Rhetoric and Persuasion, Minor

This is the first version of the 2025–26 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.

The undergraduate minor in rhetoric and persuasion requires a minimum of 15 s.h., including 12 s.h. earned in courses taken at the University of Iowa and at least 12 s.h. earned in Department of Rhetoric courses. Students must maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.00 in all courses for the minor and in all UI courses for the minor. Coursework in the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass.

The minor in rhetoric and persuasion requires the following coursework.

Course # Title Hours
15 s.h. from these:
RHET:2055Persuasion and Advocacy3
RHET:2065Persuading Different Audiences: Launching a Successful Career3
RHET:2070Persuasive Stories3
RHET:2085Speaking Skills3
RHET:2095Fundamental Strategies of Persuasion3
RHET:2135/SJUS:2135Decoding Disability: Rhetoric of Access and Accommodations3
RHET:2350Forensic Rhetoric3
RHET:3350Gaming (the) Systems3
RHET:3700Advocacy and Sustainability: Crafting Stories of People, Place, and Resilience3
RHET:4980Special Projects for Undergraduates (may not be repeated)arr.
May include one of these:
RHET:2000/ARTS:2000/ASP:2000/EDTL:2000Big Ideas: Creativity for a Lifetime3
RHET:2610/THTR:2610Acting for Success3
RHET:3560/PBAF:3560/POLI:3560/SJUS:3560Public Policy and Persuasion3
BUS:3000Business Communication and Professionalism3
CLSA:3742/WRIT:3742Word Power: Building English Vocabulary3
COMM:1816Business and Professional Communication3
GWSS:3138/SJUS:3138Writing to Change the World3
LATH:3000Latham Fellows: Science Communication Skill Building2
LATH:3001Latham Fellows: Science Outreach Project2
THTR:1140Basic Acting3

Focus Areas

Students who would like to choose courses in certain focus areas may select from the following, taking into account the preceding course requirements.

The Skills of Speaking, Presenting, and Communicating Effectively

Course # Title Hours
RHET:2065Persuading Different Audiences: Launching a Successful Career3
RHET:2085Speaking Skills3
RHET:2095Fundamental Strategies of Persuasion3
RHET:2610/THTR:2610Acting for Success3

The Skills of Writing Professionally and Persuasively

Course # Title Hours
RHET:2070Persuasive Stories3
RHET:2350Forensic Rhetoric3
RHET:3350Gaming (the) Systems3

Advocacy: Making the World a Better Place

Course # Title Hours
RHET:2055Persuasion and Advocacy3
RHET:2070Persuasive Stories3
RHET:2135/SJUS:2135Decoding Disability: Rhetoric of Access and Accommodations3
RHET:3560/PBAF:3560/POLI:3560/SJUS:3560Public Policy and Persuasion3
RHET:3700Advocacy and Sustainability: Crafting Stories of People, Place, and Resilience3

Performance Rhetoric

Course # Title Hours
RHET:2065Persuading Different Audiences: Launching a Successful Career3
RHET:2070Persuasive Stories3
RHET:2610/THTR:2610Acting for Success3
RHET:3350Gaming (the) Systems3
RHET:4980Special Projects for Undergraduatesarr.
THTR:1140Basic Acting3