Technical Communication (TCOM)

This is an archived copy of the 2023-2024 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.shsu.edu.

TCOM 5099. Writing in the Field. 1-3 Hours.

Students study current theory, research, and practice in specialized areas of technical communication. Students research, design, and produce documents relative to key industries of the field. Variable Credit (1 to 3).
Prerequisite: Admission to the MA program in Technical Communication.

TCOM 5310. Technical & Prof Writing. 3 Hours.

Students examine the field of technical and professional communication and conduct primary research. Students should take this course as soon as they are able in their program, as the course serves a foundational function.

TCOM 5320. Managing Digital Documentation. 3 Hours.

Students learn advanced strategies of managing digital processes and knowledge that support online and print publication. Students design, manage, and publish documents using web-based and desktop documentation management systems.
Prerequisite: Admission to the MA program in Technical Communication.

TCOM 5330. Technical Style and Editing. 3 Hours.

Students study advanced techniques of composing, editing, and refining documents. Students analyze and generate prose for a variety of professional scenarios; additionally, students learn to edit documents using print and digital copy-marking techniques.
Prerequisite: Admission to the MA program in Technical Communication.

TCOM 5340. Digital Literacies. 3 Hours.

Students study the theory and practice of using digital media in professional situations. Students work with specific media and associated tools to convey expert-level information to differing audiences.
Prerequisite: Admission to the MA program in Technical Communication.

TCOM 5350. Professional Proposal Writing. 3 Hours.

Students learn the processes of developing proposals and grants from writing small, internal requests to generating large documents based on external requests for proposals.
Prerequisite: Admission to the MA program in Technical Communication.

TCOM 5360. Ethics in Professional Writing. 3 Hours.

Students explore technical communication's inherent link to ethical responsibility. Topics include rhetorical concerns, such as agency, plain language, exigency, and efficiency viewed through the lens of varied ethical theories (e.g., relativism, consequentialism, and feminism). Students use case studies and role playing to engage with the material.
Prerequisite: Admission to the MA program in Technical Communication.

TCOM 5370. Intercultural Technical Communication. 3 Hours.

Students explore the complexities of communicating technical information in intercultural contexts. By studying issues of how organizations, communities, and individuals communicate across cultures and national borders, students develop best practices for intercultural professional communication.
Prerequisite: Admission to the MA program in Technical Communication.

TCOM 5380. Document Design. 3 Hours.

Students study the rhetorical and usability effects of document design in print and digital media. Working with digital and print media, students design and produce documents for a variety of professional situations.
Prerequisite: Admission to the MA program in Technical Communication.

TCOM 5385. User Experience Research and Design. 3 Hours.

Students analyze current theories, methods, and practices of the user experience, usability research, and user-centered design. Students design and conduct a usability study and report findings.
Prerequisite: Admission to the MA program in Technical Communication.

TCOM 5390. Teaching Technical Communication. 3 Hours.

Students examine current theories, methods, and practices of technical communication pedagogies. Students create materials to demonstrate their application of information.
Prerequisite: Admission to the MA program in Technical Communication.

TCOM 5395. Internship and Practicum. 3 Hours.

Students apply their knowledge and skills to a workplace project. Individuals work with professional supervision and in concert with an academic director to acquire hands-on professional experiences and create a capstone project that culminates their professional placement.
Prerequisite: Admission to the MA program in Technical Communication.

TCOM 6300. Portfolio. 3 Hours.

Students curate representative works from across their graduate studies to produce a professional portfolio that satisfies the academic requirements for the MA in Technical Communication and that demonstrates their abilities to potential employers.
Prerequisite: Admission to the MA program in Technical Communication.

TCOM 6301. Technical Communication Portfolio I. 3 Hours.

Students begin preparing their professional portfolio to satisfy the academic requirements for the MA in Technical Communication and demonstrate their abilities to potential employers. Students determine the competencies they have mastered throughout the program and work to situate them within the field of technical communication by researching and synthesizing their definitions, histories, and current uses. Students investigate platforms to host their ePortfolios and user-test them.
Prerequisite: Permission of graduate director for students nearing completion of the MA in Technical Communication.

TCOM 6302. Technical Communication Portfolio II. 3 Hours.

Students complete the work begun in TCOM 6301: Portfolio I by producing a professional portfolio that satisfies the academic requirements for the MA in Technical Communication and that demonstrates their abilities to potential employers. Students present their portfolios in a professional setting. Students investigate professional opportunities and prepare job materials. Successful completion of TCOM 6301.
Prerequisite: Admission to the MA program in Technical Communication.