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Rhetoric and Writing

Rhetoric and Writing

If you’re aiming to work in management, law, politics, publishing, or education, your success will depend on how effectively you can analyze written texts and communicate in writing. By taking a concentration in Rhetoric and Writing, you will not only study some of the hottest approaches to written communication and the latest research on reaching readers, but you’ll also learn arts of persuasion that date back to Ancient Greece and Rome.

What are the benefits of a Rhetoric and Writing concentration?

An emphasis in rhetoric will prepare you to:

  • Recognize techniques of argument in a variety of texts–historical and modern, literary and everyday
  • Engage in ethical debates: does good rhetoric create good citizens? Who are ‘good’ rhetors?
  • Sharpen the skills you’ll need in professional practice
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Relevant Courses

  • ENGL 470: Rhetorical Theory and Practice
  • ENGL 471: Rhetorical Traditions
  • ENGL 472: Current Theories of Writing and Reading
  • ENGL 473: Rhetorical Approaches to Discourse
  • ENGL 474: Issues in Rhetoric and Composition

The above five courses can be taken for credit twice as long as the specific subject changes.

  • ENGL 202: Effective Writing
  • ENGL 211: Introduction to Writing Studies
  • ENGL 250: Peer Tutoring in Writing
  • ENGL 407: History of the English Language
  • ENGL 415: Advanced Nonfiction Writing
  • ENGL 416: Science Writing
  • ENGL 417: The Editorial Process
  • ENGL 418: Advanced Technical Writing and Editing
  • ENGL 420: Writing for the Web
  • ENGL 421: Advanced Expository Writing
  • LA 495: Internship (3 credits only)

See an adviser if you want to earn both the Rhetoric and Writing concentration and a full minor in Rhetoric. If you select the right courses in Rhetoric and Writing, you will only need two additional courses to earn the minor in Rhetoric.