Program Overview

Professional and Technical Communication Master's

Program Overview

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Professional and Technical Communication is a rigorous program that balances the study of complex theories with practical application. The program caters to students from all academic backgrounds who have strong motivation, time management skills, self-discipline, and a high energy level.

Program Details

• Program Type: Master of Arts (M.A.)
• Format: On Campus
• Estimated Time to Complete: 2-3 years
• Credit Hours: 30

Marketable Skills

• Web/social media content strategies
• User experience research
• Advanced technical writing
• Pedagogical practices
• XML programming

Program Highlights

• Our faculty members are active researchers and recognized scholars with industry experience, which is infused into their instruction.
• Faculty research has examined usability, social media, and science communication, and has been published in major journals such as Technical Communication Quarterly , Technical Communication , IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication , and International Journal of Business Communication.
• Our students have leadership opportunities through teaching assistant positions, lab tutor positions in our TECM Lab, and involvement in our student organization (ETC).
• Our curriculum also prepares you to enter a doctoral technical communication program. Recent graduates have earned fellowships at some of the nation's premiere programs.
• Coursework leading to a Graduate Academic Certificate in Teaching Technical Writing is also available.
• The program has a 15-plus year reputation of excellence and holds an impressive job placement record.

Career Opportunities

• Our graduates work for AT&T, Apple, Microsoft, Sabre Airline Solutions, Hewlett Packard, and GE Healthcare. Recent graduates have generally started their careers with a $50-$55,000 annual salary.
• Key job sectors include:
  • Aerospace
  • Information technology
  • Defense
  • Manufacturing
  • Engineering
  • Pharmaceuticals
• Graduates of our M.A. program have a 100% job placement rate.

Sample Courses

• Digital Literacies for Professional Communicators (3 hrs)
• Examination of the digital literacies used in professional contexts. Intensive theory and practice of authoring tools, content management, single sourcing, and coding.
• Editing Technical Documents (3 hrs)
• Practical application of technical and professional communication in industry, business, and the sciences, using the workshop approach.
• Style and Technical Writing (3 hrs)
• Study of the principles of technical style with intensive practice in writing and analyzing technical prose.
• Digital Content Strategies for Communication Professionals (3 hrs)
• Advanced study of content strategy skills important for technical communicators. Students learn about how technical communicators use content strategies to develop web content. Students also use and analyze major web content management systems, including Drupal, Word Press, and Joomla.
• Measuring Usability and User Experience for Professional and Technical Communication (3 hrs)
• Client-based approach to the methods used to analyze the usability and user experience of documents, software, web sites, mobile applications, and other interfaces used by professional and technical communicators. Methods may include card sorting, think aloud protocols, interviews, observations, cognitive walkthroughs, task analysis, heuristic evaluations, and eye tracking.
• Principles of Technical Communication (3 hrs)
• Practical application of technical and professional communication in industry, business, and the sciences, using the workshop approach.