Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication (WRTC)

This foundations course introduces students to the critical questions and ideas emerging from the intersections of writing, rhetoric and technical communication. Through reading, discussion, research and application of theory to the production of deliverables, students acquire a solid foundation in this program of study and begin to develop a professional identity.

Advanced study and practice in managing documents through the editorial process. Includes collaborating with authors as well as establishing audience, purpose, scope and context for print and digital documents. Includes training in proofreading, copyediting, substantive editing, sensitivity editing, editing design, and graphics and editing for intercultural audiences.

Advanced study of research methodologies used in writing, rhetoric and technical communication. Includes techniques for collecting, sorting, analyzing, and presenting information and data both quantitatively and qualitatively from primary and secondary sources. Requires in-depth research or project planning through a self-designed study grounded in a clearly articulated awareness of audience, purpose and context.

Advanced study of the structure of communication in organizations by exploring formal and informal communication systems in government, industry and business. Examines the role of communication in the social construction of organizations with hierarchical and nontraditional structures.

Writing and research in a variety of writing, rhetoric and technical communication genres. Examines special and timely issues currently being explored in the field not addressed in sufficient depth in regularly scheduled WRTC courses. May be repeated with different course content and permission of director.

Examines the relationship between rhetoric and ethics, emphasizing the challenges emerging from historical and contemporary communication. Employs various theories to explore the complex interplay among agency, authorship and intellectual property. Topics may include free speech, falsification of data, surveillance, ownership of information and conflicts of interest.

Examines critical approaches to intercultural communication beyond ethnic and racial lines. Investigates key theories of identity and difference, and intercultural communication practices. Topics may include definitions of culture, cross-cultural communication challenges and issues of globalization, localization and translation.

Advanced study of the management and editorial policy of academic and professional publications. Examines such managerial and editorial responsibilities as defining editorial policy, defining management roles, reviewing and editing submissions for publication, and collaborating with authors.

Emphasizes pedagogical strategies central to teaching effective written and oral communication in the field and provides practice in course development and assessment under the guidance of a faculty mentor in actual course situations. Provides required preparation in rhetorical theory and teaching methodologies for all WRTC teaching assistants before their first semester teaching.

Explores the intersections among individuals, organizations, communities, environments and texts that inform the public work of rhetoric. Employs rhetorical theories to examine the way these networks produce and make discourses visible. Topics may include the role of technology, advocacy, contemporary and historical social movements, and non-profit and governmental organizations.

Explores the dynamic nature of genres within ecologies of humans, objects, technologies and spaces. Students examine theories related to genre in order to analyze and compose within a medical, scientific, nonprofit, academic or corporate discourse community of their choice.

Advanced study of central components of legal writing such as legal analysis, representation of facts and evidence, reasoning, logic and argumentation. Addresses such key rhetorical elements of legal documents as clarity and conciseness of style, level of diction, jargon, passive voice and errors in person.

A course focused on the advanced study of rhetoric, including the exploration, analysis and application of diverse rhetorical theories. Requires students to synthesize texts, and enter into conversations on specific streams of rhetorical knowledge or that enhance professional communication. This course addresses a range of rhetorical issues arranged by era, movement or object of study. May be repeated with different content.

Advanced study of the planning and writing of proposals and grants with emphasis on research proposals and grants seeking funding from industry and government. Covers key proposal components including the executive summary, purpose and scope, problem definition, need, methodology, project feasibility, facility requirements, personnel qualifications, cost and proposal presentation.

Introduces theory and research in medical rhetoric, health communication and related areas. Students will employ a variety of scholarly lenses, including technical communication, rhetoric, science studies and sociology, to examine the intersections between health and medicine. Topics may include patients' agency and advocacy, patient compliance, uses of writing in clinical settings and digital spaces, access to health resources, politics of healthcare, and the role of narrative.

Introduces theories of the discourses of science and technology. Provides students with a rhetorical perspective on the construction and application of scientific and technological knowledge. Topics may include the roles of language and ideology in scientific controversies, predominant theories in STEM fields and the scientific study of rhetoric.

Advanced study of electronic and online publications, including World Wide Web pages, electronic newsletters and magazines, and online help. Emphasizes principles in designing, writing and producing publications using such current authoring tools as the hypertext mark-up language, HTML.

Prepares students to analyze, evaluate and produce scientific information for non-specialist audiences. Students will explore how writers, editors and designers reach and influence an audience, and how, in turn, the audience responds to their scientific texts. Topics may include the role of the news media, scientific literacy, advocacy and science policy creation.

Advanced study of the theoretical and practical use of computer graphics as a form of visual communication in scientific or technical documents. Examines topics such as visual perception, design theory, formatted text and graphics, color and design concepts, animation, and video. Emphasizes the development of technical skills in manipulating electronically generated text and graphics.

Introduces theories and methods that inform digital knowledge-making practices in social, civic and professional contexts. Equips students with the analytical and technical skills to audit existing digital content, prototype and produce new approaches for/with clients, and leverage content management systems. Topics may include user experience, sharing content across multiple media, telling organizational stories and design ethics.

Explores theoretical and practical approaches to the design of digital texts and objects. Students learn and apply key design concepts and methodologies. Topics may include accessibility, usability, design theory, content design, collaborative and open-source production spaces, and data management.

Faculty-supervised reading, research, writing and/or design on advanced technical and scientific communication projects not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

Continued study, research and writing for the thesis/internship. May be repeated as needed.

Individual reading, research and writing associated with completion of major's thesis. Supervised by the director of the student's thesis committee. Student must complete six hours of thesis research to graduate.

Experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory in writing, rhetoric and technical communication with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Students will observe, analyze and reflect upon communication processes and apply effective written, interpersonal and public communication skills. Supervised by the student's internship committee in conjunction with a client, students develop and complete a significant, large-scale professional project.