ANALYTICAL, COMMUNICATIVE, AND PERSUASIVE SKILLS are in high demand in almost every profession, including law, education, politics, consulting, business, public relations, professional writing, advertising, and academia. The Rhetoric & Writing major aims to produce sophisticated communicators able to perform the sort of analyses and persuasive presentations that such careers require. It also is an excellent preparation for graduate-level study in law, business, media studies, literary and cultural studies, and other liberal-arts disciplines.
Specifically, students in the Rhetoric & Writing major learn to
As a Rhetoric & Writing major, you will develop your ability to apply these practical skills in person, in print, and electronically, while studying the rhetorical and philosophical principles in which they are based.
You should declare a major by the time you have completed 60 semester hours of undergraduate coursework. You can officially declare a major online through the College of Liberal Arts website.
Once you have declared your major, a designated staff or faculty member of your major department will be your primary advisor.
If you have questions about declaring a major in Rhetoric, please contact the undergraduate advisor: Dr. Diane Davis.
To fulfill the 12 elective hours, students in the major select from a wide variety of theory, analysis and applications courses. Below are a few recent examples of courses:
Topics in Professional and Technical Writing for Liberal Arts Majors
Advanced Studies in Computers and Writing
History of Rhetoric
Rhetorical Theory and Analysis
Advanced Topics in Rhetoric and Writing
What can you do with a major in rhetoric?
As so many of the quotes featured in our website indicate, writing and critical thinking are the skills most highly valued by employers today. It stands to reason, then, that rhetoric majors—who receive rigorous training in both—are likely to be much-sought-after candidates once they enter the job market. Although a few career paths stand out as logical choices, a major in rhetoric qualifies you for a broad spectrum of options.
Few people hear the term rhetoric without thinking about law. (The term “forensic” refers to anything related to legal systems.) Analyzing evidence, drawing conclusions, arguing about a defendant’s guilt or innocence, presenting a case in a way that informs and persuades a jury—these activities require rigorous training in logic, argumentation, audience analysis, and semantics, some of the key skills you will learn if you major in rhetoric.
Of course, the intensive writing required in rhetoric courses hones your skills for a variety of writing careers. Whether you hope to write carefully argued op-eds for The New York Times, winning business or grant proposals for the for-profit or nonprofit sector, advocacy materials for lobbyists, or art and music reviews for The Austin Chronicle, rhetoric courses will train you to tailor your style and tone to your audience and purpose. Moreover, you’ll develop research skills that are adaptable to both traditional library resources and online resources, and you’ll become adept at determining how to present others’ ideas fairly and give appropriate credit where credit is due. So whether the writing your future employer requires is chiefly argumentative, informative, or entertaining, you’ll have the experience necessary to tackle the task.
Equally viable opportunities exist in fields that employ visual rhetoric. Creating effective advertisements (for print or television) and materials for websites requires attention not just to words, but to how words and images interact to persuade readers/viewers. Many rhetoric courses provide opportunities to analyze visual rhetoric and learn the software and programs required to produce it. Such experience gives you a competitive edge in advertising, public relations, film, television, and other fields that make use of emerging technologies.
If you plan to continue your education after commencement (as many of our majors do), rhetorical training is excellent preparation for graduate or professional school. Whether your interests lie in English or paleontology, psychology or philosophy, public affairs or information science, your success in graduate school and your subsequent career will depend on how well you communicate your research to others—either in conference papers, journals, periodicals with an educated lay readership, boardrooms, or classrooms. Of course, if you discover you’ve developed a taste for rhetorical theory, the history of rhetoric, or the teaching of writing, graduate study in rhetoric may be the path for you.
Two offices on campus are dedicated to helping you explore possible careers:
The Liberal Arts Career Office coordinates job fairs and career expos on campus, and their website provides a searchable database of jobs and internships (local and international), guidelines for resume and cover letters, tips to help you prepare for an interview, and information about pre-law advising.
The Career Exploration Center offers career testing and career counseling, and it provides numerous resources to help you explore internships, graduate programs, and careers. Since the rhetoric major is brand new, you won't yet find it under their list of careers for each major. But we encourage you to review the possibilities listed for English, Communications, Liberal Arts, Philosophy, and Advertising & Public Relations—all of which require substantial skill in rhetoric.
As you’re searching for the path that's right for you, feel free to consult the DRW professors with whom you’ve worked most closely. We support your efforts to find the profession best suited to your interests, training, and talents.
The Department of Rhetoric and Writing encourages you to apply your rhetorical training professionally by interning for a for-profit or non-profit organization. We have developed relationships with a number of local organizations who will be glad to review your application.
Select one of the work categories listed below to see possible positions. If you don’t find what you’re looking for:
• Look for additional internship opportunities in the databases maintained by Liberal Arts Career Services and the Volunteer and Service Learning Center.
• Check back at this site periodically for updates, and watch for email notices from the DRW about intern opportunities.
• Contact Alice Batt at abatt@mail.utexas.edu. She’ll be happy to brainstorm possibilities with you.
EDUCATION
Austin Public Library Work to develop Storytime Connection, an outreach program that brings Storytime to daycares in low-income areas. Plan and provide 2 storytimes per week, develop storytime kits (books and props). Contact: Rebecca Beechwood.
EVENTS PLANNING
Make-a-Wish Foundation Make all necessary arrangements to grant the special wishes of terminally ill children. Contact: Alice Batt at abatt@mail.utexas.edu.
GRANT WRITING AND DEVELOPMENT
American Red Cross Write grants to support ARC's mission. Contact: Erin Osenbaugh
Austin Public Library Work to develop Storytime Connection, an outreach program that brings Storytime to daycares in low-income areas. Plan and provide 2 storytimes per week, develop storytime kits (books and props), assist in the development of grant report and publicity materials (online and print). Contact: Rebecca Beechwood,
National Alliance for Mental Illness Research and write grants, and coordinate speaking events. Contact: Lisa Moore
Sustainable Food Center Write grants and work on other fundraising activities. Contact: Claire McKeever
LAW AND POLICY
200th Judicial Civil District Court
Shadow Judge Gisela Triana’s staff attorney, do legal research, and observe courtroom procedures. Contact: James Parsons
Texas Legislature
(Various positions available, some paid. Browse the links at this UT Department of Government site, and contact Alice Batt for more details.)
NEWS & MAGAZINE WRITING
News8 Austin Go out on assignment with a team of reporters and learn how to produce news. Attend staff meetings and learn how News8 makes decisions about what to cover and how to cover it. Contact: Lessly Stallings
That Other Paper Write and edit articles for this alternative online paper. Contact: Todd Nienkerk
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Austin Chamber Music Center Manage and promote music concerts. Manage a silent auction. (Summer only.) Contact: Ora Shay
Austin Public Library Develop Storytime Connection, an outreach program that brings Storytime to daycares in low-income areas. Plan and provide 2 storytimes per week, develop storytime kits (books and props), assist in the development of grant report and publicity materials (online and print). Contact: Rebecca Beechwood
College of Liberal Arts Public Affairs Promote research & educational activities in college by writing press releases and articles for distribution to various media. Assist with compilation of media report. Research, fact-check, and write feature articles for college magazine. Draft and edit copy for publications, the web, and other promotional materials. Build relationships with departments to facilitate communication about newsworthy faculty/student/staff accomplishments. Develop a positive working relationship with public affairs colleagues throughout UT.) Contact: Christian Clarke Casarez
Engineering Public Affairs, UT This UT office offers two positions: Web content manager and awards release writer. Experience using Microsoft Frontpage, MS Word, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Acrobat required. (Summer only; paid.) Contact: Becky Rische
The Miracle Foundation Assist with office administration and produce newsletter for this growing nonprofit, which develops and runs orphanages in India. Contact: Caroline Boudreaux
Teatro Vivo Promote the upcoming productions of this bilingual theatre company, and assist with community outreach. Contact: JoAnn Reyes
TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION
Freescale Interns needed for content management, information architecture, and technical documentation. (A paid position is offered during the summer. Inquire about long-semester positions.) Contact: Nick Evans
ITS at UT Interns needed for documentation, proposals, and accessibility. Contact: Lisa Wright
Troux Technologies Interns needed for information development. Contact: Mike Wethington
OBTAINING COURSE CREDIT FOR YOUR INTERNSHIP
Students who have taken at least 12 hours of rhetoric may take RHE366, Rhetoric Internship, which is offered every long semester. This course is designed to help you reflect critically on the ways you are applying your rhetorical training professionally. It is offered pass/fail course and does not count toward requirements for the Rhetoric major; it does, however, count toward general requirements.
(Note: Some employers require that their interns take an internship course for academic credit concurrently with their position. )
If you wish to register for RHE366, contact Alice Batt to set up an interview and have your name cleared for registration. Before the meeting, you will need to submit a writing sample and list of rhetoric courses you’ve taken. Only academically qualified students (B average or better in rhetoric courses) will be allowed to register.
Course Description:
This course provides an academic foundation and practical support for upper-division students working in DRW-approved internships.
It is designed to help you do two things: 1) recognize how rhetoric is applied in workplace environments, and 2) apply your training and skills in rhetoric and writing professionally.
To meet these objectives, you will participate in a variety of activities: assigned readings, class discussions (in class and online), journal reflections on your workplace experience, university-sponsored workshops about job searching and workplace protocol, and in-class workshops and peer critique sessions designed to further develop your writing skills.
By the end of the semester, you will produce a portfolio of writing—20 pages minimum, some produced on the job and some assigned for class and/or arranged according to your interests. (Because the amount of on-the-job writing you do will vary depending on your internship, you will need to consult with me during the first few weeks of the semester and again toward the end to determine the types of writing you’ll submit at the end of term.) The portfolio should be a record of the work you’ve done this semester and what you’ve learned from your experience.
Grades:
This course is graded on a pass/fail basis. To pass, you must complete all of the assignments (with evidence of good engagement) and complete your internship in good standing.