Professional and Technical Communication B.A. or B.S. and M.A.

Program Overview

This five-year Grad Track Pathway combines a B.A. or B.S. with an M.A. in Professional and Technical Communication, enabling students to obtain both degrees in as little as five years while also gaining valuable graduate-level credit. The program focuses on evidence-based technical communication skills, including writing, designing, and coding, and features a Technical Communication Lab equipped with the latest technology and software. Graduates have a 100% job placement rate and work for major companies in sectors including aerospace, information technology, and healthcare.

Program Outline

or B.S. and M.A.

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Degree Overview:

• Program Type: Major, Grad Track
• Format: On Campus
• Estimated Time to Complete: 5 years
• Credit Hours: 150
• Objectives:
• To provide highly motivated students with a five-year Grad Track Pathway to a combined B.A.
or B.S. with an M.A. in Professional and Technical Communication.
• To enable students to earn their undergraduate degree while simultaneously earning graduate-level credit that can be applied to the M.A.
degree.
• To equip students with the technical communication skills needed within modern workplaces, emphasizing evidence-based approaches.
• To highlight the writing, designing, and coding skills needed for technical communication programs.
• To allow students to earn both degrees in as little as five years.
• To prepare students for management-level positions early in their careers.

Teaching:

• Faculty: Faculty members are outstanding teachers with diverse backgrounds and years of experience as writers, editors, creative directors, and consultants for various companies and organizations.
• Teaching Methods: The program emphasizes evidence-based approaches to preparing students with the technical communication skills they need within modern workplaces.
• Unique Approaches: The program offers a Technical Communication Lab equipped with the technology and software needed to complete coursework.
Lab staff helps students learn software skills such as word-processing, desktop publishing, photo manipulating, and web designing, which are required for technical and business documents.

Careers:

• Potential Career Paths:
• Technical Writer
• Content Strategist
• User Experience (UX) Designer
• Web Developer
• Proposal and Grant Writer
• Content Manager
• Social Media Strategist
• User Experience Researcher
• Technical Communication Instructor
• Outcomes: Recent graduates have generally started their careers with a $50-$55,000 annual salary.
The M.A. program has a 100% job placement rate.
• Key Job Sectors:
• Aerospace
• Defense
• Manufacturing
• Engineering
• Pharmaceuticals

Other:

• Program Highlights:
• Students can pursue the B.A.
by completing the college's standard foreign language requirement or opt for the B.S. by substituting the foreign language courses with courses in computer science, business computing, data analysis, or information science.
• The program has a 15-plus year reputation of excellence and holds an impressive job placement record.
• Students have leadership opportunities through teaching assistant positions, lab tutor positions in the TECM Lab, and involvement in the student organization (ETC).
• The curriculum also prepares students to enter a doctoral technical communication program.
Recent graduates have earned fellowships at some of the nation's premiere programs.
• Course Examples:
• Content Strategy in Technical Communication (3 hrs)
• Usability and User Experience in Technical Communication (3 hrs)
• Digital Literacies for Professional Communicators (3 hrs)
• Digital Content Strategies for Communication Professionals (3 hrs)
• Measuring Usability and User Experience for Professional and Technical Communication (3 hrs)
• The Profession of Technical Communication (3 hrs)