Vision
The Department of Rhetoric and Composition sees the study of rhetoric and written literacy as essential to academic, professional, civic, and personal life. We acknowledge rhetoric's dynamic relationship to culture and thought and visualize writing and speaking as the primary vehicle for professional and public discourse. In keeping with this vision, we seek to create a dynamic learning environment in which teachers and students perfect their speaking and writing abilities.
Mission
The Department of Rhetoric and Composition provides a solid foundation for critical thinking, reading and writing, promoting excellence in research and rhetoric in a variety of multi-modal, discipline-specific and inter-disciplinary genres. As part of this effort, we work to maintain a community where knowledge discernment, research methods, rhetorical skills, and basic human values are cultivated to deepen academic learning, personal growth and community engagement and where achievements are evaluated through and on-going process of self-assessment for purposes of program enhancement.
Objectives
The objectives of the Department are as follows:
1. Create an inquiry-based teaching and learning environment.
2. Create a teaching and learning community that promotes excellence in and respectful and productive teaching and research collaborations between and among students and faculty.
3. Provide a rigorous undergraduate composition curriculum that helps students develop skills in academic literacy, including critical reading, writing, analysis, argument, and research skills.
4. Promote critical and cultural literacy in students to prepare them for an increasingly complex and multi-mediated world.
Guiding Principles
• We believe that all texts are composed within complex rhetorical situations comprised of rhetors, audience, exigencies, intentions, contexts, and other contingencies and that all writing is culturally contextual, embedded in complicated networks of meaning, power and technology
• We believe that writing is a powerful intellectual tool and that it has the potential to be socially transformative.
• We value the richness and interplay of differences, and are committed to intellectual, social, cultural, and ethnic diversity.
• We believe in respectful critical dialogue within the community of students, faculty, and staff.
• We believe in the importance of fostering dialogue across communities—academic and civic—about the purpose, meaning, and function of writing
The Department of Rhetoric and Composition at AUC is responsible for teaching the writing requirements specified by the Core Curriculum and acknowledges its responsibility to serve the needs of the AUC academic community. The Department of Rhetoric and Composition 3,600 students every year in its regular programs, and tutors about 1,200 students in the Writing Center. There are currently about 44 Writing Instructors teaching in the Department of Rhetoric and Composition.
The Department of Rhetoric and Composition considers its task not only to develop the students' writing ability but also to open our students' minds to the principles of a liberal education. Thus, the Department of Rhetoric and Composition has a two-fold function: to prepare students to write effective academic papers, which will be required in their other courses, and to equip the students with the kinds of skills required at university and in their future careers.
In the Department of Rhetoric and Composition, students take 9 credit hours of writing. The Department of Rhetoric and Composition offers 3 credit hour courses (RHET 101, 102, 201) of which the student will take one or more, depending on his proficiency level. RHET 101, 102, 201 are inter-related courses that develop and reinforce the fundamentals of academic writing, critical analysis, and independent thinking. In addition, the Department of Rhetoric and Compositionoffers advanced level writing courses (e.g. RHET 220, 320, 321, 322, 400, 410) for specialized writing in the majors and prepares students for writing in their careers. (for details on these courses see the Frequently Asked Questions page)
(For detailed answers to any questions you might have about our courses please consult the Frequently Asked Questions page)
Our introductory courses are equivalent to writing courses at most American universities. The American University in Cairo is an accredited institution in the Middle States Association for colleges and universities. In order for students to enter the Department of Rhetoric and Composition they are required to score a minimum of 213 on the computerized TOEFL exam (550 or above on the written version) and minimum of 4.5 on the Test of Written English (TWE).