By RORY McCARTY

Senior Reporter

Beginning this spring, Oakland University will combine the Rhetoric section with the professional writing section of the English department to make a whole new department.  For the first time, students will be able to work toward a BA in writing and rhetoric.

The new department will cover both the first-year writing courses that every student must take, and the intensive professional writing courses of the writing and rhetoric degree.

“Our new BA in writing and rhetoric will offer students a three-track plan of study, depending on where they see themselves going after obtaining their degree,” said Marshall Kitchens, chair of the new rhetoric and writing department.

These include the “writing for new media” track for students hoping to write for digital storytelling and Internet communications; the “professions” track for students looking to work in writing-based jobs in government, industry and non-profits; and the “writing as a discipline” track for students hoping to go on the graduate school.

Kitchens also said that minors in Writing and Rhetoric will appeal to many students.

“While writing has been considered a soft skill for students in business and engineering in the past, more and more employers are seeing it as a key skill when hiring new employees,” Kitchens said.

Ronald Sudol, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, agrees that a BA in writing can benefit many students    

“As the new department grows, expect to see renewed emphasis on writing across all disciplines — especially in general education courses,” Sudol said.