Rhetoric and Leadership

Although the information below is excerpted from the Seaver catalog this is not an official binding document. To view the actual catalog visit http://seaver.pepperdine.edu/academics/catalog/

The Rhetoric and Leadership sequence explores the dynamics of successful and ethical public leadership--the process through which individuals crate visions for the future and communicate those visions to other people, inspiring and mobilizing them to work as a whole.  It focuses specifically on the integral role that rhetoric, the use of language to influence the perceptions and actions of other people, plays in the process of leadership.

Because it emphasizes the crucial skills that potential employers look for in college graduates, such as written and oral communication, leadership ability, and critical thinking, the Rhetoric and Leadership sequence prepares students for careers in a variety of fields in the public and private sectors, as well as for law school, business school, and graduate school.  Students develop practical skills related to professional communication, argumentation, and advocacy, while also developing the theoretical foundations they need to be effective communicators and critical consumers of public discourse and media messages.  Classes also focus on the ways that rhetorical processes shape such issues as race and ethnicity, gender, religion, and politics.  

Communication Core Requirements - 12 units

Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric and Leadership - 27 to 28 Units

Choose three courses from the following:

Freshman-Year Program

The speech communication major should enroll in the regular freshman program, taking COM 200, COM 180 (formerly SPE) and foreign languages as part of the general education work. The general education courses should be completed during the first two years.