Rhetoric, Writing, and Speech Communication; B.A.
Learn the art of effective communication.
“Going into the professional world, you need both speaking and writing skills to make an impact. This degree gave me the opportunity to round out all of my skills.”
Kellie Smith (B.A. in Rhetoric and English, '22)
Content Coordinator, RxMG
About the Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric, Writing, and Speech Communication
The Department of Writing and Rhetoric in the College of Liberal Arts offers the B.A. in Rhetoric, Writing, and Speech Communication. Students learn to speak, write, and design effectively while also becoming discerning critics of the communication practices saturating our world.
- Students can choose from a wide variety of speech, writing, and rhetoric classes that examine communication in interpersonal, community, civic, academic, professional, and historical contexts.
Studying writing, rhetoric, and speech communication allows students to look at modern problems– and into the future– through the lens of a time-tested discipline.
The Value of a Rhetoric, Writing, and Speech Communication Degree
The major helps students build critical thinking and communication skills that set them apart in the professional world. Combined with another major–in anything from the humanities to business or pre-med–the rhetoric helps prepare students to communicate specialized subjects in a variety of contexts.
Graduates leave UM with a portfolio of well-crafted projects and marketable skills for every aspect of professional life–from interviews and emails to business plans and reports.
On this Page…
Program Information
Degree
B.A. in Rhetoric
Emphases
Professional Writing, Speech Communication
Required Credit Hours
120
Program Type
Major
Program Location
School
Duration
4 years
Degree Requirements
Find out about credit hour and course requirements for the 2025-26 academic catalog.
Students in the College of Liberal Arts earning the B.A. degree have a common set of 48-50 hours of general education. The specific courses taken to complete the categories of general education may differ between majors.
Categories of General Education:
- First Year Writing I, II
- English Literature Survey
- Modern or Ancient Language
- History
- Additional Humanities
- Fine or Performing Arts Appreciation
- Mathematics
- Social Sciences
- Natural Sciences
To see the details for these general education requirements, visit the UM online catalog or the degree sheet attached at the top of this webpage.
Students in the B.A. in Rhetoric, Writing, and Speech Communication complete 30 credit hours. Students may choose to specialize by using their Spch and Writ electives to add an optional emphasis in professional writing or speech communication. A minimum grade of C is required in all speech and writing courses applied by a student toward the major. Students pursuing the B.A. degree in the College of Liberal Arts are also required to complete a minor field of study (or double major).
- Liba 102: First Year Seminar or Writ 102: First Year Writing II
- Spch 102: Public Speaking or Spch 105: Business and Professional Speech
- Spch 305: Collaborative Communication or Spch 314: Intercollegiate Debate
- Writ 220: Survey of Rhetoric
- Writ 250: Advanced Composition
- Writ 300: Rhetoric of Professional Communication
- 6 courses (12 credit hours) in Rhet, Writ, and Spch at the 200-level or higher. Up to 3 of those 12 credit hours may be MCOM courses at the 200-level or higher.
See all Rhet courses in the catalog
To complete the emphasis in Professional Writing, students complete three courses from the following list.
- Writ 210: Rhetoric I: Foundations to 1650
- Writ 301: Responding to Writers
- Writ 310: Writing in Professional Contexts
- Writ 320: Technical Writing
- Writ 340: Contemporary Writing Studies
- Writ 345: Community Writing
- Writ 350: Writing for Digital Media
- Writ 360: Document Design
- Writ 370: Editing and Proofreading
- Writ 380: Scientific Writing
- Writ 398: Topics in Writing Studies on Location
- Writ 399: Special Topics
- Writ 410: Grant Writing
- Writ 440: Writing for Accountancy
To complete the emphasis in Professional Writing, students complete three courses from the following list.
- Spch 200: Interpersonal Communication
- Spch 210: The Art of the Interview
- Spch 301: Responding to Communicators
- Spch 305: Collaborative Communication
- Spch 314: Intercollegiate Debating
- Spch 398: Speech on Location
- Spch 405: Organizational Communication
Department Opportunities
Video: Get to Know the Department of Writing & Rhetoric
Hear firsthand from students, faculty, and staff about the Rhetoric, Writing, & Speech Communication program.
Why Minor In Professional Writing?
Whether planning to enter the job market or pursue another degree after graduating with their B.A. or B.S., students across the university can gain a competitive edge by completing the Professional Writing Minor (PWM). Strong writing, speaking, teamwork, problem-solving, and analysis skills are consistently in high demand among employers and graduate programs. Our courses focus on helping students develop these skills and more. Along with small class sizes, dedicated faculty, flexibility to customize coursework, and the option to complete the minor entirely online, the PWM offers students individualized attention, extensive feedback, and opportunities to explore their professional interests in ways that meet their unique needs.
Karla M Lyles
Senior Lecturer in Writing and Rhetoric
Professional Writing Minor FAQs
The minor in professional writing prepares students to become effective written, spoken, visual, and electronic communicators in a variety of digital, disciplinary, and workplace environments. Students choose their emphases in many classroom projects to complement and extend the knowledge acquired in any major and meet their intended career goals. Special emphasis is given to navigating the terrain of electronic writing environments and social media through portfolio projects and allowing students to develop reflective practices to direct their learning beyond the academy. The minor is offered in traditional face-to-face and entirely-online formats.
- Written and oral communication
- Teamwork
- Project management
- Research and analysis
- Critical thinking/Problem-solving
- Fall 2018 and later catalog years: WRIT 300 + WRIT 310 + 12 remaining hours of WRIT courses at 200-level and above (can also count SPCH 305)
- Fall 2017: WRIT 300 + WRIT 310 + 12 remaining hours of WRIT courses at 200-level and above
- Prior to Fall 2017: 18 hours of WRIT courses that can include WRIT 100/101, ENGL 101, or HON 101 and WRIT/LIBA 102, ENGL 102, or HON 102
The Minor in Professional Writing can be competed entirely online! Most of the courses in the minor are available online and we have developed a rotation schedule to ensure that students can complete the minor online in two years.
Typically, online Professional Writing Minor courses are offered in the following rotation:
| WRIT 250: Advanced Composition | Fall, Spring, Summer |
| WRIT 300: Rhetoric of Professional Communication | Fall |
| WRIT 301: Responding to Writers | Spring, Summer |
| WRIT 310: Writing in Professional Contexts | Spring |
| WRIT 320: Technical Writing | Fall |
| WRIT 350: Writing for Digital Media | Fall, Summer |
| WRIT 410: Grant Writing | Spring |
Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts
As Coordinator of Student Recruitment for the College of Liberal Arts, I work with students, and their parents, who are interested in attending UM for their undergraduate degrees. I coordinate personalized visits to our departments, answer questions about the majors and programs in the CLA and handle all recruitment communications from the CLA. Please feel free to send me any questions you may have. It is my job to make sure you have everything you need to make an informed decision on where to spend your college career, and I hope it will be with the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Mississippi!
Annabelle Harris
Admissions Counselor
Future CLA Students
College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Students
We invite future undergraduates to learn about the College of Liberal Arts, the value of the liberal arts education, our programs, career opportunities, and resources to help you succeed. You can also request a personalized degree sheet.
Next Steps
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