Program Overview

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Technical Communication (User Experience), BS

The user experience concentration of the Bachelor of Science program in technical communication provides technical communication majors with an interdisciplinary foundation in communication, research, and design that is central to the rapidly growing area of user experience.

Program Description

The program provides students with a conceptual understanding of and applied skills in methods of gathering user information, analyzing data, and communicating research findings to stakeholders. Although its disciplinary home and primary focus is technical communication, the concentration includes courses from human systems engineering and graphic information technology to provide students with the multiple perspectives and complementary skills needed for user experience work.

At a Glance

• College/school: College of Integrative Sciences and Arts
• Location: Polytechnic or Online
• Second language requirement: No
• STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
• First required math course: MAT 114 - College Mathematics
• Math intensity: General

Curriculum

View 2025 - 2026 curriculum. View curriculum archives.

Concurrent Program Options

Students pursuing concurrent degrees (also known as a “double major”) earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. Working with their academic advisors, students can create their own concurrent degree combination. Some combinations are not possible due to high levels of overlap in curriculum.

Accelerated Program Options

This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. Accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for high-achieving students who want the opportunity to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of their master's degree. These programs feature the same high-quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.

Admission Requirements

All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.

Tuition Information

When it comes to paying for higher education, everyone’s situation is different. Students can learn about ASU tuition and financial aid options to find out which will work best for them.

Change of Major Requirements

A current ASU student has no additional requirements for changing majors.

Attend Online

ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year.

Transfer Options

ASU is committed to helping students thrive by offering tools that allow personalization of the transfer path to ASU. Students may use MyPath2ASU to outline a list of recommended courses to take prior to transfer.

Program Learning Outcomes

Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program’s learning outcomes include the following:

• Design clear, ethical, and persuasive communication products for diverse audiences.
• Develop recommendations to improve the design and impact of technical content using user experience research methods.
• Evaluate emerging technologies to determine appropriate methods for delivering content for different audiences and purposes.
• Design effective user tests.

Global Opportunities

Students who have studied abroad while learning technical communication have an advantage in many workplaces. Understanding the global view of applied workplace communication, students become well-rounded communicators, able to use various print and digital information products to relate technical and specialized information.

Career Opportunities

Technical communicators with expertise in user experience have numerous career opportunities in growth areas such as user experience research, user-centered design, information design, interaction design, information architecture, content strategy, and usability analysis.

Example Job Titles and Salaries

• Computer Software Quality Engineer: 10.0% growth, $102,610 median salary
• Corporate Web Developer: 8.2% growth, $108,970 median salary
• Document Management Specialist: 8.2% growth, $108,970 median salary
• Human Factors Engineer: 11.0% growth, $101,140 median salary
• IT Project Manager: 8.2% growth, $108,970 median salary
• SEO Specialist: 6.7% growth, $76,950 median salary
• Technical Writer: 0.9% growth, $91,670 median salary
• Web Designer: 7.0% growth, $98,090 median salary
• Web Developer: 7.5% growth, $90,930 median salary

Accelerated Programs

Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree. These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years.

Concurrent Programs

Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees, and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.

Joint Programs

Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

New Programs

ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the “New Programs” option.

Online Programs

ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year.

Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)

The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is a program in which residents of western states (other than Arizona) may be eligible for reduced nonresident tuition. Students from western states who select this major may be eligible for a reduced nonresident tuition rate of 150 percent of Arizona resident tuition plus all applicable fees.