Why Minor in Professional Writing and Rhetoric (PWR)?
It’s valuable: Add a minor that helps you learn how to write, speak, and communicate effectively — in short, how to become a leader in your professional, public, and personal life.
It’s flexible: Choose from a variety of courses that suit your interests and career goals: professional writing, public speaking, digital communication, visual analysis, persuasion, and more.
It’s practical: Supplement your major with the knowledge, skills, and experiences you need to communicate clearly, purposefully, and effectively.
Set yourself apart, whether you’re applying for jobs, pursuing graduate school, or looking to make an impact in your city, community, or family life.
Declare the PWR minor. Communicate with Power.
Why Rhetoric?
The PWR curriculum is grounded in rhetoric, a skillset and discipline devoted to understanding how all kinds of discourse (language, writing, speaking, art, images, sound, film, digital media) are used to influence others.
Rhetoric is a practical art aimed at helping anyone, but especially students, learn how to identify, practice, and employ the skills and capacities central to effective, persuasive communication. Learn more about classical rhetoric from Dr. Gideon Burton’s online resource, Forest of Rhetoric. Check out these varied definitions of rhetoric from ancient and modern sources. Browse Wikipedia’s entry on rhetoric.
Strong writing and communication skills stem from training in rhetoric. If effective writing is the minor’s what, rhetorical training is the minor’s how.