Students who pursue a secondary field AOC in Rhetoric and Writing will read and write about writing; writing is both a tool for thinking and communication, and also an object of study in and of itself.
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About the Rhetoric & Writing Area of Concentration
The Rhetoric and Writing secondary field is the study of how writers interact with and consider texts, contexts, and audiences in order to construct knowledge and effect change. Successful writing is not only dependent on a writer’s knowledge and skill, but also on the writer’s ability to analyze rhetorical situations. To do so, students read and write about rhetoric and writing in order to think critically about their own texts and composing practices; subsequently, they often change many of their beliefs about writing, which then impacts their processes and strategies. Students in Rhetoric and Writing not only learn procedural knowledge (“knowing what”: e.g. what a thesis is) but declarative knowledge (“knowing how”: e.g. how to analyze the rhetorical situation to know how to develop the appropriate argument). As rhetorical analysis and written communication are both necessary components of many professions and fields of study, the writing beliefs and practices students develop throughout the program are then transferable to contexts beyond their undergraduate work. Rhetoric and Writing introduces students to the practical application not only through their coursework but also through required experiential learning.
Featured Course
WRTG 3200
Rhetoric and Writing: Exploring the Essay
Exploring the Essay is an advanced writing course that takes its momentum from the definition of essay which reads, “to prove, or try.” With such an open-ended definition, we will examine the questions which traditional and contemporary writers seek to define, or test. Students will engage central questions to our course: What makes an essay? What is the role of the writer? What can an essay accomplish? Who reads or engages with an essay?
Recent courses
- Advanced Research Writing
- Exploring the Essay
- Level Up Your Writing in the Disciplines
- Pedagogy in Practice
- Rhetoric of Walt Disney World
- Scientific Writing
- Writing About Writing
- Writing About Writing for Natural Sciences Students
- Writing with Communities and Nonprofits
- A Linguistic Approach to Writing
Career Pathways
- Business Management
- Public Relations
- Marketing
- Advertising
- Writing
- Journalism
- Nonprofit Administration
- Law
- Education
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Learn more about The Writing Program
New College students write… a lot! The Writing Program is here to help you transition your writing from high school to college, and beyond.
Contact Us
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Dr. Jennifer Wells
Director of Writing
Program Director, Writing Resource Center
Phone Number
Email Address
Location
Library 102
Library 201
Office
Rhetoric & Writing Faculty
Alexandra Maass
Assistant Director of Writing
Avni Vyas
Instructor of Writing
Dr. Jennifer Wells
Director of Writing
Program Director, Writing Resource Center