Advocacy and Rhetoric, Minor

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Advocacy is communication that aims to influence decisions in political, social, or economic institutions. Rhetoric is the ability to understand and craft persuasive messages. This minor will allow students to develop their advocacy skills by learning how to analyze social issues, identify solutions, and persuade others through public speaking, media campaigns, crafting arguments, and position papers. Depending on electives chosen, students can prepare for careers in public relations, politics, lobbying, health care advocacy, community organizing, non-profits, or communication consulting.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

Describe key concepts and theories related to advocacy and rhetoric.
Apply theories of rhetoric and advocacy to rhetorical situations.
Evaluate and analyze the rhetoric of specific advocacy campaigns.
Create texts that successfully advocate for specific contexts.

Contact Information

Department of Communication Studies
Ansari Business 523
(775) 784-6839
http://www.unr.edu/communication-studies

College of Liberal Arts Student Center
Lincoln Hall 314
(775) 682-8745
http://www.unr.edu/liberal-arts/academic-advising

I. Program Requirements (18 units)

Students majoring in any field may minor in Advocacy and Rhetoric by completing the following:

Minor GPA | 2.0
Minor Upper-Division Units | 9
Minor Residency Requirement | 6 Upper-Division Units in the minor at UNR
Unit Limits: Per College of Liberal Arts policy, no more than 9 units counted toward any major may be reused to meet the requirements of this minor.

Because this is an interdisciplinary minor, it may be taken by students in all majors, including Communication Studies majors.

A. Required Communication Studies Courses (9 units)

i. Core Course (3 units)

Advocacy and Rhetoric minors must earn a “C” or above in this required core course:

COM 210 - Introduction to Public Advocacy and Rhetoric (3 units)

ii. Speaking Course (3 units)

Advocacy and Rhetoric minors must earn a “C” or above in one of these courses:

COM 101 - Oral Communication (3 units)
COM 209 - Debate and Critical Thinking (1 to 3 units) variable (3 units required)
COM 217 - Argumentation and Debate (3 units)

iii. Communication Studies Foundational Course (3 units)

Advocacy and Rhetoric minors must earn a “C” or above in one of these required courses:

COM 395 - Crisis Communication (3 units) CO12
COM 404 - Principles of Persuasion (3 units)
COM 468 - Facilitating Difficult Discussions (3 units) CO13, CO14

B. External Foundational Course (3 units)

Advocacy and Rhetoric minors must complete one of these courses:

ENG 301 - Understanding Arguments (3 units)
ETS 251 - Theories of Race and Ethnicity (3 units) CO6, CO10
ETS 280 - Native American Identities and Culture (3 units) CO10
GRI 103 - Power, Identity, and Social Justice (3 units) CO6, CO10
GRI 257 - Social Movements of Gender, Race, and Identity (3 units) CO10, CO12
JOUR 401 - First Amendment and Society (3 units) CO8
JOUR 436 - Risk Communication (3 units) CO9
JOUR 446 - Crisis Communication (3 units)
PHIL 207C - Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy (3 units) CO8
PHIL 245 - Contemporary Moral Issues (3 units) CO10, CO12
PSC 241 - Introduction to Political Theory (3 units) CO10
PSC 320 - Policy Analysis (3 units)
PSC 353 - Identity Politics in the United States (3 units) CO10
PSC 401G - Political Campaigns & Elections (3 units)
PSC 401L - Citizen Participation, Pressure Groups and Political Movements (3 units)
WMST 300 - Genders, Cultures and Identities (3 units) CO10, CO13
WMST 353 - Identity Politics in the United States (3 units) CO10

C. Communication Studies Elective (3 units)

Advocacy and Rhetoric minors must complete one of these Communication Studies Elective courses.

COM 441 - Rhetoric of Dissent (3 units)
COM 474 - New Media and Human Communication (3 units)
COM 475 - Communication and Community Engagement (3 units) CO12, CO13
COM 490 - Special Topics in Communication (3 units)
Any course listed in the Speaking Course or Communication Studies Foundational Course sections above that was not used to meet those requirements can also be counted toward this Communication Studies Elective requirement.

D. External Elective (3 units)

Advocacy and Rhetoric minors must complete one of these External Elective courses.

CRJ 427 - Struggle for Justice (3 units) CO10, CO13
ENG 333 - Professional Communications (3 units) CO13
ENG 350 - Topics in Cultural Rhetorics and Identity (3 units) CO10
ENG 355 - Visual and Material Rhetorics (3 units)
ENG 406C - Writing in Digital Environments (3 units)
ENG 407D - Rhetoric and Public Policy Writing (3 units)
ENG 409C - Contemporary Rhetorical Theory and Criticism (3 units)
ETS 150 - Race in Contemporary Life (3 units) CO10
GEOG 464 - Identity and the Environment (3 units) CO10, CO13
GRI 344 - Social Movements and Collective Behavior (3 units) CO10, CO11
GRI 360 - LGBTQ Community Histories (3 units) CO10
GRI 460 - Intersectionality and Social Justice (3 units) CO10, CO14
HGPS 421 - Concepts in Peace Studies and Nonviolence (3 units) CO13
HIST 360 - LGBTQ Community Histories (3 units) CO10
HIST 404C - Social Movements in the United States (3 units) CO12, CO13
JOUR 304 - Social Media and Society (3 units) CO9
PHIL 425 - Philosophy of Language (3 units)
PHIL 454 - Global Ethics and Justice (3 units) CO11, CO12
PSC 304 - The Legislative Process (3 units)
PSC 354 - Politics and Women (3 units) CO10
PSC 400G - Science Fiction and Politics (3 units) CO9, CO14
PSC 401F - Public Opinion and Political Behavior (3 units)
PSC 401H - American Political Parties and Electoral Behavior (3 units)
PSC 407Z - Special Topics in Comparative Politics (3 units)
PSC 408E - Labor, Economy, and Protest (3 units) CO11
SOC 345 - Social Movements and Collective Behavior (3 units) CO10, CO11
WMST 354 - Politics and Women (3 units) CO10
Any course listed in the External Foundation Course section above that was not used to meet that requirement can also be counted toward this External Elective requirement.