The MA Program in Rhetoric at the University of
Central Lancashire, UK, has places available for the academic year 2010-2011.
What is rhetoric?
The MA in Rhetoric at UCLAN is unique in the UK.
It provides you with the opportunity to study
the rich history and theory of the art of
effective communication ? and to master that art yourself.
From a rhetorical perspective, human
communication is inextricably bound up with
reason, emotion and action. Rhetoric has been
at the heart of Western culture since its
beginning and is a fascinating, serious and
intellectually challenging topic in its own
right, as well as an excellent preparation for
a career in many fields of professional activity.
The ability to express your thoughts and
motivations, reason convincingly, speak
persuasively and deliberate with others
constructively is crucial in politics, art,
science and business ? in all fields of public
life. In the personal sphere too, it is in
language that we shape who we are and how we
live. Whenever language is used to investigate,
express, influence, shape and contest identities
and truths, to relate people to each other, to
overcome, respect or indeed create differences
and to create and disseminate knowledge, rhetoric is at work.
In todayâ??s fast-changing society,
communication and communicative competence are
more important than ever before. Understanding
and mastering the rhetorical dimension of
communication is both personally enriching and
crucial to the role you play in the world.
What are students and experts saying about the course?
â??Inspiring, challenging and most rewarding
(Iâ??ve even been invited to be a judge for a
national debating competition!). The course will
prepare you for a multitude of careers ? the
ability to communicate effectively is becoming
increasingly vital in the world of work.â??
Angela Kilpatrick, MA Rhetoric student
â??The MA in Rhetoric has made me see the world
in a completely different light, while
effectively training me to read rhetorically,
write concisely and speak persuasively. Iâ??ve
learnt more in this one year than I have in my
past seventeen in education.â?? Scott Mason, MA Rhetoric student
â??Working for a top London-based speechwriting
company offered me a perfect opportunity to put
my study of rhetoric into practice and gain
hands-on experience of the communications
industry ? just one of the career doors that
thhe course can open up for you.â?? Scott Mason, MA Rhetoric student
â??Looking in depth at the role that rhetoric
plays in politics, literature and society has
been deeply fascinating. The combination of
theory and practice is challenging, stimulating
and hugely enjoyable.â?? Louise Steggals, MA Rhetoric student.
â??The UCLan course goes beyond reviving
rhetoric, showing it at work in politics,
literature, art and culture in a 21st century
world. I'd recommend this course to anyone
interested in communicating effectively and
persuasively in any medium.â?? Dr Susan Jones,
speech writer and communication expert;
consultant for the BBC series â??The Speakerâ??.
"Speechwriters today must be highly-trained,
highly-skilled and highly-adaptable if they are
to succeed in business or politics. Iâ??m
delighted that Johan is leading this new MA
course in Rhetoric which will give students an
excellent grounding in this ancient art. It will
ensure there is a new generation of
speechwriters ready to take up the mantle when I
pop my clogs." Simon Lancaster, Bespoke Speechwriting Ltd.
Media coverage
<http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=408317§ioncode=26http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8149765.stm>http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=408317§ioncode=26http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8149765.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8149765.stm
About the course
The MA Rhetoric has both a theoretical and a
practical dimension. The course gives you the
opportunity to acquire an in-depth understanding
of a range of critical perspectives on rhetoric,
as well as to develop your own communication
skills, both in speaking and writing.
The course is housed in the Linguistics Division
of the School of Journalism, Media and
Communication. The Linguistics Division is
highly regarded for the quality of its teaching
and research: following the 2008 Research
Assessment Exercise (RAE), the THE ranked it
10th equal in the UK. There is a lively
postgraduate community, with a range of
extracurricular lectures, workshops, research
seminars and other events. The course team
maintains intensive contacts with similar
courses in several EU countries, creating an
international atmosphere and opportunities for
study or research abroad. Communication
professionals regularly visit us to give master classes.
The MA Rhetoric aims to give you:
1. Comprehensive understanding of the history,
theory and current status of the field of rhetoric.
2. Ability to apply rhetorical theory and skills
in a critical and reflective manner to the
functioning of discourse in culture and society
broadly construed and in a variety of personal and professional settings.
3. Ability to carry out research at MA level in aspects of rhetoric.
The course is one year long (three semesters)
and consists of the following modules,
delivered through intensive reading and discussion seminars:
History and Theory of Rhetoric 1 (antiquity to 19th century)
History and Theory of Rhetoric 2 (20th century and contemporary developments)
These two modules introduce you to the main
concepts, theories and instruments of rhetorical
analysis and composition as they have developed
from classical antiquity to the present day.
Rhetoric in Politics
This module combines critical analyses of
concrete examples of political communication
with debates on controversial issues.
Rhetoric of Narrative and Image
An introduction to the study of narrative
(fictional and non-fictional) and images
(including film) from a rhetorical perspective
Power in Talk
This module introduces students to the concept
of â??powerâ?? and the way that power influences
both everyday and institutional interaction.
Linguistics Research and Methodology Seminar / Guided Research Topic
Regular seminars with guest speakers and research methods training
Dissertation
The third semester of the course is devoted to a
substantial research project. This can take the
form of either a purely academic project, or a
reflective project involving a practical component.
How to apply
You can apply online by going to:
<http://www.uclan.ac.uk/information/courses/ma_rhetoric.php>www.uclan.ac.uk/information/courses/ma_rhetoric.php.
You can also request an application form from
Course Enquiries by calling +44 (0)1772 892400
or emailing <mailto:(cenquiries /at/ uclan.ac.uk)>(cenquiries /at/ uclan.ac.uk).
Entry requirements: upper second class BA/BSc in
a relevant discipline (e.g. Languages or other
Humanities disciplines, Philosophy, Sociology,
Psychology, Law, Politics, Media and
Communication related disciplines). We welcome
applications from international students. If
English is not your first language, you will
need to have an IELTS score of 7.0 or higher, or
equivalent (e.g. by successfully taking
UCLANâ??s own English proficiency test).
For an informal chat about the course, email the
course leader, Johan Siebers,
<mailto:(jisiebers /at/ uclan.ac.uk)>(jisiebers /at/ uclan.ac.uk).
MA Rhetoric
School of Journalism, Media and Communication
University of Central Lancashire
Preston
PR1 2HE
United Kingdom
<http://www.uclan.ac.uk/information/courses/ma_rhetoric.php>www.uclan.ac.uk/information/courses/ma_rhetoric.php
Course leader: Johan Siebers
<mailto:(jisiebers /at/ uclan.ac.uk)>(jisiebers /at/ uclan.ac.uk)
dr. Johan Siebers
m | +44 (0)7894 741174
o | +44 (0)1772 201201
p | +44 (0)20 8883 7579
w | www.philosophy-of-communication.eu
Empedocles | http://www.intellectbooks.co.uk/journals.php?issn=17571952
'Banality is counter-revolution.' (Isaac Babel)
