Katherine DeLuca, PhD she/her

Introduction to issues of social justice and engagement in rhetoric and communication in interpersonal, professional, and civic contexts.  Students will develop their ability to recognize and respond to the rhetorical, ethical, and social implications of issues and tensions in various historical and contemporary communication situations. Learning from diverse perspectives and frameworks in communication, they will develop skills and approaches for critical social engagement through communication practices, across modes and genres. 

The study and contemporary application of ancient Greek and Roman rhetorical theory. Students will apply rhetorical theory in ongoing analyses of a wide range of communication media (written, spoken, visual) and in their own writing.

Emphasis on combining textual and graphic components to accomplish production-oriented, informative, instructional, and persuasive tasks. Students will acquire a broad understanding of the fundamentals of visual communication and document design. Students will then evaluate the effectiveness of design choices for particular rhetorical situations and apply those principles to specific projects using industry-standard design/publishing software.

Introduction to strategies, techniques, and technologies used by web developers and designers. Teaches how to establish site goals, articulate user needs, improve user experience, produce quality web content, and compose usable web writing. Students learn front-end, back-end, and social-web development and design principles, as well as current web production technologies.

Students will work as writers, editors, assistants, or special consultants in business, industry, or nonprofit organizations. Writing might include public relations pieces, such as press releases, advertising copy or unsolicited sales letters, and house organs; background papers for managers or executives; and memos, letters, and short reports. Emphasis will be placed on the quality of work produced by the student at the field sites.

First semester. Graded CR/NC (upon approval of completed thesis or project).