The development and expression of ideas in writing is the foundation of a liberal education, and more broadly, contemporary democratic culture. In government, education, and all manner of professions, it is through writing that we determine our values, define norms of appropriate behavior, and pursue our goals. Our lives are increasingly mediated by digital technologies that use writing to organize sound and image in interactive spaces like the World Wide Web, and through text messaging and email, individual identity and interpersonal relationships are progressively bound up with writing. At the same time, we face growing demands for communicating across national, cultural, and linguistic borders, requiring us to rethink many assumptions we may have about written communication and expression. The Department of Writing, Rhetoric, & Discourse engages various writing practices and genres to prepare students to excel in the range of contexts in which they will go on to write.
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Upcoming Events
Recent WRD Blog Posts
Faculty Research – Recent Publications from Erin Workman
In the past year, WRD instructor Erin Workman has published three separate works on writing studies and pedagogy. We interviewed her to gain some insight into these works.
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WRD Department Launches New SWAN Certificate
The WRD Department, in partnership with the School of Public Service, is excited to announce the new graduate Certificate in Strategic Writing and Advancement for Nonprofits. Read this overview to learn about everything the SWAN Certificate has to offer.
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Interested in Graduate School?
Learn about LAS graduate programs at one of our information sessions.
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