The minor in rhetoric and persuasion educates students in responsible, credible, and effective methods to take active leadership roles in engaging social issues in personal, professional, and communal settings. The program empowers students to look at the world as a place open to change and receptive to influence and to view themselves as agents capable of improving the world and their place in it. The minor aims to professionalize students—whether in their capacity as individual citizens, members of the community, or leaders in the workplace—by guiding them to understand audiences and situations, to use language responsibly and strategically, and to develop the integrity and authority of their own voice.
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.
Focus Areas
Students who would like to choose courses in certain focus areas can select from the following, taking into account the maximum course requirements above.
The Skills of Speaking, Presenting, and Communicating Effectively
The Skill of Writing Professionally and Persuasively
Advocacy: Making the World a Better Place
Performance Rhetoric
