Rhetoric and Communication |
Rhetoric and communication majors study public discourse with particular emphasis on the role of persuasion in the constitution of civil society and democratic governance. Subjects of study range from political speeches
to religious texts, commercial advertisements to Supreme Court opinions, and classical treatises to postmodern theory. Analysis focuses on individual strategies and techniques as well as larger social and cultural patterns in the production and reception of persuasive texts. Theory and case studies are combined to address perennial concerns about the relationships between language, power, identity and community.
Rather than preparing students for professional work in a specific career, the department attempts to cultivate qualities
of leadership that are common to many areas of professional, social, and political life. Each student's program includes study in a range of arts and sciences, focuses on specific problems of collective life, attends to questions of value and character, and develops analytical and communicative skills.
Courses emphasize the analysis of persuasive messages and
the development of strong arguments. Students learn how to discover the sources of persuasive appeal in a wide range of settings, and how to use persuasion in order to compete, cooperate, and work creatively with others. Courses emphasize careful reading of primary texts, argumentative discussion of alternative interpretations, writing of interpretive essays and research papers, and oral presentations.
DEGREE OPTIONS
Bachelor of Arts in rhetoric and communication
FACULTY
The rhetoric and communications department includes 4 full-time faculty; all have earned their doctoral degrees. All full-time faculty are engaged in teaching classes from the introductory to advanced levels.
ACADEMIC PREPARATION
There are no prerequisite high school courses or requirements needed for enrollment in the rhetoric and communications program, but students should have a well-rounded academic high school curriculum.
REQUIRED CREDIT HOURS AND COURSES FOR A MAJOR
A minimum of 30 credit hours are required for the major.
The core consists of the following courses:
RHET 24 - Rhetoric as a Liberal Art
RHET 73 - Public Speaking
RHET 150 - Classical Rhetoric
RHET 151- Contemporary Communication and Rhetorical Theory
Six additional courses in the department are required.
The curriculum is has 4 divisions: theory, method, practice and topical studies. These divisions and their courses are listed below. Departmental majors and minors are required to take at least one course from each division.
Theory identifies foundational concepts, patterns, and problems as they have been developed in the study of effective communication from antiquity to the present. Courses include:
RHET 24 - Rhetoric as a Liberal Art
RHET 100 - Philosophy of Dialogue and Interpersonal Communication
RHET 101- Communication and Conflict
RHET 150 - Classical Rhetoric
RHET 152 - Contemporary Communication and Rhetorical Theory
Criticism focuses on principles of judgment, techniques of analysis, and problems of interpretation in the study of discourse, as well as the conditions shaping public discourse, the use of discourse to understand society, and the nature of eloquence. Courses include:
RHET 124 - Rhetorical Criticism
RHET 120 - Introduction to Philosophical Hermeneutics
RHET 122 - The Politics of Interpretation
RHET 110 - History and Criticism of American Public Address
Practice develops skills in persuasive argument and performance. Courses include:
RHET 73 - Public Speaking
RHET 128 - Advanced Public Speaking
Topical Studies examine specific media, discourses, or communicative practices to understand how language operates in major forms of collective experience and why particular ideas or actions appear intelligible, rational, or powerful in specific settings. Courses include:
RHET 142 - Political Communication
RHET 140 - Communication and Law
RHET 146 - Communication and Religion
RHET 114 - Rhetorics of Race
RHET 112 - Rhetoric and War
RHET 106 - Aesthetics of Everyday Life
RHET 144 - Photojournalism and Public Culture
All courses taught by departmental faculty can be counted toward a major or minor in the department, as long as other requirements are met.
Upper-level courses from other departments may be included in the major as they fit into the department's curricular categories, contribute to a comprehensive and cohesive program of study, and advance the student's educational goals. For example, a student interested in the relationship between religion and politics might include courses from the Political Science and Religion/Philosophy Departments. Courses from other departments should not comprise more than 6 of the first 30 hours of the major, and all selections must be approved by a committee of the rhetoric and communication studies faculty. Students are responsible for fulfilling any prerequisites for such courses.
REQUIRED CREDIT HOURS AND COURSES OUTSIDE MAJOR
The Drake Curriculum, required of all undergraduates, is designed to help students meet personal and professional goals as they acquire fundamental knowledge and abilities in ten Areas of Inquiry, including communication, critical thinking, artistic experience, historical consciousness, information and technology literacy, international and multicultural experiences, scientific and quantitative literacy, values and ethics and engaged citizenship. Students work closely with their academic advisers to craft a program of study in general education that prepares students for civic and professional leadership.
The Drake Curriculum also requires first-year seminars, which foster development of critical thinking and written and oral communication skills through a topical focus; and a Senior Capstone, in which students demonstrate the capacity to bring information, skills and ideas to bear on one project.
REQUIRED CREDIT HOURS AND COURSES FOR A MINOR
Eighteen hours are required for the minor.
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES/INTERNSHIPS
Internships for credit are available when they can be arranged by the student and involve a component of academic reading and writing. Past internships have included work with political campaigns, advertising firms, and in community organizing.
CAREER OPTIONS
Rhetoric and communication students typically have careers in business or public service, or attend law or graduate school in a number of disciplines (such as business, communication studies, and education). Many of our students also complete other majors or interdisciplinary concentrations.
NOTABLE ALUMNI
Shawna Kasner-Hannam, AS'97, pharmaceutical sales representative, Eli Lilly and Co., Omaha, NE
Visit the Rhetoric Department website
