Bachelor of Science [B.S] [Scientific and Technical Communication] From Michigan Technological University

Program Learning Goals

Disciplinary knowledge

• Understand the social responsibilities that attend their critical and creative work as professional communicators.
• Demonstrate the abilities to write, speak, and design for a range of audiences, representing diverse stakeholders, with competing and sometimes conflicting interests

Communication

• Be able to communicate using a variety of media and genres
• Be able to communicate to diverse audiences with a range of needs

Social Responsibility and Ethical Reasoning

• Be prepared to engage in problem solving that results in sustainable designs for communication products
• Understand personal accountability for the impact of products on particular communities

Global Literacy

• Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately in cross-cultural contexts
• Demonstrate basic literacy in a modern language and understand its cultural significance

Critical & Creative Thinking

• Demonstrate the ability to consider issues from multiple perspectives
• Demonstrate abilities to evaluate and synthesize information from a variety of sources in order to advance innovative communication solutions

Information Literacy

• Be prepared to use multiple research methods to solve a range of rhetorical problems
• Understand how to access, evaluate, and use information ethically and legally to accomplish a specific purpose, with a specific audience in mind

Technology

• Demonstrate a working knowledge of current technology that supports professional practices in the field
• Demonstrate the ability to learn new and emerging technologies

Knowledge of the Physical and Natural World

• Understand scientific principles relevant to the field
• Understand personal responsibility for sustaining the physical and natural environments in which they work

What Technical Communicators Do

• Produce everything from newsletters to brochures to marketing materials for a variety of organizations and businesses
• Write and edit manuals, design web sites, produce videos, and other multimedia projects for various industries, such as the automobile, computer, aeronautical, medical, and environmental industries
• Work with engineers, researchers, and scientists in producing reports and articles for publication in specialized technical, medical, or other trade journals
• Write grants to help non-profit organizations fund useful projects
• Publish computer documentation, and write on-line help files for complex software packages
• Translate technical and scientific information into other languages
• Produce sales, marketing, and public relations campaigns
• Compose and conduct internal training programs
• Consult for industry on risk communication, and internal and external communications issues
• Teach Scientific & Technical Communication at the university level (with an advanced degree in STC)