Rhetoric, Writing, and Information Design Minor

The Minor in Rhetoric, Writing, and Information Design (RWID) is open to all undergraduates wishing to expand their communication skills to stand out in today’s professional, civic, and educational arenas. The minor also encourages engagement in diverse rhetorical traditions while providing students with new lenses for research and analysis, as well as the practice of writing.

Requirements

The RWID Minor requires 27 semester hours beyond the 100-level.

Students can build their minor by selecting courses in two areas of emphasis:

Study and Practice in Rhetoric

Pre-med and pre-law students, as well as students considering graduate education and beyond, can choose courses which will prepare them for the writing in those environments. Rhetoric is the interpretive and productive art of effective speaking and writing that provides the grounding for all RWID classes. Students will learn how to research, argue, persuade, interpret, and express information in a variety of formats for general and specialized audiences. COURSES INCLUDE: Rhetorical Studies, Literacy and the Rhetorics of Resistance, and History and Theory of Rhetoric/Writing/Literacy.

Applied Writing and Communication

Students can choose courses designed to foster skill building and enhance their academic work with an internship. Information design courses teach the practice of creating clear, understandable communications by giving care to structure, context, and presentation of data and information. Students also learn writing and editing for different formats, including games, podcasts, web writing, and social media, while gaining a solid foundation in grammar, style, and editing techniques. COURSES INCLUDE: Technical Writing, Writing for Games and Interactive Media, Writing for Publication, Professional Writing, and Rhetorical Grammar.

Other Courses Offered

Race, Gender, and Media Making and special topics such as Oral Communication and Internet, Technology and Society, and Advanced Writing Lab.