Technical Communication - Exam Track, MS

Major in Technical Communication

Godwin Agboka, PhD, Graduate Director
S1065, 713-222-7920

The Master of Science in Technical Communication, an outgrowth of our well-established undergraduate program in Technical Communication, will provide graduates with writing, design, and management skills based on rhetorical principles. Students will gain publication and production skills, study project management and the ethical and global implications of professional communication, participate in research, conduct audience analyses and usability tests, and create on-line help.

This program is valuable for a range of candidates:

• Professional writers and communicators seeking promotion to managerial positions.
• Professionals interested in teaching technical writing in high schools or community colleges.
• Professionals in science and technology, public relations, or corporate training with the goal of expanding employment options.
• Undergraduates interested in an applied master’s level degree to increase their employability or pursue a doctoral degree in technical communication.

Program Objectives

Students graduating with an MS in Technical Communication will demonstrate professional-level skills or knowledge in the following areas:

• Documentation production and project management: Write and edit communication management related documents in print and electronic genres.
• Rhetorical analysis: Apply rhetorical principles to evaluate and produce documents Global awareness: Analyze multicultural implications of professional communication.
• Research methodologies: Conduct and report research in communication management using appropriate methods and/or critical theories.
• Technological aptitude: Use current technology to produce effective documents.

Admission

Admission is competitive and selective. Applicants must demonstrate that they possess the abilities, interests, and qualities necessary to successfully complete the program and the potential to contribute to the fields of professional writing or technical communication.

Applicants seeking admission will provide the following application materials for review by the Graduate Curriculum Committee:

• A completed Apply Texas application form with a personal statement. See our website for details: www.uhd.edu/mstc.
• Official transcript(s) that document a bachelor-degree conferral and the final 60 semester credit hours (or more) of undergraduate coursework. Applicants who have completed graduate-level courses must also provide graduate transcript(s) in addition to the abovementioned undergraduate documentation.
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores for applicants with a GPA below 3.0.
• Resume.
• Two letters of recommendation and recommendation forms from individuals acquainted with the applicant’s work and academic potential.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language scores if graduate of a university in which English is not the native language (minimum score of 550 with section scores of 50 or higher).

Admission Process

The Graduate Advisory Committee will evaluate applications using a holistic matrix based on GPA, GRE score, relevant course work or experience, recommendations, and other written materials in the applicant’s file. The Graduate Advisory Committee will use the results of this evaluation to determine if an applicant is admitted. The Graduate Director will notify students, in writing, of the committee’s decision.

Final Experience

After having completed at least 18 semester credit hours in the MSTC program, complete TCOM 6390 - Directed Research in Professional Writing and Technical Communication , TCOM 6094 - Final Comprehensive Examination , and three semester credit hours of an additional approved elective.