MS in Technical Communication

The Master of Science (MS) in Technical Communication builds upon our Certificate program. As an MS student, you will go beyond our core coursework to apply technical communication principles to one or more areas of interest. Our students pursue areas like UX/UI, instructional design, data visualization, medical writing, and more.

The MS program incorporates a capstone course where students build a professional portfolio and learn critical skills for developing applied research reports.

Our MS program is designed for professionals looking to advance their careers in technical communication. Learn from expert faculty from wherever you are through our fully-online, asynchronous courses.

Graduate Handbook

Review our Certificate & MS handbook for current requirements and policies.

MS Program Requirements

The MS requires 30 credits (typically 10 courses) that can be completed in any order. As an MS student, you can take one or two courses per term, depending on what is best for your schedule.

Core Courses (15 Credits)

MS students complete the same five core courses as Certificate students:

• Foundations and Futures of Technical Communication (3 credits)
• Writing with Digital Technologies (3 credits)
• Information Design (3 credits)
• Usability and Human Factors in Technical Communication (3 credits)
• Editing and Style for Technical Communicators (3 credits)

Elective Course (3 Credits)

The elective course allows students to specialize their studies in their areas of interest. Students select one of the following courses based on their goals and course availability:

• International Professional Communication (3 credits)
• Writing Proposals and Grant Management (3 credits)
• Science, Medical, and Health Writing (3 credits)
• Research Methods in Writing Studies and Technical Communication (3 credits)

Outside Coursework (9 Credits)

Outside coursework allows students to expand their skill set and apply their knowledge of technical communication to their areas of interest. Students take advantage of the wide breadth of coursework available across the University of Minnesota.

Capstone Course (3 Credits)

The capstone course allows students to synthesize what they’ve learned in the MS program, develop research and scientific writing reports for professional settings, and practice oral communication skills. 

Catalog Requirements

Full Requirements