Different types of rhetoric degrees are often based on the level of education required or a particular aspect of rhetoric focused upon. Degrees from graduate programs, for example, are usually awarded to someone after about four years of study with a general focus on language and rhetoric. In contrast, a graduate program is often entered after completing undergraduate courses and can take an additional two or more years to complete. Some rhetoric degrees are based on a more focused study of a particular subject, which are often awarded by schools with a graduate program.
While not all universities offer rhetoric degrees, those that do typically provide them through a program in a college of language arts. The most basic degree that someone can receive in rhetoric is usually the result of an undergraduate program that takes about four years to complete, often a bachelor’s degree. While many schools offer a two-year degree, typically called an associate’s degree, these are not usually offered in rhetoric due to the specialized nature of the subject. Undergraduate programs that offer rhetoric degrees usually have a fairly wide focus, and many students may not take any rhetoric classes until the second half of their study.
Rhetoric degrees from a graduate program, however, can take several more years to complete after a person receives a bachelor’s degree. A master’s degree usually requires about two years of graduate study to complete, though some programs may require a longer commitment. Some schools also offer a doctorate of philosophy (PhD) in language studies, which can include rhetoric in general or may allow for a PhD in Rhetoric specifically. These rhetoric degrees can take several more years of study after completion of a master’s degree program, culminating in the presentation and defense of a doctoral thesis.
The benefit of graduate programs that reward rhetoric degrees lies largely in the fact that such programs provide a narrower focus. Students interested in specific aspects of language and rhetoric, for example, may only find an introduction to such subjects in undergraduate courses. Those classes provided in a graduate program, however, often delve much deeper into subjects, providing a focus that is more precise and less broad. Rhetoric degrees may be available from these programs that allow students to study and develop theories regarding the use of rhetoric in politics, the language of advertising, or how the Internet and new technology have changed arguments and communication.