D. Secondary Area in Writing Program Administration