Writing, Public Speaking, and Critical Reasoning

The ability to write well, to speak effectively in public, and to think critically are among the most valuable skills for life in a globalized world. The minor in writing, public speaking, and critical reasoning (WSCR) offers students a coherent program of courses that will strengthen their abilities in all three essential areas.

What You Can Do with a WSCR Minor

The WSCR minor prepares undergraduates for active and effective participation in the complex, diverse, and ever-changing communicative situations they will face after graduation. Our students have gone on to work at:

  • Newspapers and magazines
  • Broadcast media companies
  • Publishing companies
  • Marketing and advertising agencies
  • Legal and paralegal services
Emily Simnitt, WSCR director

How WSCR Enhances Your Career

"Students who are completing the coursework for the minor are getting a leg up in practicing the important skills that will help them not just in their careers, but help them take action in their communities. It's an amazing program for any student from any area of study or major."

—Emily Simnitt, WSCR director

Our Degree Program

The University of Oregon offers an undergraduate minor in writing, public speaking, and critical reasoning.

Two people sitting at a desk talking while looking at a laptop

Learn from Experts in the Field

This interdisciplinary minor is built on courses in English, writing, and philosophy, and is taught by professors from English, Philosophy, and the Clark Honors College.

Scholarships and Funding

Students in the WSCR program can seek funding through the College of Arts and Sciences, which awards various scholarships both to incoming students and to those already attending the UO.

Undergraduate Scholarships

Academic Support

Need help planning your next steps? Students minoring in WSCR can consult our program director or seek support from the Tykeson College and Career Advising team.

Undergraduate Advising

Humanities News and English Events

LINGUISTICS — The annual sponsored research report highlights research projects across disciplines, from the Oregon Coast to Papua New Guinea. Featured projects in this year's report include a linguistics project studying how a specific set of language patterns arise, how people learn them and why they persist over time as well as a project capturing an endangered and undocumented language in Papua New Guinea.
RELIGIOUS STUDIES - Before Gov. Tina Kotek, B.S., ’90 (religious studies), and state Sen. Christine Drazan participated in the first general election gubernatorial debate on the University of Oregon campus on Oct. 1, Kotek first spent time retracing her undergraduate steps.
THEATRE ARTS — When disaster strikes in a play, audiences get to watch from the safety of their seats as characters wrestle with what comes next, always hoping for a happy ending. During its 2026-27 season, the University of Oregon’s University Theatre is producing four shows that promise to take audiences on a cathartic and rewarding journey, beginning in November with "Noises Off."

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Public Lands Justice

Oct

26

Public Lands Justice

Oct 26 Knight Library
OHC Work-in-Progress Talk: "Paperwork Politics: Literary Responses to Empire from the Southeast Asian Diaspora"

Nov

6

OHC Work-in-Progress Talk: "Paperwork Politics: Literary Responses to Empire from the Southeast Asian Diaspora"

Nov 6 Prince Lucien Campbell Hall (PLC)
College of Arts and Sciences Commencement(CAS) 4-6 PM Ceremony

Jun

14

College of Arts and Sciences Commencement(CAS) 4-6 PM Ceremony

Jun 14 Matthew Knight Arena

All events »