Technical Communication Certificate

Photo: Erika Schulte

The post-baccalaureate certificate in technical communication provides instruction for working technical and scientific communicators and graduate-level communication students to enhance their knowledge and skills base. After completing this certificate program, you will be able to:

analyze a project's audience and purpose using technical communication principles
produce technical documents of professional quality
produce technical documents in several media appropriate for the communication situation.

What You Will Learn

From this certificate program you will:

Acquire advanced skills in writing and editing scientific and/or technical documents for various audiences. WRIT 4561 Editing and Style for Technical Communicators (3 cr) focuses on this learning outcome.
Acquire skills in oral presentation of scientific and/or technical information for various audiences. Oral presentations are integrated throughout the curriculum.
Design and develop documents for a range of established and emerging technologies relevant to the field of scientific and technical communication
Understand user-centered design principles and be able to apply these principles through design and usability testing. WRIT 4501 Usability and Human Factors in Technical Communication (3 cr) is dedicated to assess this learning outcome.
Learn the principles of the visual display of technical information and how to effectively apply visual design principles to technical documents. WRIT 5671 Visual Display of Technical Information (3 cr) focuses on this learning outcome.
Understand various theoretical perspectives in scientific and technical communication, as well as the ability to apply these perspectives to document development projects. WRIT 5111 Information Design I (3 cr) focuses on this learning outcome.
Learn about international and intercultural issues in scientific and technical communication, as well as strategies for effectively addressing these issues. International issues are integrated throughout the curriculum.

Admission and Completion Requirements

Admission

Admissions standards for the certificate program are the same as those for the M.S. in scientific and technical communication. Although the certificate is designed as a stand-alone program, we recognize that students who begin the certificate program may decide that they wish to stay on and complete the M.S. To facilitate transfer from one program to the other, admission standards for both are the same.

An applicant to the post-baccalaureate certificate in STC must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School as follows:

a bachelor's degree from a recognized college or university
an undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.00

In addition, applicants will be expected to have completed course work or have equivalent experience in the following areas:

science, technology, mathematics, and/or engineering
advanced communication (e.g., writing/editing, oral communication, visual communication, organizational communication, or communication theory)
computer science or management information systems

Completion

Each student will need to file an approved certificate program plan indicating the courses that will be taken. Completion of the certificate program requires completion of the indicated courses, with the core courses requiring a grade of B or better and with an overall GPA in certificate course work of 2.80 or better. No capstone course or final exam will be necessary for students to complete this certificate program.

Courses

The certificate consists of 15 graduate credits drawn from the writing studies department.

Required: (12 credits)

WRIT 5001 Introduction to Graduate Studies in Scientific & Technical Communication (3 cr.)
WRIT 4561 Editing and Style for Technical Communicators (3 cr.) (currently delivered online)
WRIT 5111 Information Design I (3 cr.) (currently delivered online)
OR
WRIT 5112 Information Design II (3 cr.)
WRIT 5671 Visual Display of Technical Information (3 cr.)

Plus, select one of the following courses: (3 cr.)

WRIT 4501 Usability and Human Factors in Technical Communication (3 cr.)
WRIT 5511 Research in Scientific and Technical Communication (3 cr.)

Note that none of the courses require prerequisite courses. This program is designed with the working professional in mind. Academic advisors will work with you to help you complete the certificate within 5 semesters. You may transfer up to 12 credits of your course work into any applicable University of Minnesota program, e.g., master of science in scientific and technical communication (M.S. in STC) assuming the graduate faculty of the degree-granting program will accept this work.

This program has been reviewed by the Office of Student Finance and has been determined to meet the standard for federal financial assistance.

Program Benefits

Benefits for working professionals

Many people working as technical communicators did not start out with that career goal. But the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that increasingly technical communicators require additional training in a specialized field. This type of certificate can serve technical communicators, perhaps like yourself, who may not have been trained in this field, but find yourself in a technical writing position. For you, the opportunity for post-baccalaureate education focused on communication principles and best practices can help you advance in your careers. If you are a career changer, this certificate program provides preparation for positions in the growing field of technical communication. Most courses are offered during the evening to accommodate workday schedules.

Benefits for U of M students

University students pursuing other degrees can also benefit from having additional certification in technical communication. For you, the opportunity to show that you are a good technical communicator can give you a competitive edge with potential employers. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics cites communication skills as a necessary qualification for people seeking positions as computer scientists and data base administrators. This need for good communication and interpersonal skills is recognized across a wide range of careers. Our certificate program can help to prepare you for these careers, as well as give you opportunities to demonstrate those communication skills.

You will also benefit from the certificate course work in the following ways:

Learn and strengthen your core competencies in technical communication, including information design, editing, and visual design
Understand the history of technical communication as well as emerging trends in the field
Explore different genres within the field of technical communication
Apply knowledge of technical communication within specific workplace situations
Collaborate with a community of learners and professionals in the field of technical communication.

Unique Opportunity

The certificate courses provide opportunities for research-based teaching and learning. Two of the certificate's courses focus on research in the field of technical communication: WRIT 5511, Research in Scientific and Technical Communication (3 cr.), and WRIT 4501, Usability and Human Factors in Technical Communication (3 cr.). These courses teach you about the state of research in the field and to show how research supports our larger technical communication community. These courses also provide preparation and opportunities for you to conduct research as a working professional and practitioner. Certificate courses are taught by graduate faculty who themselves have active research agendas.

This certificate program is designed to share knowledge in the field of technical communication and to support your interest in life-long learning and continuing education. The program, whenever possible, provides opportunities for you to apply knowledge to solve community and industry problems within the field of technical communication through authentic learning opportunities in the program's courses. These courses routinely require you to engage in projects for "real world" clients that in the past have included such organizations as ISEEK (Minnesota Internet System for Education and Employment Knowledge), the American Community Gardening Association, and the U.S. Forest Service North Central Research Station.

The University of Minnesota is the only educational institution in the metro area that offers a post-baccalaureate certificate in this field. Furthermore, with the experience of our faculty and a curriculum focusing on 21st-century professional challenges, we are well positioned to offer the premiere certificate program within Minnesota as well as neighboring states.

Transferring Credits into the M.S. in STC

This certificate provides a gateway for you to participate in the outstanding education that the University of Minnesota offers without applying for admission to the Graduate School. While you are participating in this certificate program, you will receive academic advising from graduate faculty in the Department of Writing Studies. Through this advising, faculty work to identify and prepare students who show an interest in and promise for the full M.S. in scientific and technical communication program. For highly motivated and well prepared students, the certificate program provides an avenue for entry into the University of Minnesota Graduate School and the M.S. in STC program. These students will be able to transfer up to 12 credits from the certificate program in to the M.S. in STC program, if accepted into that program.

Certificate Application

Download the Graduate School Certificate Application (PDF)