Skip to main content

MSTC Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Technical Communication degree requires a minimum of 33 semester credit hours that includes 2 required courses (6 hours), 3 skills courses (9 hours), 4 elective courses (12 hours), a final experience (6 hours), and a graduate portfolio (0 hours). Please see the degree plan below for detailed information.

Minimum Grade Point Average

Students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Grades of C or lower do not count toward graduation, and two course grades of C or lower are cause for dismissal from the program. Any single grade of D or lower is cause for dismissal from the program.

Degree Plan

MSTC Degree Plan

2 Required Courses

SCH

TCOM 5304: Foundations of Professional and Technical Communication

 

3


TCOM 5317 Rhetorical Theory & Criticism

 

3


3 Skills Courses (9 hours) and 4 Elective Courses (12 hours)
At least 1 course from each "Skills" group: Theory (Th), Application (App), Research (R)
Plus 4 more courses from this list:

SCH

R

 

App

TCOM 5325: Advanced Medical Writing

3


 

Th

App

TCOM 5330: Visual Design Theory

3


 

 

App

TCOM 5340: Project Management

3


 

 

App

TCOM 6303: Public Relations and Media

3


R

Th

App

TCOM 6310: Intercultural and World Communication

3


R

Th

App

TCOM 6311: Social Justice Issues in Technical and Professional Communication

3


 

Th

App

TCOM 6312: Ethical and Legal Dimensions of Communication

3


 

 

App

TCOM 6318: Stylistics and Editing

3


 

Th

App

TCOM 6322: Instructional Design

3


 

 

App

TCOM 6323: Communications and Technology

3


 

 

App

TCOM 6324: Writing in the Professions Using Plain Language

3


 

Th

App

TCOM 6328: Hypermedia Theory & Design

3


R

 

 

TCOM 6330: Usability Research

3


 

 

App

TCOM 6331: Grant Writing for Nonprofit Management

3


R

 

 

TCOM 6350: Research Methods in Technical Communication

3


 

 

 

TCOM 6360: Special Topics in Technical and Professional Communication

3

Final Experience – Choose 1 from below 6

SCH

TCOM 6391

Thesis
After completing at least 15 semester credit hours in the MSTC program, candidates opting for the thesis must complete 3 hours of directed research (TCOM 6390) in order to propose/develop their thesis. After approval from the Graduate Advisory Committee, candidates must then complete the thesis through 3 hours of thesis (TCOM 6391) and sit for an oral defense of the thesis.

6


TCOM 6392

Capstone Project
After completing at least 15 semester credit hours in the MSTC program, candidates opting for the capstone project must choose either 3 hours of directed research (TCOM 6390) or field experience (TCOM 6380) in order to propose/develop their project. After approval from the Graduate Advisory Committee, candidates must complete the project through 3 hours of capstone project (TCOM 6392) and sit for an oral defense of the project.

6


TCOM 6094

Exam
After completing at least 18 semester credit hours in the MSTC program, candidates opting for the final exam must complete an additional 3 hours of an elective from the list of courses enumerated under “Electives” in the degree curriculum, 3 hours of directed research (TCOM 6390), and enroll in final comprehensive examination (TCOM 6094).

6


TCOM 6095

Additional Coursework (formerly Graduate Seminar Paper)
Students may fulfill the final experience by registering for TCOM 6095 and taking two additional elective courses.

6

Graduate Portfolio

 

 

TCOM 6099

Graduate Portfolio

0
 
Total Semester Credit Hours

  33