Academic Programs in Writing & Rhetoric
Sharpen your thinking. Strengthen your voice.
Earn a Degree in an Accessible and Strategic Field
By studying Writing, Rhetoric, and Speech Communication, you will gain the effective writing and speaking skills sought by all employers. You will leave college 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.
Combined with another major—in anything from the humanities to business or pre-med—Rhetoric can prepare you to communicate specialized subjects in a variety of contexts. And, at only 33 credit hours, Writing, Rhetoric, and Speech Communication is an accessible double major. You will hone your communication skills while staying on track to graduate in four years.
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.
What is Rhetoric?
Rhetoric is the study and practice of effective messaging.
Rhetoric shapes meaning, experience, identity, and culture. As one of the seven original liberal arts (grammar, rhetoric, logic, geometry, arithmetic, music, astronomy), rhetoric is foundational to critical thinking and a college education. Aristotle described a rhetorician as one who observes “in any given case, all available means of persuasion.”
In Rhetoric classes, students analyze all types of messages, from political speeches to grant proposals to websites to tweets, and compose and deliver their own effective oral, print, and digital texts. They learn to think logically while speaking and writing effectively.
The Department of Writing and Rhetoric supports UM students’ rhetorical development at every stage. First- and second-year courses cover the fundamental writing, speaking, and analytic skills college demands. Upper-division courses focus on specific rhetorical contexts, media, theories, and audiences to develop skills in hearing, reading, composing, and delivering effective messages.
The Speaking and Writing Centers offer support and practice for student presentations and papers in any class. Co-curricular organizations, like the Ty R. Warren Debate Union, provide opportunities for students to collaborate and communicate about the issues that are most important in their lives.
Build the rhetorical skills that will shape your future with the Department of Writing and Rhetoric.
Why Major in Rhetoric?
Rhetoric majors focus on the study and practice of effective communication. They become powerful speakers and writers and learn how language and other symbols shape the world around us. Rhetoric majors go on to work in corporate communications, writing, editing, public advocacy, or anything that involves writing and/or speaking. Recent graduates have pursued careers in law, science writing, digital marketing, branding, public policy, and politics. Requiring only ten courses, rhetoric is also the perfect double major, helping students build the communication skills that add value to other degrees.
Karen Fatula Forgette
Senior Lecturer in Composition and Rhetoric & Assistant Chair
-
Academic Advising
Except for students in the FASTrack program, Rhetoric, Writing, and Speech Comm majors are advised by Karen Forgette, Assistant Chair in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric. Students in the Professional Writing Minor are advised by Karla Lyles, Coordinator of Professional Writing.
Contact Karen Forgette Contact Karla Lyles FASTrack Learning Community -
Accelerated Law (3+3)
In a partnership with the UM School of Law, students admitted to the Accelerated Law Program may earn baccalaureate and law degrees in 6 years instead of 7 by using first year law school courses to complete their undergraduate degree. They start law school during their senior year.
Accelerated Law (3+3) -
Resources & Scholarships
Find out about the generous scholarships for writing and rhetoric students as well as awards for students in department courses. Discover the student success resources available at the department, college, and university levels.
Resources & Scholarships
Beyond the Classroom
TEDx
We are a group of students who find and share ideas worth spreading. We provide a platform for the innovators, creators, and thinkers on our campus and in the state of Mississippi. We also share ideas from speakers outside Mississippi, which can impact our community in a positive way. Annually, we share an evening of curated Talks to spark conversation in our community and beyond. A registered student organization, TEDxTeam volunteers are UMiss students who plan, fundraise, market, mount, and wrap a TED-like event, working under license from TED and with oversight from license holder Kate Hooper.
Travel Courses
Students earn credit for general education, major, or minor requirements studying abroad for as few as two weeks or as long as an academic year. Even better, travel with a CLA professor during a 2-week term. Other opportunities for faculty-led travel courses are through Study USA. Generous donors help many CLA students participate.
For Writing and Rhetoric, travel courses have included the rhetoric of early democracy in Athens, Greece; role of rhetoric in memorial sites and museums in different US cities; and travel writing in Austin, Texas.
Internships
According to employer surveys, internships are the #1 desired experience on college resumes. Employers want to know that students have experienced the professional world and have solidified their career goals. Take your sociological methods and knowledge into the workplace and enrich your community engagement after graduation.
Volunteer with M-Partner
A program of the Grisham-McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement, M Partner has completed nearly 120 projects and engaged over 50 faculty/staff and over 800 students with the partner MS communities of Charleston, Ecru, Lexington, New Albany, Pontotoc, and Oxford. These projects support small businesses, promote tourism, advance food security, offer educational enrichment, promote community health, elevate local history, and build capacity for nonprofit organizations.
Peer Consultants
The Writing Center hires talented undergraduate UM students who are organized, dependable, and friendly to work collaboratively with peers to develop writing skills and processes. We are a diverse, close-knit staff. Our consultants come from many different disciplines and majors across the University of Mississippi community. We value multiple perspectives on writing from different academic fields and encourage students from any program to join us. At the Writing Center, students can gain valuable professional experience and take advantage of opportunities to research, travel, and network with other writers across the country.
Warren Debate Union
Be intuitive, be creative, be brilliant.
The Ty R. Warren Debate Union, a body of undergraduate students, engages global communication through British Parliamentary/Worlds Style Debate on campus, within our region, nationally, and around the globe.
The Warren Debate Union has deep roots on campus. Speech and debate activities have occurred under the WDU since the 1970s, when the program was founded by Ty Warren. The team's trophy case on the third floor of Lamar Hall tells the story of the WDU's growth and success. Since its founding, the WDU has maintained a tradition of excellence for over forty years.
Joining the Warren Debate Union (WDU) is a fantastic way to:
- improve your speaking and research skills
- make friends with likeminded students that love arguing
- travel to amazing locations across the nation
- have fun
Now housed under the Department of Writing and Rhetoric at The University of Mississippi, the Warren Debate Union challenges students of all majors and backgrounds to think critically and improve their communication skills through debate and public speaking. Staging the debate on campus through their involvement and providing opportunities for public engagement annually, the Warren Debate Union is proud to host an annual high school invitational tournament recognized by the Mississippi High School Activities Association, the National Speech and Debate Association, and the National Individual Events Tournament of Champions; assist in the development and annual operation of Speaker’s Edge, a competitive speaking event for our MBA, Masters in Accountancy, and Juris Doctor Programs; and present public debates for the evaluation of the Lafayette-Oxford-University community.
In recent years, the WDU has represented the University proudly at competitions hosted in Anchorage (Alaska), Denver (Colorado), Miami (Florida), Nashville (Tennessee), Portland (Oregon), and Seattle (Washington). Encouraging others to speak to their passions, members of the Warren Debate Union lead by example. The WDU also holds joint events with other debate teams in our region, including Vanderbilt University and Rust College.
Debate FAQs
For further information about joining the WDU and our weekly meetings please contact Dr. Jacob Justice, Director of Forensics, at jwjustic@olemiss.edu or debate@olemiss.edu.
Any students, from freshmen to graduates, at the University of Mississippi—regardless of major or previous debate experience—is welcome. If you’re interested in public speaking, critical thinking, or just love a good argument, the WDU is a great place to start.
Speech 314 is offered every spring semester. This class teaches the fundamentals of decision-making and critical thinking through exploring debate, specifically Worlds Style British Parliamentary (BP) Debate. The focus of the class is on researching, organizing, preparing, and delivering oral presentations in a competitive and limited preparation environment. The class covers the basics of argumentation theory, provides numerous opportunities for practice debates, and dives into the details of important political debates in the United States (economics, foreign policy, social media, etc.).
SPCH 314 is a student-centered class that is tailored to the needs and goals of each individual student. Working closely with the instructor, students identify areas for improvement in their presentation skills and work to refine them throughout the semester, with many opportunities for tailored and personalized mentoring.
The class is highly recommended to anybody looking for a fun and rewarding elective class, to students interested in participating on the University of Mississippi debate team, and to anyone who enjoys arguing and debating. The research and presentation skills emphasized by SPCH 314 are helpful to students of all majors.
Members build strong research, communication, and critical thinking skills. You'll also learn how to present arguments clearly and confidently in competitive and public settings.
The team travels to debate tournaments across the country and hosts several major events throughout the year, including a high school invitational tournament and public debates for the local community. WDU also partners with other university debate teams for joint events.
No - the WDU welcomes students of all experience levels. The team includes a mixture of students who competed in high school speech/debate events and students that start their debate careers in college.
No, you don’t need to be enrolled in any specific class to join the Warren Debate Union. While there are courses like SPCH 314 that complement debate skills and are recommended for those who want to strengthen their argumentation and public speaking abilities, they are not a requirement.
Where Can Your Degree Take You?
Since graduating, Allison Clayton has been working at the digital marketing agency Lizard SEM. She began as a content writer just two months after graduation and has since advanced to the role of content and SEO specialist. In this position, she creates search engine-optimized blog content, manages social media for clients, writes copy for digital campaigns, and works to improve web visibility—often helping pest control companies land on the first page of Google search results. Though she never imagined writing about bugs would be part of her career, Allison has found a real passion for the field of SEO. She credits the Community Writing and Collaborative Communication courses in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric for preparing her to succeed in a fast-paced, client-focused industry. From creating engaging content to developing strong communication skills, she says the program gave her the tools she needed to thrive. Grateful for her time at UM, she proudly shares her Ole Miss experience with her remote coworkers and continues to be an enthusiastic advocate for the Writing and Rhetoric program.
Allison Clayton
B.A. in Rhetoric '22
Meet Our Alumni
Eliza Peters
- Greek Life
- Student Activities Association
What advice would you have for incoming rhetoric majors?
See Eliza’s Answer Allison Clayton
Why did you choose to major in rhetoric?
See Allison’s Answer
Kellie Smith
How do you use your rhetorical skills outside of the classroom?
See Kellie’s Answer