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Individual Course

Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking

Course Length

8 weeks

2-3 hours per week

Featuring faculty from:

Harvard Faculty of Arts & Sciences LogoHarvard Faculty of Arts & Sciences

Enroll as Individual

Certificate Price:

$ 209

On demand

Enroll on edX

Enroll as Individual

Certificate Price:

$ 209

On demand

Enroll on edX

Get acquainted with the art of persuasive writing and speaking and learn how to construct and defend compelling arguments.

We are living in a contentious time in history. Fundamental disagreements on critical political issues make it essential to learn how to make an argument and analyze the arguments of others. This ability will help you engage in civil discourse and make effective changes in society. Even outside the political sphere, conveying a convincing message can benefit you throughout your personal, public, and professional lives. We will be using selected addresses from prominent twentieth-century Americans—including Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Margaret Chase Smith, Ronald Reagan, and more—to explore and analyze rhetorical structure and style. Through this analysis, you will learn how speakers and writers persuade an audience to adopt their point of view.

Built around Harvard Professor James Engell’s on-campus course, “Elements of Rhetoric,” this course will help you analyze and apply rhetorical structure and style, appreciate the relevance of persuasive communication in your own life, and understand how to persuade and recognize when someone is trying to persuade you. With this in mind, the newest edition of the course includes a discussion of persuasive speech in social media, and the impact of Generative AI on the practice of rhetoric. This course will inspire you to share your viewpoint and discover the most powerful ways to convince others to champion your cause. Join us to find your voice! The course will be delivered via edX and connect learners around the world.

Self-Guided

edX

Certificates:

  • Individual Certificate
  • Free Audit Learning
  • Joshua S.
  • Timothy O.
  • Estevao

Global Learning Community

  • Learn from Harvard faculty
  • Do it on your own time
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Program in this topic

Leadership and Communication

These courses can be bundled together to receive a Professional Certificate at a discounted price.

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1 Course available

Faculty

Your Instructor

James Engell

Gurney Professor of English and Professor of Comparative Literature, Harvard University

James Engell is Gurney Professor of English and Professor of Comparative Literature, also a member of the Committee on the Study of Religion, and a faculty associate of the Harvard University Center for the Environment. He has also directed dissertations in American Studies, as well as Romance Languages & Literatures (French).

This course made me realize Rhetoric is a superpower and it helped me use my voice for good.

learner photo

Joshua S.

This course, has had significant impact on both the personal development and professional goals. It has boosted my confidence public speaking and sharpen my writing skills which has directly supported my growth in the marketing and communication field.

Timothy O.

This course gave me a different perspective and worldview, unlike anything I had ever considered before. A vision of a just, democratic world where it's worth fighting for everything you believe in.

Estevao

This course directly supported my professional goals by strengthening my ability to communicate ideas clearly, persuasively, and with strategic intent. I have gained confidence and precision in my professional communication, enabling me to advocate for ideas more effectively and strengthen my leadership presence.

Tomasz

Head of IT Audit for Continental Europe

The study of rhetoric helped me move beyond technical communication to leadership communication. Analyzing speeches by leaders such as John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan showed me how clarity, tone, structure, and ethical restraint shape how decisions are received and acted upon. This is especially relevant to my work, where influencing stakeholders and aligning teams is often more critical than authority alone. Most importantly, this course reinforced that becoming a CEO is not only about making the right decisions, but about explaining those decisions clearly, ethically, and convincingly. It strengthened my confidence, improved my speaking and writing, and gave me a framework I will continue to use as I develop into an executive leader.

Wael N.

Manager of Continuous Improvement

An example HarvardX certificate

Ways to take this course

Audit or Pursue a Verified Certificate

A Verified Certificate costs $209 and provides unlimited access to full course materials, activities, tests, and forums. At the end of the course, learners who earn a passing grade can receive a certificate.

⁠Alternatively, learners can Audit the course for free and have access to select course material, activities, tests, and forums. Please note that this track does not offer a certificate for learners who earn a passing grade.

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