Qualifying Portfolio

During the second semester of coursework, students will submit a portfolio to the Rhetoric and Professional Communication faculty for purposes of review and evaluation. The qualifying portfolio allows students to demonstrate that they have the requisite reading, writing, and critical skills to successfully pursue the Ph.D. Students will discuss and begin to draft the qualifying portfolio in ENGL 610.

The qualifying portfolio consists of a file compiled during the first six months of doctoral study and submitted on March 1. The Rhetoric and Professional Communication faculty will assess the portfolio in the form of a first-year review by April 15. Students will then meet with their advisors to discuss the portfolio and first-year review letter. The portfolio will include:

  • an academic profile in which students assess their relevant professional background and their previous, current, and future graduate level work, which includes a discussion of the students’ current plans and goals related to coursework, research, teaching and professional development
  • an exploratory scholarly project (as explained by the ENGL 610 instructor) within the fields of rhetoric and professional communication, not to exceed 1,500 words
  • a memo requesting transfer courses, provided with a rationale for transfer
  • a curriculum vitae (CV)

Through this portfolio, students will:

  • establish a plan for their time in the program
  • provide evidence of specific research interests and a possible research trajectory
  • demonstrate the reading, writing, research, and critical skills required to successfully pursue the Ph.D.
  • demonstrate emergent knowledge in RPC

The Doctoral Qualifying Examination form is available from the Graduate School website at: https://gradschool.nmsu.edu/Current%20Students/Graduate%20Forms.html#Doctoral1.

When the student submits the qualifying portfolio, they also sign, date, and file the “Milestone Timeline” with the Graduate Secretary of the English Department. This signature pages serves as a record of the programmatic milestones the student accomplishes: each step after the qualifying portfolio should be signed and dated by the student and their advisor.