Chair: J. LeMesurier
Department Site
Rhetoric is the study of the effective use of language and symbols in written, oral, and visual communication. As a discipline, rhetoric demonstrates how discourse generates knowledge, mediates power, and enacts social change. The WRIT department engages these broad themes through a focus on human-centered exchange of ideas.
Courses in Writing and Rhetoric position students to become critical language users and effective communicators. The department offers courses that engage the multiple histories, theories, and methods of rhetoric, speaking, and writing. Many students find that Writing and Rhetoric courses are excellent complements to majors in a broad variety of disciplines.
The department offers a minor in Writing and Rhetoric, consisting of five WRIT courses. Minors may take a selection of classes for a broad view of the discipline or may opt to focus on one subfield, such as cultural rhetorics, the essay form, or the history of rhetoric. Students are encouraged to consult the department chair or the University Catalog for more information about departmental offerings and the minor.
100-level WRIT Courses
WRIT courses at the 100-level offer sustained focus on analyzing and crafting multiple written and oral genres. Students work on developing strategies for organization, clarity, and argument. Space in these courses is limited, so students who are interested in further improving their rhetorical skills are encouraged to include a note in their Course Preference form expressing special interest in any 100-level WRIT course.
200-Level WRIT Courses
The Writing and Rhetoric Department also offers a variety of 200-level courses that are open to first-year students. While 100-level courses are generally composed of first-years and sophomores, 200-level courses often include students from most or all class years. Not all of these courses are writing-focused; some explore rhetoric through visuals, oral traditions, and art. Fall offerings vary from year to year, but examples of 200-level courses include WRIT 210, Rhetoric of Style, WRIT 232, Digital Narrative Craft, WRIT 244, Indigenous Writing and Rhetoric and WRIT 250, Kairos: The Art of Rhetoric from Ancient to Modern Times.
(Note: Students interested in taking creative writing courses in genres such as poetry, fiction, or screenwriting should see the Department of English and Creative Writing鈥檚 offerings.)
Additional Writing Support
黑料情报站's Writing and Speaking Center is a free resource that offers one-on-one peer-to-peer consultations on writing and speaking projects from any discipline and at any stage of the process. The Writing and Speaking Center is also a popular student employment opportunity and recruits new speaking and writing consultants every spring.