Banner Web
Campus Online Directory
GaView/Vista
Help Desk
Schedule of Classes
Webmail
When we launched the graduate program in 1988, we named it the MS in Technical and Professional Communication. That was the right name for that time, because we were targeting both technical and professional communicators.
As the program grew, so did the profession. Technical communication was no longer
focused on only writing documentation; instead, there were many emerging sub-specialties
in which technical communicators worked. We added new courses to reflect the broadening
of the profession; we also dropped the distinction between technical and professional
communication.
Given the changes in the profession and the many job titles our graduates had in their work, we soon felt we had outgrown the name of our degree. We changed our name to Information Design and Communication.
This name change recognized that our students were coming into the program with diverse academic backgrounds and strengths. It also recognized that our students had unique personal and professional goals for their education. Through our degree or certificate programs, our students were seeking additional academic and professional qualifications in visual communications, graphics, instructional technology, media, user experience, information architecture, web design, and, of course, technical communication.
Our program—now defined as Information Design and Communication—enabled students to focus their studies in an area they chose and to present their credentials through a portfolio of projects.
In short, it's our academic credential and the student's work that markets each graduate as unique and highly qualified.
Whether you're looking to start a career or you're a working professional who wants an additional credential, our degree or certificates are an excellent choice.
We offer graduate course work that leads to an M.Sc. or a graduate-level certificate.
You'll find IDC students in a variety of professions. Our grads work in government and corporate offices or any industry where communication is required.
The healthcare and hospitality industries employ IDC grads. Consulting firms also like IDC grads because our program fosters critical thinking and analysis and merges them with practical applications.
Many of our students stay with their current employer and use their new graduate credential—a degree or a certificate—to advance to new levels of responsibility and challenge.
Absolutely. Because we are an accredited school and part of the University System of Georgia, our master's students are also qualified to pursue an education at the doctoral level. Students with our master's degree have gone on to study at the Ph.D. level at schools like Georgia State, Texas Tech University, and Old Dominion.
Students who complete the Graduate Certificate in Technical Communication often continue their graduate education with us by applying to the master's program or to the Advanced Certificates.
The delivery of our degree and certificate offerings has evolved to meet the needs of students. As our name and the profession began to change, so did the student body. Attending graduate school full time and on campus wasn't an option for most working professionals. As a result, we adapted our courses to take advantage of the technologies available in online learning. This means our degree and certificates can be completed entirely through our course management system.
To further meet the needs of our non-traditional, professional students, the IDC program is designed primarily for part-time study.
Students with full time jobs typically take 1 course per semester and plan on a 4-year timeline to complete the M.Sc. degree and graduate. For certificate students, the 6 course requirement will take about 2 years.
Newly admitted students are restricted to only 1 course—IDC 6001 or 6030—their first semester.
The opportunity for full time study—defined as 9 credit hours per semester—is limited to students receiving financial aid or to students who are not employed. Teaching or research assistantships are generally not available for the IDC master's program.
Graduate-level courses require more reading and study. As well, the assignments—whether individual or collaborative—are significantly more complex. We tell students to plan on 1 course taking about 15 to 20 hours per week.
Our first semester limit of one course is in place to help students succeed. Taking just one course gives you the opportunity to adjust to the workload and to the online learning environment.
Your classes follow the SPSU semester system; they begin and end per the university's academic calendar. As an example, you get Spring Break just like SPSU's on-site student population.
Our classes are offered almost exclusively through an online learning management system. This means, while you interact with your instructor and your fellow students through projects, real-time chats, discussions, and other media, you don't come to a classroom on campus.
You do, however, have the opportunity to engage with the course content in a way takes advantage of your schedule. That's a unique bonus of being online. The online environment also creates a diverse and varied classroom experience. At least one-third of our students don't reside in Georgia. Our program is also well-suited to students living outside of the US.
Our online students pay only the Distance Learning per credit charge of $279. Each semester you also pay $375 in fees (2009-10 academic year).That means one 3-credit course would cost approximately $1212. We don't have a resident/non-resident fee differential; this means, no matter where you live in the US, you pay in-state fees.
Tuition and fees are always subject to change. Please consider the above a guideline only. For the most up-to-date information, you'll need to see the Office of the Registrar.
Financial aid may be available to you. We recommend you visit the Office of Financial Aid for more information.
No matter what option you chose, study at the graduate level is valuable both personally and professionally. Click on the links below for more information about the degree or the certificates.
If you have any questions, please contact our Program Assistant.
Email: donna@spsu.edu Address: 1100 South Marietta Pkwy
Phone: 678-915-7202 Atrium Bldg, J333
Marietta, Ga 30060