Rhetoric 1101
UT Dallas helps you transition from high school to the independence of college with a variety of tools. Rhetoric 1101, a course that offers guidance through the first several months of college is a key part of the UT Dallas approach.
When I went to college, I thought it was going to be an easy transition. … But instead, I only felt out of place.
It took almost two semesters … to figure it all out. At IU [Indiana University], I experienced a second freshman year and discovered what I should have done differently the first time around.
That’s what this book is about-its all the things that no one ever tells you about your college years, things that will make college life easier to handle.
Harlan Cohen,
author The Naked Roommate
All freshmen must take Rhetoric 1101 their first semester at the University.
Rhetoric is a one-credit-hour course that gives you tools for success at UT Dallas. Class topics include connecting with campus, personal learning styles and the nature of the college experience.
Classes are small — typically fewer than 20 students per instructor — to allow for in-depth discussion and effective topic coverage. Students also may enroll in a major-specific section in order to share the experience with peers who have similar interests.
Rhetoric 1101 will help you solve such mysteries as:
- Things you can do for fun without leaving campus
- Services and resources available at UT Dallas
- How to become a better public speaker
- Skills employers seek
- Impressing your professors without making A’s
- How not to go broke during college
- How to manage time with schoolwork and still have fun
Materials for the course include a custom student planner and guide with important UT Dallas-specific information about clubs and organizations, contact information for various offices and tips for navigating campus. The planner portion also provides month-at-a-glance and week-at-a-glance calendars that highlight campus activities, events and deadlines.
Required reading includes Understanding Type in College, a guide to making the most of your learning style, and The Naked Roommate, which takes a humorous but straightforward look at the issues facing college students today.
Rhetoric is taught by a variety of campus personnel, from academic advisors to student development specialists. Most classes include a First-Year Leader, or upperclassmen, who teams with an instructor to teach the course. The First-Year Leader in your class will serve as a mentor and role model and will help you develop a sense of support, spirit and belonging.
