Welcome to the Rhetoric and Composition Program
The Rhetoric and Composition (RC) Program offers the first two courses of ASU's Vertical Writing Model (PDF): a first-year writing course (RC 1000: Expository Writing) and a second-year writing course (RC 2001: Introduction to Writing Across the Curriculum). After these two courses, students take a junior year Writing in the Disciplines course and a writing course their senior year with a significant capstone project.
We also offer Writing for Proficiency (RC1000+RC2000) to help students familiarize themselves with the expectations of college-level writing; Writing Center Practice and Pedagogy (RC 3450) to prepare undergraduate students for work in the University Writing Center; and graduate courses related to our Rhetoric & Composition Graduate Certificate. Please see the course description pages for all of our courses listings and further information.
The RC Program seeks to aid its students in becoming confident and authoritative writers, helping them to understand that writing is a combination of inventing and exploring new ideas, awareness of rhetorical situations, and effective communication. We emphasize process by teaching writing as a series of steps--invention, drafting, multiple revisions, and editing--that recur throughout the writing experience. We emphasize product by helping students consider the writing situation and audience concerns, creating quality drafts, and having them reflect on their writing experiences in the completion of a final portfolio at the end of the semester. We also seek to ensure the best possible education of our students by maintaining a strong focus on faculty development.
In November of 2011, Appalachian's writing programs were awarded The Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) Writing Program Certificate of Excellence. This certificate recognized the structure of our program, the accomplishments of our faculty, and our dedication to extensive professional development. For more information about the award, please visit the following: CCCC Writing Program Certificate of Excellence.
RC administration and faculty are proud of our collaborative role in the University and apply that value in every aspect of our instruction and assessment. We collabroate with the University Writing Center, the Writing Across the Curriculum Program, and the University's General Education Program to help our students see that writing is accessible to everyone. The abilities and experiences they gain in our classrooms can transfer into the writing situations they will find in the wider university and professional worlds.