This multidisciplinary program combines theory, practice, and real world experience. Technical communicators interpret specialized information for practical use. The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Technical Communication prepares you to be an effective, successful technical communicator. This innovative program reflects current and emerging communication technologies, providing you with the knowledge and skills to be successful in the following disciplines:

• Writing
• Multimedia Design
• Editing
• Web Design
• Document Design
• Training Development
• Desktop Publishing
• Research

Course Requirements

• Writ 271 Technical Writing
• Writ 371 Editing
• Writ 391 Internship & CAS Internship meetings
• Writ 531 Advanced Writing
• Writ 572 Document Design
• Writ 573 Writing & Designing for the Web
• MdSt 382 Multimedia: The Digital Age
• MdSt 580 Issues in Communication Technology
• HSTD 393 Training Design and Instruction
• MdSt 383 Use of Media in Education and Training
• Writ 461 Writing and Technical Communication Capstone
• Electives as approved by the program advisor.

C Programming

This course is designed to provide a fast-paced exposure to the C programming language for students majoring in a computer-related discipline. The following topics will be briefly reviewed using C syntax: looping, selection, variables, scope rules, functions, and pass-by-value arguments. New topics will include pass-by-address arguments, formatted and unformatted I/O, user defined types (enum, struct, union), preprocessing directives, file handling, pointers, pointer arithmetic, string manipulation and selected library functions.

Multimedia Programming

This course studies the principles and practices of multimedia programming in a graphical user interface environment. Students learn screen layout, the creation and modification of multimedia elements, object creation and placement, icon design and special effects, script writing (programming), and message passing in a hypertext environment.

Building Services on the Internet

This course focuses on how to design and establish information services over the Internet. Topics include the fundamental structures and concepts of the Internet architecture, design strategies, current technologies, and operational management. Students will also learn how to install, configure, and operate a WWW server, ftp server, mailing list server, email server, and other current services offered over the Internet through the lab-based course projects.

Programming Fundamentals of Java

This course covers fundamental programming constructs, including input, output, variables, data types, looping, selection, methods, using library classes and creating simple Graphical User Interfaces (GUI's). Algorithm design and pseudocode are covered.

Telecommunications and Computers

This course emphasizes technical aspects of telecommunications, telecommunication architectures, telecommunication systems design, protocols, performance and capacity metrics.

Writing and Designing for the Web

This course focuses on effective writing and design for online environments (with particular emphasis on the Web). While grounded in relevant theory, this course has a workshop format, with an emphasis on hands-on learning.

Advanced Media Design

This course covers advanced principles and techniques in digital video editing with emphasis on Web-based and CD ROM delivery. This course stresses lab-based projects.