Master of Science in Technical Communication Degree Sheet

 

 

The Master of Science in Technical Communication (MSTC) program will equip you with the skills to produce user-friendly technical documents, and understand communication ethics.

This degree, which can be individualized through a selection of electives, makes the program worthwhile to a range of candidates, including:

• Professional writers seeking promotions to managerial positions.
• Medical professionals seeking skills relevant to producing publishable research manuscripts, public health educational materials, ethical standards declarations, manuals, and professional correspondence.
• Professionals in engineering, science, and technology who need to master the skills of project management and writing results-oriented documents, such as proposals, technical manuals, training materials, and business-to-business communications.
• Public relations and corporate training professionals with the goal of expanding their employment options.
• Undergraduates interested in an applied master’s degree, either to increase their employability, or to pursue a doctoral degree in technical communication.

About the Program

The MSTC is a 33-credit-hour program that teaches writing, design, and management skills based on rhetorical principles. The program also is designed to provide opportunities to improve publication and production skills, study project management, and the ethical and global implications of professional communication. The program also affords its students to participate in research, conduct audience analysis and usability tests, create websites and online help documentation.

The MSTC program requires a minimum of 33 hours, comprised of:

• 6 hours of required courses
• 9 hours of skills courses (theory, application, and research)
• 18 hours of elective courses*
• 6 hour final experience option (thesis, capstone, exam, or seminar paper)

*Students are afforded flexibility when satisfying the required 18 hours of elective courses. Specifically, in addition to the 16 MSTC courses identified as electives, students may petition to add a maximum of two undergraduate and graduate courses from the following:

• ENG 5327 Teaching College Writing Practicum
• 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 5309 Business Statistics
• Any undergraduate professional writing course offered at UHD

The degree also has two 9-credit-hour certificate programs: the Graduate Certificate in Plain Language and the Graduate Certificate in Medical and Applied Health Communication.

Affiliated Student Organizations

Sigma Tau Delta - Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter is the UHD chapter of an International English Honors Society, which brings together students who have an interest in literature, culture and intellectual camaraderie. Students inducted into the society connect with other writers, readers, theorists, and critical-thinkers to foster a vibrant culture of literacy on campus. For membership information, please contact Dr. Jillian Hill at hillj@uhd.edu.

Career Options

Graduates of the MSTC program are qualified for writing positions within a myriad of industries, including federal government (technical writing), fundraising (grant and proposal writing), healthcare (medical writing), and the law (legal writing). 

UHD is the first and only institution of higher education in the country that offers a Graduate Certificate in Plain Language and a Graduate Certificate in Medical and Applied Health Communication. Both certificates consist of three graduate courses (9 credit hours), and may be taken in addition to the MSTC program to further specialize your degree.

How to Apply

Applicants must complete and submit all of the following items in order to be considered for admission. Resumes, personal statements, and writing samples can be uploaded through the myUHD portal, emailed to gradadmissions@uhd.edu, or mailed to:

• Submit an application
• Pay the $35 application fee
• Request/submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended to the email or mailing address above (including community college work and prior graduate work).
• Provide a professional/personal résumé detailing your work experience and education

• Provide a personal statement of approximately words that addresses the following questions in detail.

  • Why do you want to study professional writing and technical communication?
  • What topics or issues in the field might you want to study further and why?
  • What qualifies you to embark upon this field of study?
  • What experience do you have in this field?
  • How do you plan to use your degree?
• Provide the names and email contact information for two recommenders application.
  • Your recommenders/references should be individuals with knowledge of your work and who are able to address your academic potential such as former professors, work supervisors, or professional colleagues.
  • Your recommenders will be contacted and provide their recommendations directly into the application system. Please make sure you have accurate email addresses for both recommenders.
• Provide TOEFL scores as outlined above (if a graduate of a university in which English is not the native language).

For full instructions on application and admsission information please visit the M.S. in Technical Communication website.