Program Overview

Technical Communication Degree

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Program Type

Major

Format

On Campus

Estimated Time to Complete

4 years

Credit Hours

120

Program Description

Technical communicators are in high demand because they make technical topics understandable and use technology to make information usable. The Department of Technical Communication emphasizes evidence-based approaches to preparing students with the technical communication skills required in modern workplaces: writing, designing, and coding.

Requirements

• Completion of several client-based classroom projects, which allow students to collaborate professionally with customers and other colleagues.
• Past projects have included:
  • Creating promotional materials for an art gallery
  • Creating style guides for companies
  • Designing websites for local businesses and nonprofit organizations
  • Editing engineering manuals
  • Redesigning logos

Marketable Skills

• Content strategy
• Usability/user experience testing
• Proposal and grant writing
• Content creation and management
• Web and mobile app development

Degree Highlights

• 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 Technical Communication Lab is equipped with the technology and software needed to complete coursework, and Lab staff will help students learn the software skills required for technical and business documents.
• Faculty members are outstanding teachers with diverse backgrounds and years of experience as writers, editors, creative directors, and consultants for various companies and organizations.
• Many faculty members are also active participants in professional organizations such as the Society for Technical Communication and the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing.
• Internship and job opportunities abound because of the university's location in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, which employs the sixth most technical writers in the nation.
• Exceptional undergraduate students can pursue a five-year pathway to a combined B.A. or B.S. plus M.A. in Professional and Technical Communication.

Career Opportunities

• Editor
• Information architect
• Proposal writer
• Usability tester
• Website designer

Job Market

• Texas employs more technical communicators than any other state except California, and the DFW metroplex employs the sixth most technical communicators among metropolitan areas in the United States.
• U.S. News & World Report recently ranked technical writer as #1 in Best Creative & Media Jobs.
• Employment of technical writers is expected to grow 11% between 2016 and 2026, which is nearly twice the 6% increase expected for all media and communication workers (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
• For 2018, the median wage of technical writers was $71,850 per year, compared to $57,530 for all media and communication workers (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
• The lowest 10% of tech writers in the DFW Metroplex were paid $47,988 per year or $21.50 per hour in 2017.

Sample Courses

The Profession of Technical Communication (3 hrs)

Provides a foundation for understanding technical communication as a profession. Focuses on the competencies required for information product creation; the tools used by technical communication professionals; collaboration techniques for effective team-based projects; and professional development through interaction with industry professionals.

Content Strategy in Technical Communication (3 hrs)

Introduction to the theories and methodologies associated with content strategy for online media in professional communication settings. Covers how technical communicators can use social media in their work and how professional communicators can plan, organize, and develop online content.

Visual Technical Communication (3 hrs)

Learning and applying theoretically-driven strategies for producing commercial publications for high-tech industries. Designing visual information using industry-standard software.

Information Design for Electronic Media (3 hrs)

Focuses on the fundamentals of web design and explores the practical and theoretical issues that professional and technical communicators face as they manage and distribute the content they create.

Usability and User Experience in Technical Communication (3 hrs)

Introduction to the theories and methodologies associated with assessing and measuring the usability and user experience of documents, software, web sites, mobile applications, and other technical or professional interfaces. Methods may include card sorting, think aloud protocol, interviews, observations, cognitive walkthroughs, task analysis, heuristic evaluations, and eye tracking, among others.

Technical Writing (3 hrs)

Expository writing, especially for science, pre-engineering, and business students.