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Writing and Rhetoric, BA

Location
  • Westchester
Associated College
Dyson College of Arts and Sciences
Other Study Options
Creative Writing Minor
Literature Minor

A strong foundation in writing

Writing and Rhetoric focuses on the arts of writing and critical thinking through different lenses, including composition theory, digital and cultural rhetorics, creative and professional writing, literacy studies, and new media. This degree will teach you to see the world with greater texture and nuance and produce work that enacts change as you become an engaged citizen and an active professional in careers and graduate programs for which the development, analysis, and synthesis of texts are essential. Our course offerings, curricular design, and individualized, student-centered approach to teaching, learning, and mentorship encourage our students to take creative risks, experiment with style and form, generate new ideas, and challenge convention with the goal of cultivating and amplifying their own distinctive voices.

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Write Your Future

At a time when writing and communication are more important than ever before, Writing and Rhetoric students are positioned to excel in an array of fields in which precise, persuasive, and artful communication are necessities. The writers in our major are creators, critical thinkers, and cultural contributors. Our role as faculty is to cultivate their voices and provide opportunities to support their success. We are our students' partners in their education through mentorship, innovative and interactive small courses, equity-minded learning practices, and community. In our program, students WRITE THEIR FUTURE. —Dr. Robert Mundy, Chair, Writing and Cultural Studies

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Career-Focused 

In the competitive workplace of the early 21st century, what does someone who studied Writing and Rhetoric have to offer a would-be employer? As it turns out, a great deal. In an increasingly interconnected world, humanity degrees, such as Writing and Rhetoric, prepare students to meet and exceed the communication-based expectations of the evolving workforce. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (2023), writing is a top 5 skill that employers from across professions seek in their candidates (as cited in Gray, 2022).

The major serves as a solid foundation to prepare students for exciting and challenging careers in many fields, including:

  • professional, creative, and digital writing
  • law
  • marketing and advertising
  • business consulting
  • communications
  • publishing
  • public relations
  • primary, secondary, and post-secondary education
  • public administration, government, and nonprofit sectors

Students can complete up to 9 internship credits and benefit from ongoing, career-focused workshops run by the department, career services, and the writing center.

Mentorship

All students in the major are mentored by compassionate faculty who are actively publishing and participating across the fields of writing and cultural studies. Faculty support contributes to your success through mentorship. You will conference with faculty over your writing, as well as develop goals and actions to support long-term career goals. Additional opportunities with faculty include research and department assistantships. Writing and Rhetoric faculty and staff prioritize building connections between coursework and career aspirations.

Opportunities and Experiences

  • Pace’s art and literary magazine, CHROMA, and media channel, the Channel, publish students’ original fiction, poetry, prose, artwork, and photography. These mediums provide a venue through which students can creatively express themselves.
  • Pace students have presented papers at prestigious conferences that include the International Writing Center Association, Conference on College Composition and Communication, Northeast Writing Center Association, Interdisciplinary Conference on Men and Masculinity Studies, and the Popular Culture Association Conference.
  • Sigma Tau Delta is the international honors society of English studies. In addition to leadership and mentoring opportunities, students compete for substantial prizes, scholarships, and awards.
  • Many of our majors support their peers and community while also honing their own writing skills in the Pleasantville Writing Center. These paid positions offer students continued training in composition studies that supports workplace collaboration and leadership and provides access to competitive graduate programs in writing and rhetoric studies.
  • Students also have the opportunity to study abroad in places like Costa Rica and Greece.

Combined and Accelerated Degrees

Our combined degree programs are designed to save students time and money, while offering an opportunity to gain field-specific expertise. Students may apply for the following combined degrees, which enable them to complete both degrees in five years: