Mar 28, 2024  
2007-08 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2007-08 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Communication and Rhetoric - Major


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Communication and Rhetoric prepares students to become versatile communicators in spoken, written and visual forms.  Building on the College’s Liberal Arts core, and housed within the English Department, the Communication and Rhetoric major will produce pro-active learners and efficient and effective problem-solvers, proficient in the analysis of their own and others’ communication, both visual and graphic information, in print and in digital media.  Graduates will be well-positioned for a variety  of careers, not only in typical communication-related fields like journalism, media, advertising and public relations, but also in the wide range of other fields that require excellent reading, writing, and critical thinking skills.  In addition to classroom instruction, all students will receive direct pre-professional training in the form of internships and seminar projects conducted in consultation with local businesses and communication professionals.

Communication and Rhetoric Major Requirements


All Communication and Rhetoric Majors are required to take the following:

Required Colloquium


Required attendance at a monthly Colloquium for students will receive 0 credit.  Colloquia will have speakers addressing such issues as the Media and ethics, technology and a changing society, the future of the writing field, among others.

Depending on the direction of the student’s electives, one seminar and one internship are required:


Communication and Rhetoric Major Electives


Each student chooses three courses (9 credits) from the following:

Communication and Rhetoric Major Literature Requirements


All Communication and Rhetoric Majors are required to complete the following Literature requirements:
  • One upper division literature course
And two courses from the following:

Communication and Rhetoric Major Senior Experience


The Communication and Rhetoric Senior Experience allows students to design and present a project/portfolio of work that bridges the academic and professional worlds.  Students are expected to design a project that will apply what they have learned over the course of their study.  Students following the Technical Writing path will design a packet of materials reflecting both written and visual texts.  Students following other paths (e.g. magazine writing, journalism, creative writing) will design a portfolio of their work and polish one piece of text to be submitted to a professional publication.  Projects are presented in an hour-long oral presentation to the Director of Writing Programs and a committee of professionals.

Sample Program for Communication and Rhetoric Major


Freshman Year


  • Arts & Sciences Perspectives I Credits: 9
  • Modern Foreign Language Credits: 6
As well as:

Sophomore Year


  • Literature Survey Credits: 3
  • Arts & Sciences Perspectives I Credits: 15
  • Arts & Sciences Perspectives II Credits: 3
  • Elective Credits: 3

As well as:

  • ENGW 251 Rhetoric I Credits: 3
  • ENGW 252 Rhetoric II Credits: 3 

And one of the following:

Junior Year


  • Literature Survey Credits: 3
  • Arts & Sciences Perspectives II Credits: 9
  • Electives Credits: 12

As well as:
  • COMM 352 The English Language Credits: 3

And one of the following:

Senior Year


  • Electives Credits: 18
  • One upper division literature course Credits: 3


As well as:

  • COMM 450 Senior Seminar Credits: 3
    or COMM 451 Senior Seminar Credits: 3
  • COMM 482 Writing for Publication Internship Credits: 3
    or COMM 483 Technical Writing Internship Credits: 3
  • COMM 499 Senior Comprehensives Credits: 0

And one from the following:

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