The University of Iowa’s CLAS Core general education curriculum provides students with a well-rounded education that prepares them for the careers of the future. And while the CLAS Core has immense value for our students, we also believe it is important to regularly review and assess the curriculum to enhance the student learning experience. 

During the 2023-24 academic year, a committee composed of members of the Rhetoric Department and faculty from other departments, including one from outside of CLAS, worked on assessing the Rhetoric area of the CLAS Core. The committee gathered information from students, Rhetoric instructors, and faculty and staff from around the university. They synthesized this information in a final report that included several recommendations for updating the curriculum for general education Rhetoric and revising CLAS policies related to the Rhetoric area. The final report and a short handout summarizing its findings and recommendations are now available to the public on the CLAS assessment web site. The short handout, which is especially aimed at faculty, also explains the transferable skills gained by students in Rhetoric general education courses. 

Key findings from the assessment include:

• The Rhetoric area makes important contributions to developing students’ reading, writing, communication, and critical thinking skills
• The course structure asks students to consider and analyze others’ arguments before moving to researching and developing their own arguments
• The courses introduce students to library research and to a range of media modalities that will be useful in a variety of disciplines
• Ongoing challenges include persistent student concerns with public speaking, underdeveloped reading, writing, and communication skills in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, and the pervasive use of AI for research and writing assistance.

In response to issues that emerged during the assessment, the committee made several recommendations that were implemented during the 2024-25 academic year:

• Beginning in Fall 2025, the three general education Rhetoric courses will be renamed: RHET:1030 Rhetoric: Writing and Communication, RHET:1040 College Writing and Reading, and RHET:1060 College Communication and Reading
• The learning outcomes for these three courses have been updated
• Beginning in Fall 2025, incoming students will be able to receive credit for RHET:1030 if they score a 4 or 5 on the AP Research and AP Seminar exams

For more information on the findings of the assessment and on the revisions to the Rhetoric learning outcomes, see the linked full report or the short handout. For more information on the Rhetoric assessment, or on the assessment of the CLAS Core more generally, please contact Dr. Matthew Shadle.