Public Writing and Rhetoric, B.S.

English
Eric Detweiler
(615) 898-2585
Eric.Detweiler@mtsu.edu

The Public Writing and Rhetoric (PWR) program is interdisciplinary and consists of 36 hours. The program gives students extensive, hands-on experience learning to write for audiences beyond academic settings. Working with faculty who research and teach courses on technical writing, podcasting, digital reading practices, collaborative writing, video games, community and public rhetorics, multimodal composition, and user experience design, students in the program become dynamic, rhetorically adaptable writers prepared to navigate a wide range of audiences, genres, and platforms.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Public Writing and Rhetoric, B.S., Academic Map

Degree Requirements

General Education	41 hours
Major Requirements	36 hours
Major Core	(12 hours)
Public Writing and Rhetoric Elective Courses	(24 hours)
Minor	15-18 hours
Electives	25-28 hours
TOTAL	120 hours

General Education (41 hours)

General Education requirements include courses in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Major Requirements (36 hours)

Public Writing and Rhetoric Core (12 hours)

ENGL 4605 - Advanced Composition 3 credit hours
PWR 3000 - Public Writing and Rhetoric 3 credit hours
PWR 4000 - Experimental Writing 3 credit hours
PWR 4999 - Writing Your Future (Senior Capstone) 3 credit hours

Public Writing and Rhetoric Electives (24 hours)

Specialized PWR Electives (6 hours)

PWR 3010 - Community Writing 3 credit hours
PWR 3020 - Digital Writing 3 credit hours
PWR 3030 - Cultural Rhetorics 3 credit hours

Technical and Professional Writing (3 hours)

ENGL 3620 - Professional Writing 3 credit hours
ENGL 4600 - Writing Internship 1 to 6 credit hours (3 credit hours required)
ENGL 4640 - Advanced Topics in Technical Writing and Communication 3 credit hours

Creative Writing (6 hours)

Option 1

ENGL 3000 - Introduction to Literary Studies 3 credit hours OR
ENGL 3007 - Writing and the Literary Imagination 3 credit hours
Any 3000- or 4000-level ENGL course 3 credit hours

Option 2

Any two of the following:

ENGL 2500 - Introduction to Creative Writing 3 credit hours
ENGL 3630 - Creative Nonfiction Workshop 3 credit hours
ENGL 3645 - Fiction Writing 3 credit hours
ENGL 3655 - Poetry Writing 3 credit hours
ENGL 3665 - Playwriting 3 credit hours
ENGL 4670 - Special Topics in Writing 3 credit hours

Linguistics and Writing Education (6 hours)

ENGL 3505 - Writing Workshop Methodologies 3 credit hours
ENGL 3510 - English Grammar and Usage for Educators 3 credit hours
ENGL 3555 - Tutoring Writing: Theories and Methods 3 credit hours
ENGL 3570 - Introduction to Linguistics 3 credit hours
ENGL 4510 - Modern English Grammar and Usage 3 credit hours
ENGL 4520 - The Structure of English 3 credit hours
ENGL 4530 - History of the English Language 3 credit hours

Communication Studies and Rhetoric (3 hours)

COMM 3580 - Political Communication 3 credit hours
COMM 3810 - Topics in Culture and Social Influence 3 credit hours
COMM 4100 - Rhetoric, Identity, and Difference 3 credit hours
COMM 4320 - Persuasion 3 credit hours
COMM 4650 - History and Theory of Rhetoric 3 credit hours

Minor (15-18 hours)

Electives (25-28 hours)

Recommended electives include PWR, ENGL, COMM, JOUR, WGST, and IAM courses

Recommended Curriculum: Public Writing and Rhetoric, B.S.

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.