Missouri University of Science and Technology, Department of English & Technical Communication

English and Technical
Communication
236 Humanities-Social Sci.
500 W. 14th St.
Rolla, MO 65409
(573) 341-4681
english@mst.edu

Master of Science in Technical Communication

The technical communication degree, housed in the Department of English and Technical Communication, offers you an entry into a growing profession that communicates information about the purpose and operation of human tools and systems. Technical communicators work at the interface of technical experts and users of technology. Consequently, technical communicators provide an essential service to national and global societies by facilitating technology transfer.

In Missouri S&T's unique environment, you will have opportunities to work alongside engineers and scientists in research and design projects. Also, you will be strongly encouraged to do summer internships or co-ops with companies before you graduate. At Missouri S&T you will work with first-class faculty, associate with excellent students from around the country and world, and benefit from the world-class technology.

What are the requirements for the M.S.?
Specific requirements for the M.S. in Technical Communication include a minimum of 30 credit hours. All students must complete the 9-credit-hour core, take 6 credit hours of out-of-department courses, and submit a portfolio before graduating. Students pursuing the non-thesis option must also take 15 hours of TCH COM electives and pass a comprehensive exam, while students pursuing the thesis option must take 9 credit hours of TCH COM electives, 6 credit hours of research, and write a thesis.

Core Courses, 9 credit hours
TCH COM 402 Foundations of Technical Communication: 3
TCH COM 411 International Technical Communication: 3
TCH COM 420 Advanced Theories of Visual Technical Communication: 3

TCH COM Electives, 9 credit hours (thesis) or 15 credit hours (non-thesis)
English 302, 305, or 306: 3
TCH COM 301 Special Topics: 3
TCH COM 302 Research Methods in Technical Communication: 3
TCH COM 331 Technical Editing: 3
TCH COM 361 History of Technical Communication: 3
TCH COM 380 Internship: 3
TCH COM 401 Special Topics: 3
TCH COM 403 Theoretical Approaches to Technical Communication: 3
TCH COM 404 Teaching of Technical Communication: 3
TCH COM 410 Seminar: 3
TCH COM 450 Information Management in Technical Communication: 3

Out-of-Department Electives, 6 credit hours
For the out-of-department courses, candidates are advised to construct a module that fits their special interest--e.g., information systems, industrial organization, industrial management, global economics.

Research, 6 credit hours (thesis option only)
Students pursuing the thesis option as opposed to the non-thesis or "exam" option must take 6 hours of TCH COM 490 Research.

Departmental Contact

Dr. Kathryn Northcut
573-341-4687
northcut@mst.edu

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IN THE WORDS OF ...

Elizabeth Richardson
Former Graduate Student in Technical Communication

" Technical communication, to me, is the bridge between the people developing or creating new technology or ideas and the people that need to use the technology and ideas. Nearly every industry in the world needs to communicate with the public in some fashion, which leaves all kinds of doors wide open for technical communicators. No matter what your interests are, you can find a related area that needs someone that can communicate ideas clearly, concisely, and correctly. It's a very exciting field and position to be in because it makes being a technical communicator so versatile, which is a must with the current world economic situation.

"For me, being able to be one of those bridge builders is a very rewarding experience. In my work for Samsung Electronics' Printing Division, I not only have to bridge the gap between the developers and the users but also the language and cultural gaps between Southeast Asia and the West. Since I work mostly with business-to-business solutions (B2B), most of my end users are developers or network administrators. With this being the case, I don't have to "dumb it down" for a member of the general public, but the information still needs to be organized and communicated clearly. Some types of documents that I produce or edit are software development kits, user manuals for business solutions, white papers, and UI messages.

"Working at the R&D HQ in South Korea also gives me the opportunity to experience and work with another culture first-hand and help improve the understanding of why technical communication is so important for a business. I believe all of this has only helped improve my technical communication abilities. Knowing that what I'm doing is making a difference and improving a corporation is a reward in itself."