MS in Professional Writing & Technical Communication
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Graduate Courses Offered

1. Required Core
2. Required Options
3. Electives
4. Discretionary Electives

Required Core

ENG 5304: Proseminar in Professional & Technical Communication
Prerequisite: ENG 3304 or equivalent (E)

Orients students to faculty research and the issues, goals, and methodologies of professional and technical communication. The course examines: definitions and histories of the field; relevant theories, practices, and genres; data gathering and research; technology-related issues; ethical and intercultural implications; and professionalization.

ENG 5317: Rhetorical Theory & Criticism

Introduces major rhetorical theories, practice, and criticism. The course provides practice in applying critical theory to contemporary texts.

ENG 5330: Visual Design
Prerequisite: Eng 5317

Practicum in applying theory to original designs and to analyzing and revising designs. Examines the theory and practices for effective design in print and electronic media.

ENG 5340: Project Management
Prerequisite: Eng 5304

Introduces the techniques for systematic planning and supervision of complex writing projects and the production of print and electronic documentation. Students will become proficient in three major areas: collaborating with Subject Matter Experts to develop and clarify content; coordinating writing and production elements for publication; and expert testing for usability.

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Required Options

Option A: ENG 6390 and 6991; or
Option B: ENG 6380 or 6390, and 6392

ENG 6380: Internship
Prerequisite: 15 graduate hours

Provides industry experience for students. Writing or design projects developed in the course may be tested and used for the capstone project or portfolio.

ENG 6390: Directed Research
Prerequisite: 15 graduate hours

Supports and guides student research for thesis or capstone project. Students enroll in this course during the semester they intend to research, develop, and propose a thesis or capstone project.

ENG 6391: Thesis
Prerequisite: 18 graduate hours & ENG 6390

Provides direction and support for students during the semester in which they intend to complete their thesis and graduate. No credit is awarded until the thesis is approved by the thesis committee and the student has passed an oral exam on the thesis and graduation portfolio.

ENG 6392: Capstone Project
Prerequisite: 18 graduate hours & ENG 6390/6380

Provides an alternative to the thesis. Students may complete a capstone project in which they propose and design a long document for a real-world audience. The project typically includes a form of usability testing and rewriting. No credit is awarded until the capstone project is approved by the thesis committee and the student has passed an oral exam on the project and graduation portfolio.

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Electives

ENG 6303: Public Relations & Media Management

Explores the trends and issues affecting corporations: crisis management, public affairs, communication, consumer affairs, employee relations, environmental problems, and issues of multinationals. The course may include the analysis of various examples of publicity materials‹news conferences, feature placements, special events, and media tours, case studies‹as well as readings on propaganda and on the history and theories of public relations.

ENG 6310: Intercultural & World Communication

Examines issues surrounding communication for/with multiple audiences with diverse linguistic and cultural patterns. The class will also consider implications of controlled language systems.

ENG 6312: Ethical and Legal Dimensions of Communication

Helps students identify and address the ethical challenges that occur in private, social, and professional contexts. The course will focus on real-world ethical dilemmas with diverse approaches to decision-making using ethical reasoning and applied ethics. Legal considerations will include first amendment issues such as freedom of speech and press, copyright, libel, privacy, access, administrative law of advertising and broadcasting, and other legal problems in professional writing situations.

ENG 6318: Stylistics & Editing

Trains students in the examination and assessment of the rhetorical effects of style and editing choices and in the application of appropriate choices to a variety of documents, audiences, and settings. Covers information-processing theory and practice, with students being responsible for articulating clearly and concisely the reasons for their style and editing choices, including graphics.

ENG 6322: Instructional Design

Surveys and applies the theory, research, creation, development, and delivery of courses in corporate and academic environments. Students will design and present curriculum for business, industry, or classroom use.

ENG 6323: Communications and Technology

Acquaints students with various computer software programs and their application to specific disciplines such as criminal justice, medical & science writing, and technical communication. Projects will include print documents as well as slide presentations incorporating analyzed research data. Students will expand their knowledge of rhetorical principles and of techniques for reporting statistical analyses and conveying them to specialized audiences.

ENG 6324: Writing in the Professions

Examines researching, writing, and editing journal and newsletter articles in one or several technical fields or disciplines, including science, medicine, pharmaceuticals, engineering, environmental science, and law. Students will develop one article project from initial research to submission. May be repeated once for credit with permission of department.

ENG 6328: Hypermedia Theory & Design

Reviews print-based methods of content organization and reader orientation. These traditional methods are contrasted with typical solutions in on-line and multi-media communications to the problems of content navigation, readability, and usability. Includes study of navigation maps or graphs, information architecture, traditional and hyper-linked indexes, table of contents and on-line context lists, and the use of document description or meta-information to facilitate effective information retrieval.

ENG 6360: Special Topics in Technical and Professional Communication

Selected topics in writing for industry, linguistics, pedagogy, and rhetorical or discourse theory. When course content varies, course may be repeated by permission of department.

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Discretionary Electives

The following graduate courses may accepted as electives towards the degree, at the discretion of the Graduate Coordinator:

• ENG 6301: Composition Pedagogy
• ENG 6319: Language Development and Variation: Implications for Educators
• CJ 6320: Research Design and Methods
• CJ 6321: Quantitative Analysis in Criminal Justice
• Math 5305: Advanced Business Statistics

A maximum of six (6) undergraduate hours may be accepted as degree electives, at the discretion of the Graduate Coordinator.

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