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Department of EnglishPhD in Technical Communication and Rhetoric

PhD in Technical Communication and Rhetoric

May Seminar for Online PhD Students

May Seminar is a three-day intensive workshop that gives online TCR doctoral students the opportunity to collaborate with peers and faculty face-to-face. No matter what phase of the degree you are in, May Seminar offers various support and research opportunities. May Seminar is also an opportunity to meet with faculty for annual reviews and learn about what projects the faculty and TCR program are working on—in short, it is a chance to immerse yourself into the culture of Technical Communication and Rhetoric at Texas Tech University.

Online PhD students are required to attend May Seminar for five years or until you successfully defend your dissertation, whichever occurs first. You are allowed to petition for an exemption in the case you experience a family or work emergency, but you are only allowed to petition once during your time as a student. May Seminar occurs around Memorial Day, depending on the calendar year. The Director of Graduate Studies will notify all students of this date at least six months prior to the Seminar. You may choose to attend more than five May Seminars if you desire.

The May Seminar fee will include lunch for the duration of the seminar, special event dinners, all daily activities, keynote speakers' fees and expenses, faculty honorariums, and administrative costs. The fee does not include housing while you are in Lubbock, travel expenses, or other incidentals. The seminar fee is typically $1000 and charged to your summer tuition.

During May Seminar, you will have professional development opportunities and research presentation opportunities (conference paper, poster session, Research-Network Forum, Job Talk practice). You will have an opportunity to share research ideas with colleagues and faculty and prepare your conference presentations and dissertation "job talks" for future speaking and interviewing roles. These opportunities not only give you practical experience, but allow the faculty to guide you throughout your degree program and prepare you for work in your future profession.

Guest Speakers

For most May Seminars, we invite a guest speaker who visits and provides a keynote address from their industry or academic expertise. Previous guest speakers include the following: