WRTC Major Overview
Program Admission
New freshmen and transfer students may declare the WRTC major during orientation. No application is required.
All other currently enrolled students may declare the WRTC major by selecting Major/Minor Change from the "Other Academic..." dropdown menu in their MyMadison Student Center.
Applicants will be notified of program admission following a review of their request.
For more information on program admission, please see the JMU Catalog
Below you will find information about our two areas of concentration for the undergraduate major along with links to the course catalog for major requirements and course descriptions.
Writing and Rhetoric Concentration (WR)
The concentration in Writing and Rhetoric prepares students for careers in writing and publishing conceived broadly. Many graduates of our program pursue careers in publishing houses, communication firms, government agencies, learning and development companies, and non-profits. This emphasis also prepares students considering a degree in law, or graduate study as students will develop a broad understanding of the histories, theories, and perspectives of persuasion, argumentation and writing.
Coursework offers opportunities for students to gain classroom and hands-on experience in literacy practices, research methods, rhetorical analysis, and personal and civic writing. They will learn how to analyze and craft texts for a variety of cultural, social, political, and economic contexts and aims. WRTC students are required to complete a community-based learning course and an internship, which enables them to apply their learning to a variety of workplaces.
For a quick overview of course requirements, check out our Major-at-a-Glance checklist
Spring 2023 Course Schedule Overview
From the University Catalog:
Technical and Scientific Communication Concentration (TSC)
The concentration in Technical and Scientific Communication prepares students for careers in digital and social media, content strategy, User Experience (UX), scientific and medical communications, technical writing, grant and proposal writing, editing, publishing, and more. Students will develop writing, design, and editing skills that often lead them to jobs with software companies, government agencies and contractors, consulting firms, and non-profits.
Coursework offers hands-on experience writing for a variety of professional contexts as well as designing online and print documents, all with an aim of maximizing usability and accessibility. WRTC students are required to complete a community-based learning course and an internship, which enables them to apply their learning to a variety of workplaces.
For a quick overview of course requirements, check out our Major-at-a-Glance checklist
Spring 2023 Course Schedule Overview
From the University Catalog:
For more information
Contact Dr. Cathryn Molloy Molloycs@jmu.edu
