TCOM 2000 Business
Communication
3-0-3
Prerequisites: ENGL
1102, SPCH 2400
Introduction to the communication
skills needed in the business world, learned through exposure to mock business
situations. The job search is covered, and emphasis is placed on writing
business correspondence and delivering business-related oral presentations.
TCOM 2010 Technical
Writing
3-0-3
Prerequisite: ENGL
1102
Introduction to organization,
style, and mechanics of technical and professional writing. Includes
practice in writing such typical documents as technical descriptions, instructions,
proposals, and recommendation reports. Emphasis placed on planning,
organizing, and writing reports; designing visual aids; and editing.
Among other assignments, at least one complete technical report is required.
TCOM 3000 Advanced
Grammar and Editing
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
2010
Study of standard English
grammar and contemporary usage, with emphasis on traditional and transformational
theories of sentence structure. Students also learn how to apply
editing principles and techniques to technical subject matter with special
emphasis on copy editing and working with authors and editors.
TCOM 3010 Science
Writing
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
2010
Examination of the types
of writing produced in various scientific professions. Depending
on the semester, possible topics may include one or more of the following:
environmental writing, public policy documents, and other scientific documents.
TCOM 3015 Environmental
Writing
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
2010
Close study of global and
more localized environmental issues, including air, water, soil, biotic
communities, and impact on and by humans. Students will read works
on the relationship between technology, human population, and the environment
and will write essays, give an oral report, and complete a research project
on environmental topics.
TCOM 3020 Proposal
Writing
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
2010
Theory and practice of writing
proposals for business, industry, and non-profit organizations, with emphasis
on in-house planning and external grant-seeking proposals. Course
covers persuasion theory and strategies while leading students step-by-step
through the proposal development process. Students develop skills
in gathering and evaluating information, analyzing audiences, collaborating
with peers and clients, building persuasive arguments, writing clearly
and cogently, and designing visually effective documents.
TCOM 3030 Technical
Training
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
2010
Course introduces and applies
systematic instructional design and instructor-led training. Students
will study a major model of instructional design and apply it to develop
and refine a unit of instruction. Students will prepare and deliver
a training lesson, participate in team instructional design activities,
and evaluate the training developed and presented by other students.
TCOM 3040 Writer's
Workshop
3-0-3
Prerequisites: ENGL
1102
Course that gives students
practice in writing for various audiences, purposes, and contexts. In addition
to a workshop forum, this class provides an introduction to contemporary,
practical theories of writing.
TCOM 3050 Journalism
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
2010
Study of technical and scientific
reporting, including mass media theory. Emphasis on making technical information
understood by a general audience. Students practice many in-house
and external forms of writing such as news releases, feature articles,
bulletins, brochures, and pamphlets.
TCOM 3060 International
Communication
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
2010
Study of international cultural
differences, especially as they influence oral and written communication
in the workplace. Cultures will be analyzed using established models.
Special topics will vary depending on faculty teaching the course.
B.A. in International Technical Communication students strongly encouraged
to take the course.
TCOM 3901-3903 Special
Topics
1 to 3 hours
Prerequisite: Consent
of the program head
Special topics in communications.
Offered by the program at its discretion.
TCOM 4030 Foundations
of Graphics
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
2010
An introduction to the fundamental
elements and principles of graphic design and application of these concepts
to page design and layout. Study of elementary color theory.
Introduction to production techniques and current software applications.
TCOM 4035 Fundamentals
of Website Design
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
2010
Study of effective information
design and delivery for websites. Covers principles and best practices
for creating usable websites and teaches students fundamentals of HTML,
use of HTML authoring tools, web page writing and editing, web graphics
and multimedia elements, and website architectures and content management.
Students work individually and in teams to design and develop websites.
Some classroom instruction is provided in basic HTML and XHTML coding,
the composition of cascading style sheets, and the use of Dreamweaver and
FrontPage.
TCOM 4045 Foundations
of Multimedia
3-0-3
Prerequisites: TCOM
4030, TCOM 2010
A study of the foundations
of multimedia including theory, planning, scripting, storyboarding, and
production. Students will submit research work on the theory of multimedia.
TCOM 4070 Manuals
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
2010
Introduction to the process
and principles of writing manuals, with emphasis on user manuals.
Students write and produce all or part of a manual. Course includes
study of structured writing. Course also includes discussion of (1)
production issues and (2) theory relevant to designing usable, readable
manuals.
TCOM 4100 Small
Group Communication
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
2010
Study of the theory and
practice of group interaction and teamwork as it applies to group process.
Focuses on such topics as the function of roles in groups, conflict resolution,
leadership in the small group, gender differences, listening and negotiation
skills, and managing meetings. A collaborative project and workshop
activities reinforce these principles.
TCOM 4130 Online
Documentation
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
2010
Study of the design and
development of effective online Help systems and web-based documentation.
Presents principles of usable online information design, task-based user
analysis, and advanced tools and technologies for developing and delivering
online information products, including single-sourcing, SGML, and XML.
Students design and develop an HTML Help system. Instruction will
be provided in the use of RoboHelp and alternative HTML Help authoring
tools. Students entering the course without basic HTML knowledge
will be expected to learn the basics of HTML on their own.
TCOM 4160 Rhetoric:
History, Theory, and Practice
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
2010
Introduction to rhetoric
as the relationship between thought and expression. Examines connections
between rhetoric and writing, between a public act and a personal thinking
process, by exploring classical and contemporary accounts of rhetorical
history and theory. Students apply theory to their own writing as
they explore the relationship between writers, readers, and subjects and
the range of options they have available to them as communicators.
TCOM 4170 Video
Production
3-0-3
Prerequisites: TCOM
2010, TCOM 4030
Introduction to the role
and use of video production for technical and professional communication.
Topics include scripts, storyboards, shot selection, continuity, lighting,
sound, in-camera editing, and fundamental post-production techniques.
Students will complete at least two assigned videos as individual or team
projects. This course is double-listed for both undergraduate and graduate
students. Graduate students will be required to complete additional work
that emphasizes theory and research over application. Thus they must demonstrate
a higher level of learning than undergraduates.
TCOM 4700 Internship
3-0-3
Prerequisite: Junior
standing
An opportunity for students
to apply principles and techniques of technical and professional communication
in a specific organization. The student is responsible for finding
an internship, but the program will help in the effort. The student
must submit a written proposal describing the internship according to program
guidelines. Each internship is monitored by the student's advisor.
TCOM 4800 Project
Portfolio
3-0-3
Prerequisite: Senior
standing, completion of 24 hours of TCOM courses
Course examines portfolios
as professional tools for technical communicators. The course includes
portfolio and writing theory along with a collaborative workshop environment.
Students develop a professional portfolio of sample documents based on
course project, internship experiences, and/or work history. In addition,
students write a reflective paper examining their growth and maturity as
technical communicators. Interviewing techniques, resume writing,
and the job search process are included in the course.
Technical and Prof Communication Graduate
TCOM 6001 Technical
Writing and Editing
3-0-3
Overview of technical writing
and editing. Emphasis on drafting and editing many documents that
reflect the variety of writing done in the field of technical communication.
Both experienced and inexperienced writers will benefit from this course,
which must be taken the first semester of enrollment in the master's program.
TCOM 6002 Document
Design and Research
3-0-3
Prerequisite or Co-Requisite:
TCOM 6001, TCOM 6030
Study of the main design
elements in technical communication, with emphasis on theoretical underpinnings
and research. Provides an introduction to research methodologies
that flow largely from practical issues related to information design.
Requirements include a report on document design that demonstrates solid
application of theoretical principles. Should be taken as soon as possible
after admission.
TCOM 6003 Advanced
Editing
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Course examines the responsibilities
of an editor, including the skills and talents necessary to become a successful
editor. Focus is on developmental editing, copyediting, editing graphics,
and editing electronic documents. Also covers (a) interpersonal skills
relative to editing, (b) organizational aspects of editing, and (c) production
issues such as selecting paper stock, bidding jobs, binding documents,
and inspecting presses on site for major jobs.
TCOM 6004 Advanced
Research
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Course prepares students
to write a journal-quality article or a master's thesis. Introduces methods
of quantitative and qualitative inquiry used in technical communication
research, develops the skills for conducting a search and review of literature,
teaches techniques of collecting and analyzing data, and covers the elements
of a formal research report. Strongly encouraged for students who choose
the thesis option.
TCOM 6030 Foundations
of Graphics
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM 6001
An introduction to the fundamental
elements and principles of graphic design and application of these concepts
to page design and layout. Study of elementary color theory. Introduction
to production techniques and current software applications. This course
is double-listed for both undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate
students will be required to complete additional work that emphasizes theory
and research over application. Thus they must demonstrate a higher level
of learning than undergraduates. Students who took TCOM 4030 Foundations
of Graphics as undergraduates must take TCOM 6040 Applied Graphics as their
required graphics course instead of TCOM 6030.
TCOM 6040 Applied
Graphics
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Course examines the role
of graphics in technical and professional communication. Students develop
competency in desktop publishing, digital image editing, and vector-based
graphics applications. Students complete practical projects that use typography,
photographs, illustrations, engineering drawings, and data graphics. Projects
focus on the role of graphics as both an independent communication and
as support for text-based media used in business, industry, education,
and training.
TCOM 6045 Foundations
of Multimedia
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
A study of the foundations
of multimedia including theory, planning, scripting, storyboarding, and
production. Students will submit research work on the theory of multimedia.
This course is double-listed for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Graduate students will be required to complete additional work that emphasizes
theory and research over application. Thus they must demonstrate a higher
level of learning than undergraduates. MSTPC students who took TCOM
4045 Foundations of Multimedia as undergraduates may not count TCOM 6045
for credit toward their graduate degree.
TCOM 6050 Applied
Multimedia
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Study of specific applications
of multimedia in technical and professional communication, education, marketing,
and training, including authoring for Web pages. Projects emphasize
hypermedia, hyperlinks, and interactive design for use in technical manuals,
proposals, informational kiosks, marketing presentations, resumes, and
electronic information systems.
TCOM 6060 International
Technical Communication
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Survey of the major issues
that affect technical communication from a global perspective. Topics
may include cultural influences on communication, challenges associated
with technical translation, differing uses of graphics, communicating within
multinational organizations, and theoretical issues related to international
communication.
TCOM 6070 Manuals
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Introduction to the process
and principles of writing manuals, with emphasis on user manuals.
Students write and produce all or part of a manual. Course includes
study of structured writing. Course also includes discussion of (1) production
issues and (2) theory relevant to designing usable and readable manuals.
This course is double-listed for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Graduate students will be required to complete additional work that emphasizes
theory and research over application. Thus they must demonstrate a higher
level of learning than undergraduates. MSTPC students who took TCOM
4070 Manuals as undergraduates may not count TCOM 6070 for credit toward
their graduate degree.
TCOM 6080 Professional
Oral Presentations
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Course designed to enhance
students' presentation skills in a technical and business environment.
Students practice various speech types such as briefings, interviews, formal
technical presentations, panels, and impromptu presentations. Course
also includes an overview of communication theory as it applies to oral
presentations.
TCOM 6090 Medical
Communication
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Course examines the scope
of medical communication, with emphasis on opportunities for technical
communication professionals. Students will analyze, edit, and revise
various medical document types, such as medical research abstracts, patient
education materials, professional medical training documents, medical advertisements,
and pharmaceutical package inserts. Students will independently study
medical terminology and develop a portfolio of medical writing samples.
TCOM 6100 Small
Group Communication
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Study of the theory and
practice of group interaction and teamwork as it applies to group process.
Focuses on such topics as the function of roles in groups, conflict resolution,
leadership in the small group, gender differences, listening and negotiation
skills, and managing meetings. Workshop activities reinforce these
principles. This course is double-listed for both undergraduate and graduate
students. Graduate students will be required to complete additional work
that emphasizes theory and research over application. Thus they must demonstrate
a higher level of learning than undergraduates. MSTPC students who
took TCOM 4100 Small Group Communication as undergraduates may not count
TCOM 6100 for credit toward their graduate degree.
TCOM 6110 Communications
Project Management
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Course introduces and applies
the literature, tools, and techniques of professional project management.
Includes major online course elements. Students will choose a project
in technical communication and apply the major phases of project management:
definition, planning, execution, and closing. Topics of emphasis
include communication skills, project management software tools, and project
team dynamics.
TCOM 6120 Usability
Testing
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Study of the relevant research
and practical application of usability testing as part of product development.
Includes strategies for planning, conducting, and analyzing a test.
Teams will perform tests and report results from an actual test in a usability
lab.
TCOM 6130 Online
Documentation
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Study of the design and
development of effective online Help systems and web-based documentation.
Presents principles of usable online information design, task-based user
analysis, and advanced tools and technologies for developing and delivering
online information products, including single-sourcing, SGML, and XML.
Students design and develop an HTML Help system. Instruction will
be provided in the use of RoboHelp and alternative HTML Help authoring
tools. Students entering the course without basic HTML knowledge
will be expected to learn the basics of HTML on their own. This course
is double-listed for both undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate
students will be required to complete additional work that emphasizes theory
and research over application. Thus they must demonstrate a higher
level of learning than undergraduates.
TCOM 6135 Website
Design
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Advanced theoretical study
and application of best practices for the design and delivery of information
on the World Wide Web. Students learn the fundamentals of HTML, use
of HTML authoring tools, web content writing and editing, page layout,
design of web graphics and multimedia elements, and website architecture
and content management. Students work individually and in teams to
design and develop websites. Some classroom instruction is provided
in basic HTML and XHTML coding, the composition of cascading style sheets,
and the use of Dreamweaver and FrontPage. Course includes a theory
and research component.
TCOM 6140 Instructional
Design
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Course introduces and applies
the literature, tools, and techniques of systematic instructional design.
Includes substantial online course elements. Students will study
major models of instructional design and apply them to develop and refine
a unit of instruction. The course addresses the literature and theory
underlying formal instructional development -- particularly cognitive psychology
-- and provides practice in goal analysis, team instructional development,
formative evaluation, and evaluation.
TCOM 6150 Marketing
Communication
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Course examines those aspects
of technical communication that include advertising, brochures, catalogs,
press releases, and other means of marketing in both print and other media.
Includes analysis of web pages and the uses of the World Wide Web for marketing
purposes.
TCOM 6160 Rhetoric:
History, Theory, and Practice
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Course introduces rhetoric
as the relationship between thought and expression. Explores connections
between rhetoric and writing, between a public act and a personal thinking
process, by examining classical and contemporary accounts of rhetorical
history and theory. Students apply theory to their own writing as
they explore the relationship between writers, readers, and subjects and
the range of options available to communicators. This course is double-listed
for both undergraduate and graduate students. Graduate students will be
required to complete additional work that emphasizes theory and research
over application. Thus they must demonstrate a higher level of learning
than undergraduates.
TCOM 6165 Writing
Style in the Workplace
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
This course examines writing
style in the workplace. Topics include grammar, paragraphs, sentence
structure, diction, spelling, and revision, as well as some larger issues
surrounding style (persuasion, discourse communities, appropriateness,
tone, bias, ethos). The objective of the course is to make students
better writers of technical prose by understanding how to make effective
stylistic choices.
TCOM 6170 Video
Production
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
Introduction to the role
and use of video production for technical and professional communication.
Topics include scripts, storyboards, shot selection, continuity, lighting,
sound, in-camera editing, and fundamental post-production techniques.
Students complete at least two assigned videos as individual or team projects.
This course is double-listed for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Graduate students will be required to complete additional work that emphasizes
theory and research over application. Thus they must demonstrate a higher
level of learning than undergraduates. MSTPC students who took TCOM
4170 Video Production as undergraduates may not count TCOM 6170 for credit
toward their graduate degree.
TCOM 6901-6903 Special
Topics
1 to 3 hours
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
A course on a special topic
of Importance and relevance to the field of technical and professional
communication not covered in the graduate curriculum. Offered when
needed.
TCOM 7503 Independent
Study
3-0-3
Prerequisite: TCOM
6001 and TCOM 6030
Co or Pre-Requisite: TCOM
6002
A directed study for a graduate
student who wishes to pursue a special interest in technical and professional
communication not covered in the curriculum. The student submits
to the TCOM Graduate Program Director a proposal that clearly defines the
course of study and the benefits to be obtained. The proposal must
be submitted at least one semester prior to registration for independent
study hours. Once the proposal is approved, the student is assigned
a faculty advisor and registers for 3 credit hours.
TCOM 7601-7603 Master's
Internship
1 to 3 hours
Prerequisites: Completion
of 27 hours of TCOM coursework or consent of the program head, confirmation
of approved internship
Course provides student
with hands-on experience in technical communication in a professional environment.
Work should be typical of technical communicators. Work may be either
an extended project or a variety of shorter assignments. (Total of
6 hours of Master's Internship required.)
TCOM 7801-7803 Master's
Thesis
1 to 3 hours
Prerequisites: Completion
of 30 hours of TCOM coursework or consent of the program head, approval
of thesis proposal
Intensive research project
that results in a formal written thesis. Usually flows from an area
of interest discovered by the student in early stages of the Technical
and Professional Communication program or through work experience.
Thesis work will be closely supervised by the student's advisor.
Students may enroll for a maximum of 3 hours per term for thesis credit,
with exceptions at the discretion of the program head. (Total of
6 hours of Master's Thesis required.)