Technical & Professional Communication

Technical and Professional Communication

International Technical Communication Bachelor of Arts, Technical and Professional Communication Bachelor of Science, Option 1 Broad View, Option 2 In-Depth View, Humanities and Technical Communication Faculty, Course Descriptions

Technical and Professional Communication
(Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Degrees Offered)

The Bachelor's programs in Technical and Professional Communication and International Technical Communication are designed to prepare students for a variety of communication careers. Possible positions include:

Technical Writer
Documentation and manual writer
Technical editor
Multi-media specialist
Proposal writer
Graphics specialist
Instructional designer or training specialist
Website designer and content developer

The program also can serve as a pre-professional background for students who plan to attend graduate school.

Students pursuing the degree must complete:

The Core Curriculum
Required upper division courses in TCOM
Either of :

A group of technology courses (BS)

Or the International Studies Minor (BA)

Arts and Sciences courses (especially those in science, technology, and society and in information and research)
Free electives

Students must make a grade of at least a C in all TCOM major courses. BSTPC or BAITC candidates who make D's or F's in any of the Required Courses or Electives cannot count those D or F courses toward graduation.

Included below are the complete requirements for the programs.
[return to top]

International Technical Communication Bachelor of Arts
Area A Essential Skills			9 hours
ENGL	1101	Composition I	3
ENGL	1102	Composition II	3
MATH	1111	Pre-calculus	3
Area B Institutional Options			4 hours
SPCH	2400	Public Speaking	2
STS	2400	Science, Technology, and Society	2
Area C Humanities/ Fine Arts			6 hours
Area C	Group 1	Take One Course From the Literature Group	3
Area C	Group 2	Take One Course From the Art and Culture Group SEE NOTE ONE	3
Area D Science, Mathematics, and Technology			11 hours
MATH	1113	Pre-Calculus I (extra hour is applied to area F)	4
Area D		Any Two Lab Sciences	8
Area E Social Sciences			12 hours
Area E	Group 1	American Context	3
Area E	Group 2	World History	3
Area E	Group 3	Behavioral Science	3
Area E	Group 4	Cultures and Societies	3
Area F (The extra hour from areas A and D are counted here)			18 Hours
TCOM	2000	Business Communication	3
TCOM	2010	Technical Writing	3
MATH	2253	Calculus	4
OR
MATH	2240	Survey of Calculus	3
MATH	Elective		3
Science or CS	Electives	3 hours Must be a Programming Language (SEE NOTE TWO)	6
Required Courses (17 hours)
A&S	2023	Information and Research	2
TCOM	3000	Advanced Grammar and Editing	3
TCOM	4030	Foundations of Graphics	3
TCOM	4100	Small Group Communication	3
TCOM	4160	Rhetoric: History, Theory, and Practice	3
TCOM	4800	Project Portfolio	3
Electives – Select any 21 hours
ARTS	3000	Visual Thinking	3
ENGL	4000	Literature and Technology	3
STS	4000	International Issues in Science and Technology	3
TCOM	3010	Science Writing	3
TCOM	3015	Environmental Writing	3
TCOM	3020	Proposals	3
TCOM	3030	Technical Training	3
TCOM	TBA	Writer’s Workshop	3
TCOM	3050	Journalism	3
TCOM	3060	International Communication	3
TCOM	3901-3	Special Topics	1-3
TCOM	4035	Fundamentals of Website Design	3
TCOM	4045	Foundations of Multimedia	3
TCOM	4070	Manuals	3
TCOM	4130	Online Documentation	3
TCOM	4170	Video Production	3
TCOM	4700	Internship	3
Foreign Language and International Studies Minor (See Notes 1 & 3)			15 hours
Free Electives			6-7
Degree Program Total			120

Note One: Although you are not required to take a foreign language to complete the core, a language is required to complete the IS Minor. You may use the language to satisfy both requirements.

Note Two: Any extra hours earned as a result of the math and science electives can be used to satisfy free electives in the Major Requirements area.

Note Three: The International Studies Minor also requires completion of a language requirement by (1) testing or demonstrating proficiency in one foreign language or (2) completing FREN 1002, GRMN 1002, or SPAN 1002.
[return to top]

Technical and Professional Communication Bachelor of Science
Area A Essential Skills			9 hours
ENGL	1101	Composition I	3
ENGL	1102	Composition II	3
MATH	1111	Pre-calculus	3
Area B Institutional Options			4 hours
SPCH	2400	Public Speaking	2
STS	2400	Science, Technology, and Society	2
Area C Humanities/ Fine Arts			6 hours
Area C	Group 1	Take One Course From the Literature Group	3
Area C	Group 2	Take One Course From the Art and Culture Group	3
Area D Science, Mathematics, and Technology			11 hours
MATH	1113	Pre-Calculus I (extra hour is applied to area F)	4
Area D		Any Two Lab Sciences	8
Area E Social Sciences			12 hours
Area E	Group 1	American Context	3
Area E	Group 2	World History	3
Area E	Group 3	Behavioral Science	3
Area E	Group 4	Cultures and Societies	3
Area F (The extra hour from areas A and D are counted here)			18 Hours
TCOM	2000	Business Communication	3
TCOM	2010	Technical Writing	3
MATH	2253	Calculus	4
OR
MATH	2240	Survey of Calculus	3
MATH	Elective		3
Science or CS	Electives	3 hours Must be a Programming Language (SEE NOTE ONE)	6
Required Courses (17 hours)
A&S	2023	Information and Research	2
TCOM	3000	Advanced Grammar and Editing	3
TCOM	4030	Foundations of Graphics	3
TCOM	4100	Small Group Communication	3
TCOM	4160	Rhetoric: History, Theory, and Practice	3
TCOM	4800	Project Portfolio	3
Electives – Select any 21 hours
ARTS	3000	Visual Thinking	3
ENGL	4000	Literature and Technology	3
STS	4000	International Issues in Science and Technology	3
TCOM	3010	Science Writing	3
TCOM	3015	Environmental Writing	3
TCOM	3020	Proposals	3
TCOM	3030	Technical Training	3
TCOM	TBA	Writer’s Workshop	3
TCOM	3050	Journalism	3
TCOM	3060	International Communication	3
TCOM	3901-3	Special Topics	1-3
TCOM	4035	Fundamentals of Website Design	3
TCOM	4045	Foundations of Multimedia	3
TCOM	4070	Manuals	3
TCOM	4130	Online Documentation	3
TCOM	4170	Video Production	3
TCOM	4700	Internship	3
Technical Concentration – See Descriptions Below			15 hours
Free Electives			6-7
Degree Program Total			120

NOTE ONE: Any extra hours earned as a result of the math and science electives can be used to satisfy free electives.

TECHNICAL CONCENTRATION 15
NOTE: At least 6 hours must be 3000 level or above.

This part of the curriculum offers the student two choices:

Option 1 provides breadth by requiring students to take one course from each of four major technical fields.
Option 2 provides depth by requiring students to take 15 hours in one technical area.

NOTE: Some students may want to pursue an official minor in one of the fields that follow, in which case they need to check catalog requirements carefully. Requirements for minors will differ from those listed in Option 2.
[return to top]

Option 1 Broad View
A total of 15 hours with at least one course from each of the following areas:

Area	Course
Built Environment:	Take one course from: Construction (CNST) Or Civil Engineering Technology (CET)
Industrial Processes:	Take one course from: Apparel/Textile Engineering Technology (ATET) Or Industrial Engineering Technology (IET)
Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology:	Take one course from Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology (ECET)
Mechanical:	Take one course from Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET)

[return to top]

Option 2 In-Depth View

Fifteen hours must be taken in one area. Students may choose courses from any program other than Humanities and Technical Communication or Social and International Studies. The specific options are described below. Note that some courses require prerequisites that are not included in the 15 hours. Also, note that courses cannot be "double counted" for both this area and another part of the curriculum (such as Area F of the Core Curriculum).

* Chemistry	* Industrial Engineering Technology
* Civil Engineering Technology	* Management
* Computer Science	* Mathematics
* Construction	* Mechanical Engineering Technology
* Biology	* Physics
* Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology

[return to top]

Humanities and Technical Communication Faculty

Barnum, Carol M., Professor	Ph.D., Georgia State University; M.A., Georgia State University; B.A., University of North Carolina
Dayton, David D., Assistant Professor	Ph.D., Texas Tech University; M.A., University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez; B.A. University of California at Santa Cruz
Haimes-Korn, Kim, Associate Professor	Ph.D., Florida State University; M.A., Florida State University; B.A., Florida State University
Hopper, Keith B., Assistant Professor	Ph.D. Georgia State University; M.A., Boise State University; B.S., Boise State University
Morrow, Susan R., Professor	Ph.D., Georgia State University; M.A., State University of West Georgia; B.S., Auburn University
Orr, Jeffery L., Instructor and Director of the ATTIC	M.A., Jackson State University; B.S., Mississippi State University
Pfeiffer, William S., Professor	Ph.D., Kent State University; M.A., Kent State University; B.A., Amherst College
Rainey, Kenneth T., Professor	Ph.D., Ohio State University; M.A., University of Michigan; B.A., Mississippi College
Reichert, Nancy L., Assistant Professor	Ph.D., The Florida State University; M.A., The Florida State University; B.A., University of Dayton
Seabolt, Betty O., Associate Professor	Ph.D., University of Georgia; M.A., University of Georgia; B.A., University of Georgia
Smith, Herbert J., Associate Professor	Ph.D., Kent State University; M.A., Northeastern University; B.A., Northeastern University
Stevens, Mark K., Associate Professor and Program Head	Ph.D., Florida State University; M.A., Florida State University; B.A., University of South Florida
Wiseman, Thomas L., Associate Professor	Ph.D., Tulane University; M.A., Tulane University; B.A., Pennsylvania State University

Faculty Emeriti

Tumlin, John S., Professor Emeritus, Humanities and Technical Communication

[return to top]