JMU’s Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication major occupies rarefied air.
The School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication is a community of exceptional faculty, dedicated staff, talented students and energetic alumni in one of the only stand-alone programs in the U.S. dedicated to writing across a variety of modes and genres.
WRTC offers an expansive curriculum and a wide variety of opportunities for hands-on learning. Students learn the kinds of research, analytical and technical skills that allow them to become successful professional communicators as well as competitive candidates for a wide variety of graduate programs. Our faculty is comprised of practitioners and scholars from fields including rhetoric and writing, scientific and technical communication, creative nonfiction, professional communication, digital media, feminist studies, rhetoric of health and medicine and science studies.
The major is a part of the School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication, an academic unit within the College of Arts and Letters.
The study of writing, rhetoric and technical communication includes two concentrations in the undergraduate major: technical and scientific communication and writing and rhetoric. The WRTC major emphasizes scholarly, humanistic and social scientific perspectives on the function and application of communication technologies, with instruction in areas such as:
- literacy studies
- rhetorical traditions
- writing pedagogy
- editing
- website theory and design
- publications management
- knowledge and information management
- writing for professional communities such as government, medical, scientific and academic
In addition to offering students the rhetorical tools with which to excel as professional communicators, the B.A. and B.S. programs also prepare graduates for academic studies in writing, rhetoric and technical communication at the master's level as well as for professional programs such as law school.
The B.A. and B.S. programs in WRTC unite three disciplines into a flexible yet historically and theoretically grounded degree program. The WRTC degree teaches students to think in ways that cross disciplinary lines and to demonstrate accomplishment in multiple genres of writing, rhetoric and technical communication.
Students work with their WRTC advisers to design a program that fits their unique educational needs and career aspirations.
Course requirements differ between the B.A. and B.S. programs and students are advised to maintain regular contact with their WRTC adviser to ensure timely graduation. Requirements and eligible courses for the B.A. and B.S. in each of the two concentrations are outlined below.
Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication
- Degrees Offered:
- B.A. in Writing, Rhetoric & Technical Communication
- B.S. in Writing, Rhetoric & Technical Communication
- B.A. in Writing, Rhetoric & Technical Communication
- Concentrations:
- Technical and Scientific Communication
- Writing and Rhetoric
- Minors:
- Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication
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