Technical Writing Certificate
NOTICE: School of Humanities and Social Sciences are currently in the process revising all its degrees. Please contact your advisor for more information.
The Certificate in Technical Communication is intended for all students, whether they are IU East degree-seeking students, graduates with a bachelor's degree who seek focused education in technical communication, or non-degree-seeking students with specific needs or interests in technical communication. This certificate offers you a focused program in technical and professional communication skills, an area that includes the study of technical writing and communication theory. You will produce written, electronic, and oral presentations within technical communication studies. Technical communication is an area where many students find employment after graduation. While technical communication is a field of study offered within the field of English, many technical communication students can come from fields like the sciences, business, or humanities. The Certificate in Technical Communication is open to both degree-seeking and non-degree-seeking students. The certificate program can be shaped to support various technical communication specializations. Certain courses have prerequisites and you will first need to fulfill those prerequisites.
If you are completing a Certificate in Technical Communication, you will take courses in technical communication and will be exposed to a range of communication issues. You will complete four English courses and select electives to allow a specific focus relative to your needs.
Finally, a Certificate in Technical Communication will provide you with knowledge in a focused area of study.
Certificate Requirements
- You must complete 18 credit hours selected from the courses listed below.
- At least 9 hours of the certificate must be completed on the IU East campus.
- You are required to obtain a grade of C or better for all courses used in the certificate. Your overall GPA must not be below 2.5.
- You may include one independent study in your course plan. Independent studies must be approved by the certificate advisor.
- You must complete the appropriate pre-requisite courses before beginning the certificate program.
- Courses for the certificate: 18 credit hours
Course Requirements: (12 cr. hr.)
- ENG W231 Professional Writing Skills (3)
- ENG W234 Technical Report Writing (3)
- ENG W270 Argumentative Writing (3)
- ENG W321 Advanced Technical Writing (3)
Electives (6 cr. hr.)
- ENG W395 Individual Study in Writing (3)
- ENG W331 Business and Administrative Writing (3)
- JOUR J390 Corporate Publications (3)
- CMCL C228 Argumentation and Advocacy (3)
- SPCH S223 Business and Professional Communication (3)
Note: Other courses may apply toward the certificate as approved by the certificate advisors.
On completion of the certificate program, you will have developed an ability to:
- Develop, plan, and execute technical communication projects such as the development of an inquiry or problem-based project
- Apply theoretical issues related to technical communication studies such as document usability and visual document rhetoric
- Select and use appropriate technology for the preparation of technical communication products such as power-point or overhead presentations
- Prepare technical communication products in a range of genres such as short and long reports
- Create electronic documents, correspondence documents, and presentation materials.
Assessment/Evaluation
Progress toward the completion of the certificate will be monitored in a number of ways:
- You must have obtained a C or better in all courses applied to the certificate.
- Your papers will be evaluated for the performance based technical communication skills outlined above in item IV.
- You will compile a portfolio of three technical commuication projects of different focuses completed for courses and write a reflective essay of introduction. The portfolio will be reviewed by at least two English faculty. Your advisor will coordinate the portfolio review process.
