People interested in the field of Rhetoric and Composition are far more likely now than in the past to pursue a career in writing program administration (WPA). Preparation for this work can be both difficult to find and difficult to provide which is problematic for prospective graduate students and WPA professors alike. The purpose of this study was to determine the current state of writing program administration preparation through researching the contexts in which these courses are offered, the course syllabi contents, and the content rationale of professors in the United States who have taught a WPA course within the last five years. Of the 35 eligible programs on the Doctoral Consortium of Rhetoric and Composition list, 34 took the survey, 19 shared their WPA course syllabus, and 19 participated in an interview. Survey findings indicate that most courses are located in the Midwest and on the East Coast, they are delivered in a variety of modalities, and they are taught by professors of varied experience. Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) was the method chosen to analyze the course syllabi and interviews. NVivo was used in the coding process. Analysis resulted in three themes: First, WPA work is composed of specific roles and responsibilities. Second, those roles and responsibilities are contextual, dependent upon the needs of an institution. Third, WPA work merits recognition for being an intellectual, credible endeavor. Findings can help those interested in pursuing WPA preparation to know where and how these courses are offered. Findings can also offer ideas to those providing WPA preparation--those teaching a course for the first time as well as those who are experienced and seeking new ideas for future iterations of their WPA course. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]