BA in Writing, Rhetoric and Discourse

The Bachelor of Arts in WRD focuses on the development and expression of ideas in writing—the very foundation of the liberal arts, and more broadly, contemporary democratic culture. Our lives are increasingly mediated by digital technologies that use writing to organize sound and image in interactive spaces like the World Wide Web. And through text messaging, email, and social networking, individual identity and interpersonal relationships are progressively bound up with writing. At the same time, we face growing demands for communicating across national, cultural, and linguistic borders, requiring us to rethink many assumptions we may have about written communication and expression. WRD majors explore theories of language, rhetoric (how to make effective choices as writers), and discourse (the way writing structures human activity) as they develop understanding of the role of the individual writer within communities of writers. They write in a great variety of contexts and genres in preparation for a full range of dynamic and rewarding careers grounded in written communication. WRD faculty members are published specialists in the fields that make up writing studies rhetoric, technical and professional writing, new media studies, and linguistics allowing students to learn from leading scholars. Learning Outcomes - Students will be able to: Describe and apply the conventions of a variety of writing genres and rhetorical concepts. Design and compose meaningful and effective texts. Compose texts using a range of technologies and modes. Explain the impact of writing technologies on the creation of texts. Compare and differentiate multiple opportunities for writers in workplaces and organizations. Discuss the history and evolution of written language and rhetorical concepts. Examine and practice a varied stylistic repertoire that can be adapted to multiple purposes. Assess the ethical, civic, and political dimensions of writing, including dynamics of culture and power. Examine and evaluate one’s own writing for effectiveness and appropriateness. Interpret reading and writing within a theoretical framework. Career Options: Content development, strategy, management and administration, Publishing and editing, Social media writing and management, Technical writing, Digital marketing, Legal, technical, medical/health writing, Ghostwriting, Non-profit communications.