Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication - James Madison University

Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication from James Madison University is a Campus Master Writing degree that prepares you for a Liberal Arts career. Mission The School of Writing , Rhetoric and Technical Communication seeks to equip students for academic and professional success as communicators in print and electronic media. Goals The goals of WRTC are to help students: Develop into accomplished writers and editors. Evaluate the effectiveness of communication based upon the principles of rhetoric. Develop proficiency in critical thinking, technological and analytical skills. Create for themselves an area of expertise applicable to work as professional communicators. The specific goals of the Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees are to help students to: define what effective communication means in writing, rhetoric and technical communication environments. enhance their understanding of how and why communication works. learn how to identify and eliminate barriers to effective communication. improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their communication management. develop research skills. create for themselves a cognate area of study within the scientific or technical field in which they intend to work as professional technical communicators. To achieve these goals, the programs combine work in theory, writing , text design, and analysis of communication systems and contexts to help students to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to begin careers in writing, rhetoric and technical communication. The programs emphasize scholarly, humanistic and social scientific perspectives on the function and application of writing , rhetoric and technical communication. Consequently, the programs provide students with not only the knowledge and skills required for careers in industry, business or government but also the research skills and communication theory that will prepare them for doctoral study in communication and rhetoric. The long-range goal of the Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees, then, is to enable program graduates to grow as professionals and, ultimately, to contribute to the developing field of writing, rhetoric and technical communication. While studies in both programs provide students with a sound foundation in writing , editing and document production, the Master of Arts degree typically attracts students with undergraduate work centered in the humanities. Although these students often supplement their WRTC degree plan with courses in the sciences, they are primarily interested in gaining extensive knowledge and practice in writing and editing skills that are not tied to a single writing , rhetoric and technical communication field but, rather, are applicable to multiple areas. Conversely, the Master of Science degree plan of study typically proves attractive to students who want to complement their undergraduate degrees in the sciences with advanced training in communication within their fields. Such complementary training in writing, rhetoric and technical communication enables Master of Science graduates not only to perform more effectively as technicians or scientists but also to move laterally into writing , editing or production positions or vertically into management positions. Degree candidates must successfully complete a minimum of 36 credit hours of graduate course work, which includes a minimum of two semesters of course work completed at JMU. Students work with school advisers to design a program that fits their unique educational needs and career aspirations. Depending on their backgrounds and options they might choose to pursue while in the degree program, students may decide to take course work beyond the required 36 hours to obtain additional knowledge or skills in specialized areas. For example, students may choose to take extra course work to enhance their skills in communication technologies or to deepen their academic training in the writing, rhetoric and technical communication content areas in which they intend to work as professional writers or editors. View more details on James Madison University . Ask your questions and apply online for this program or find other related Writing courses.