The vision behind the University of Maryland’s Minor in Rhetoric is to provide students with 1) ways of seeing the world as a place open to change and 2) skills for acting on its possibilities.
The Minor in Rhetoric is an interdisciplinary program supported jointly by the Department of Communication and the Department of English and open to undergraduates entering any discipline, field, or career. The minor educates students to understand and analyze the history, theory, and criticism of civic discourse and cultural practices. Course offerings feature both applied and theoretical approaches. Knowledge and skills acquired through the minor empower graduates to engage with important social issues and take active leadership roles in their communities and careers.
Why Minor in Rhetoric?
We study rhetoric to understand and practice the use of symbols and symbol systems to communicate and create shared meaning. Courses in the minor provide opportunities both to practice applied skills in composing across media and to study rhetorical theory and methods of analysis across time periods. Students who minor in rhetoric acquire the knowledge and skills to take on a broad range of leadership roles in which they advocate for and communicate with others to address issues of social and political importance.
The Minor in Rhetoric, open to all University of Maryland students, may be especially valuable for those who plan careers in fields like business, education, government, law, non-profits, and others where persuasive writing and speaking skills are prized. The minor requires just 15 credits in a wide range of courses offered in both Communication and English.
Entering the Minor
The College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU) has established a maximum enrollment in the Minor in Rhetoric. Students wishing to pursue the minor should check the ARHU minors page.
When enrollment in the minor is open, students can submit the online contact form to initiate the process of meeting with an advisor and officially declaring the minor.
University regulations specify that “to ensure appropriate academic advising, students who wish to pursue a minor should inform both the college responsible for their major and the unit offering the minor as early as possible, but in no case later than one full academic year before the expected date of graduation.” We recommend you seek admission to the minor and receive advising within the first six credits of your minor.
