Our Technical Communication degree programs were given invaluable publicity this past July, when the MS in Technical Communication was one of 12 listed in an article in Nature. Nature is one of the most-read academic science publications worldwide, well-known to many of the researchers on our campus, as well as alumni. Program director Kathryn Northcut, an associate professor in the Department of English and Technical Communication, expressed her feelings about the coverage: "Being listed as one of twelve programs really validates our efforts to make our program visible and respected." The article, titled "The best words in the best order," appeared in the Careers section of Nature.
According to Northcut, the article's main point was that technical writing is a viable career option for communication-savvy scientists. Northcut confirms that opportunities for technical communicators may be greatest when a humanities or social science degree can be combined with technical education or industry experience. "We've had several successful students who majored in engineering or science as undergrads and then sought a master's degree to propel their career toward the same industries but in a different track. Of course, some students move only through English and tech com programs and land good jobs as well." Northcut pointed out that the article reports technical communication salary figures, which are highly competitive. "The only negative point was that women still earn less than men across certain careers in technical communication," Northcut noted, "but with such information, we can help our students understand why they must not only be competent, but also strategically manage their careers and continually hone their negotiation skills. Our program is extremely diverse, with much higher female enrollment than most programs on campus, and we directly address diversity issues with our students."
The technical communication program at S&T is the only graduate degree offered in the arts and humanities, but the technical communication bachelor's is one of many non-engineering degrees offered here, along with psychology, economics, history, philosophy, English, and business. "We are a university, not just an engineering school," Northcut says. "Our faculty and programs are recognized nationally, not solely in engineering."
For more information about Missouri S&T's technical communication degree programs, contact Northcut at 431-4687 or email northcut@mst.edu. Information is available on the web at http://english.mst.edu/graduatedegreeprograms/gradtechcom.html.



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