Admission Requirements for the Master's Program in Technical and Professional Communication

Technical and Professional Communication, Graduate Certificate, Course Descriptions

The Master of Science program with a major in Technical and Professional Communication is designed for both experienced and beginning technical communicators.

Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited school. Because professionals in this field come from many different fields, no specific undergraduate major is required. Preferred (but NOT required) for admission is some relevant work experience.

The admission procedure is competitive in that students will be admitted only if their:

demonstrate that they can successfully complete the program.

Admission Procedure - The Humanities and Technical Communication Program accepts master's students for fall and spring.  Applicants for admission to the Master of Science program with a major in Technical and Professional Communication must submit the following to the Humanities and Technical Communication Program:

The on-campus essay must be written in a specified length of time, in response to an assignment given at that time. The off-campus essay must discuss the manner in which the master's program will satisfy the applicant's career goals.

Applicants must submit the following to the Admissions Office:

Applicants should have above-average grades in undergraduate communication courses. The applicant's overall undergraduate performance can correlate with success in the master's program.
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Technical and Professional Communication

The Master's program in Technical and Professional Communication was developed in response to a growing need for professionals in technical communication.

The basic objectives of the program are:

The Technical and Professional Communication program offers students the choice of three program options - Plans A, B, and C - all of which require completion of thirty-six hours.

Plan A: Internship option - Students selecting this option must:

Required Courses for Plan A
TCOM 6001 Technical Writing and Editing 3
TCOM 6002 Document Design and Research 3
TCOM 6030 Foundations of Graphics 3
TCOM 7601-7603* Master's Internship 6

Plan B: Thesis Option - Students selecting this option must:

Students in the thesis option are strongly encouraged to take TCOM 6004, Advanced Research.
 
Required Courses for Plan B
TCOM 6001 Technical Writing and Editing 3
TCOM 6002 Document Design and Research 3
TCOM 6030 Foundations of Graphics 3
TCOM 7801-7803* Master's Thesis 6

Plan C: Class Work Option - Students selecting this option must complete thirty-six hours of classroom work including TCOM 6001, TCOM 6002, and TCOM 6030.
 

Required Courses for Plan C
TCOM 6001 Technical Writing and Editing 3
TCOM 6002 Document Design and Research 3
TCOM 6030 Foundations of Graphics 3

All Technical and Professional Communication courses are listed below.

NOTE:   TCOM 6001 must be taken the first semester of work in the Master's program, and TCOM 6002 must be taken as soon as possible after admission.
 

Elective Courses for Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C
TCOM 6003 Advanced Editing 3
TCOM 6004 Advanced Research 3
TCOM 6030 Foundations of Graphics 3
TCOM 6040 Applied Graphics 3
TCOM 6045 Foundations of Multimedia 3
TCOM 6050 Applied Multimedia 3
TCOM 6060 International Technical Communication 3
TCOM 6070 Manuals 3
TCOM 6080 Professional Oral Presentations 3
TCOM 6090 Medical Communication 3
TCOM 6100 Small Group Communication 3
TCOM 6110 Project Management 3
TCOM 6120 Usability Testing 3
TCOM 6130 Online Documentation 3
TCOM 6135 Website Design 3
TCOM 6140 Instructional Design 3
TCOM 6150 Marketing Communication 3
TCOM 6160 Rhetoric: History, Theory, and Practice 3
TCOM 6165 Writing Style in the Workplace 3
TCOM 6170 Video Production 3
TCOM 6901-6903 Special Topics 1-3
TCOM 7501-7503 Independent Study 1-3

MSTPC students may take up to nine hours outside of the program with prior approval from both the MSTPC Graduate Coordinator and the Department Chair.

NOTE:  A grade of "B" or better is required in all courses that are applied to graduation (with the exception of the internship and thesis, which require an "S").

* When taking the internship, students may enroll in a maximum of 9 hours per semester:

*When taking the thesis, students may enroll in a maximum of 9 hours per semester--to include no more than 3 hours of thesis per semester.
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Graduate Certificate in Technical Communication

The Graduate Certificate in Technical Communication is an online program that prepares students for a variety of positions in technical communication. It also helps current technical communicators update and expand their knowledge and skills, enabling them to move ahead in their profession.

Admissions criteria for the online certificate are the same as for the master's degree program except that certificate applicants are not required to take the GRE. Certificate students take online versions of the following six master's courses that are taught separately from the courses offered to master's students:

Students completing the certificate program may apply for admission to the master's program without taking the GRE. They will need to submit a portfolio of work completed in the certificate program, which will be reviewed by the admissions committee. Completing the certificate program does not guarantee admission to the master's program. Certificate program graduates who are accepted into the master's program may count the six courses they have completed (18 credits) toward the master's degree.

Students in the certificate program who decide to apply for admission to the graduate program before completing the certificate will need to take the GRE. If they are admitted to the master's program, a maximum of 3 certificate courses will be counted toward the master's degree.

For questions about the certificate program, contact the HTC Department.
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