Rhetoric & Professional Writing

The Rhetoric and Professional Writing track (RPW) prepares students to write persuasively and effectively in public and professional settings. We emphasize experiential learning opportunities, such as client-based class projects and internships, and offer students interdisciplinary and collaborative experiences that are important for a wide range of professional environments. The track prepares students to be informed, responsible participants in civic affairs and can lead to employment in commercial and non-profit organizations or graduate work in professional writing.

Student Resources

Requirements

* Rhetoric and Professional Writing checklist
This electronic requirement checklist can be completed and used during advising sessions or utilized to track the progress toward your degree.
  • A minimum of 36 credit hours is required, with at least 21 hours in the chosen track.
  • Only courses listed on this checklist count toward the major. If you wish to substitute
    other courses, you must submit a Petition to Substitute a Course before taking the course.
  • English Composition (ENGL 1001) is the prerequisite required before any coursework is
    completed.
  • Although not required, it is highly recommended to complete the composition sequence
    (ENGL 2089: Intermediate Composition or equivalent) prior to beginning coursework.
  • No credit toward the English Major is earned for 1000 or 2000 level composition
    courses.

Core Courses for All English Majors

  • ENGL 3000 Intro to English Studies
  • ENGL 3006 Intro to Shakespeare
  • ENGL 2007 or ENGL 2008 Survey: American Literature
  • ENGL 2134 or ENGL 2135 Survey: British Literature

One Global, Ethnic, and Minority Literature Course – choose one of the following:

  • ENGL 2021 - World Literature I
  • ENGL 2022 - World Literature II
  • ENGL 2034 - Contemporary World Literature: Drama
  • ENGL 2037 - Contemporary World Literature: Poetry
  • ENGL 2045 - Lesbian and Gay Literature
  • ENGL 2054 - Women's Literature
  • ENGL 2057 - Twentieth-Century Women Authors
  • ENGL 2059 - American Jewish Literature
  • ENGL 2080 - Ethnic Literatures of the United States
  • ENGL 2083 - African American Literature Survey I
  • ENGL 2084 - African American Literature Survey II
  • ENGL 3041 - Introduction to American Ethnic Literature
  • ENGL 3042 - Topics in American Ethnic Literature
  • ENGL 3044 - Interracialism
  • ENGL 3047 - Jews and Race
  • ENGL 3088 - American Women Writers to 1900
  • ENGL 3089 - American Women Writers after 1900
  • ENGL 3095 - Race, Ethnicity, and Film
  • ENGL 3127 - Introduction to Critical Race Theory
  • ENGL 3161 - Black Women Writers
  • ENGL 3166 - Caribbean Literature
  • ENGL 3177 - Global English Fiction
  • ENGL 3178 - Transnational American Literature
  • ENGL 3182 - Modernism and Postmodernism in World Fiction
  • ENGL 4004 - African American Literature: Major Authors
  • ENGL 4035 - Lesbian Literature and Psychology

Rhetoric and Professional Writing Requirements

Note that some courses have prerequisites. Most intermediate courses require one introductory course.

Capstones require at least one intermediate course. Course offerings may vary by semester.

Introductory Course

  • ENGL 3059 Introduction to RPW

One 4000 Level Course – Choose one of the following:

  • ENGL 4091 Writing for Business
  • ENGL 4092 Technical and Scientific Writing
  • ENGL 4093 Environmental Writing
  • ENGL 4094 Biomedical Writing

Four RPW Electives – Choose from the following list, one must be a 5100-level course.

  • ENGL 2073 Rhetoric and Social Engagement
  • ENGL 3060 Language & Knowledge Discourse
  • ENGL 3067 Rhetoric of Textual Analysis 
  • ENGL 3068 Topics in RPW 
  • ENGL 3069 Introduction to Web Authoring
  • ENGL 3070 Desktop Publishing
  • ENGL 3072 Multi-Media Writing
  • ENGL 3073 Analysis and the Internet
  • ENGL 3074 Rhetoric of Social Media
  • ENGL 3076 Writing with Style
  • ENGL 3077 Visual Rhetoric
  • ENGL 4095 Theory of Professional Writing
  • ENGL 4099 Internship
  • ENGL 5080 Writing Cincinnati
  • ENGL 5091 Individual Work
  • ENGL/PWRT 5121 Instructional Design
  • ENGL/PWRT 5122 Promotional Writing
  • ENGL/PWRT 5123 Reports and Proposals
  • ENGL/PWRT 5124 Editing Professional Documents
  • ENGL/PWRT 5125 Info Graphics & Doc Design
  • ENGL/PWRT 5126 User Experience and Usability
  • ENGL/PWRT 5128 Publishing and New Media

Capstone – prerequisite of 9 completed credit hours

  • ENGL 5095 - Rhetoric and Professional Writing Capstone