RMS What we Study Courses Minor and Major Faculty Contests Forensics Team

RMS: Minor and Major

Alex Folkerth is focusing his research on environmental rhetoric including how environmental studies programs construct human relationships with nature. Cindy Chen is working on her RMS major and has written a Lacanian analysis of Mulholland Drive. Adam Symonds completed a Rhetoric minor, English minor, and Politics major. A dedicated member of the forensics team, he now teaches at Arizona State University having completed a Ph.D. in Rhetoric from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School. Scott Thompson completed a Rhetoric major along with a Politics major. He wrote his honors thesis on the Muslim veil controversy in France. He completed his studies at Duke Law School and is now a lawyer.

The Rhetoric and Media Studies Major The faculty unanimously approved the new description of our major in Spring 2011 (following approval in Spring 2003 after creating the major in Spring 2002). A minimum of thirty-four credits in Rhetoric and Media Studies, including: Introduction to Film Studies (160). The Rhetoric and Film Criticism Course (387). You take this course Fall of your Junior Year. Thesis (491 or 498). Students may not count more than eight credits of 100-level RMS courses towards the major. Students may not count more than four credits of RMS 121, 221, or 222 toward the major. Students may substitute up to eight of the elective credits with approved transfer credits or courses in other departments that focus primarily on media or the student’s rhetorical emphasis. Students must receive approval from their adviser for these courses at the time they declare their major and as they register thereafter. Department policy does not allow a P-D-F grade option for courses within the major. Senior assessment: All departmental majors will write a substantial thesis during fall semester and will defend that thesis during a one-hour oral examination. The Rhetoric and Film Studies Minor The faculty voted unanimously on Wednesday, March 26, 1997 to establish a Rhetoric minor. The minor requirements were revised in the Spring of 1998, 2002, 2003, and 2011. A minimum of 20 credits in rhetoric and media studies. Students may not count more than eight credits of 100-level RMS courses toward the minor. Students may not count more than four credits of RMS 121, 221, or 222 toward the minor. Students may substitute up to four of the elective credits with approved transfer credits or courses in other departments that focus primarily on media or the student’s rhetorical emphasis. Students must receive adviser approval for these courses at the time they declare their minor and as they register thereafter. Department policy does not allow a P-D-F grade option for courses within the minor.

Questions should be directed to Jim Hanson at hansonjb@whitman.edu