The UA Little Rock Department of Rhetoric and Writing offers a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in professional and technical writing. Through coursework, students sharpen their writing, editing, and document design skills to prepare them for diverse careers. Our graduates are prepared to work in technical writing and editing, publishing, web content, social media, grant writing, and many other areas.
This degree is offered in person and fully online. Read about the course descriptions.
Senior Portfolios and Internships
Students must complete a senior portfolio as part of the RHET 4190 Colloquium in Rhetoric and Writing course, a required class that is offered each semester.
Students who are getting a bachelor’s degree, a minor, or a graduate degree in professional and technical writing are encouraged to get internships to supplement their coursework. Learn more about workplace internship opportunities.
Schedule an Advising Appointment
If you are interested in declaring a major in professional and technical writing, please contact us to make an advising appointment:
On campus B.A.
Dr. Joyce Locke Carter
Office: 501-916-6453
Email: jlcarter@ualr.edu
Online B.A.
Dr. Heidi Skurat Harris
Office: 501-916-6467
Email: haharris@ualr.edu
Program Goals
Our department’s mission statement affirms our commitment to “providing the highest quality of writing instruction at every level,” “intensifying and expanding literacy education in every UA Little Rock discipline,” and “developing human beings to their highest potential.” Our learning goals for the B.A. program are direct extensions of that mission.
Learning Goals for the B.A. in Professional and Technical Writing
- Students demonstrate rhetorical knowledge by negotiating purpose, audience, context, and conventions for a variety of texts for different situations, media, and genres.
- Students demonstrate awareness of disciplinary theories and their applications.
- Students use multiple strategies in the composing processes to conceptualize, develop, and finalize projects for various contexts.
- Students recognize and use principles of effective document design and usability.
- Students recognize the ethical implications of their communication.
- Students recognize and follow grammatical and mechanical expectations appropriate to genre and discourse community.
- Students learn appropriate and current technology to support their professional goals.
- Students conduct research, integrate the information appropriately, and document their research correctly.
All students submitting the Senior Portfolio Senior will address these competencies.
*Program outcomes updated Spring 2019.
Note: Some online courses for this program alternate between synchronous and asynchronous formats from semester to semester. Synchronous offerings may include required video conference meetings offered at various times, with most scheduled for evenings and weekends. Please contact the program coordinator for more information.
