Department of Technical Communication Proposed MS: Course of Study

We, the undersigned members of the supervisory committee, agree that the following is an acceptable program of study and research for:
(student name) / (student signature) / (date)
Faculty on Supervisory Committee1 / Signature of Faculty Member / Date
(Chair)

1Two Supervisory Committee members must be TC graduate faculty (minimum of two members are required for coursework option; minimum of three members are required for thesis or internship option).

Prerequisites: You may be required to complete certain prerequisite coursework before graduating from the program. You will be notified by Tom Williams if you must complete these classes. Please use the grid below to track your progress

Required? / Course / Credits / Grade / Qtr., Year
Yes/No / Calculus, Logic or Statistics Course

Required Courses.

Student: Complete the grid below with courses that will fulfill your MS degree requirements.

Course / Credits / Grade / Qtr., Year
Theory: minimum 8 credits
Theory: TC 501: Theoretical Dimensions of Tech. Comm. / 4
Theory: TC 502: Empirical Traditions in Tech Comm. / 4
Research Methods: minimum 8 credits
Research Methods: TC 516 / 4
Research Methods:
Society and Systems minimum 4 credits
Society & Systems: TC 505, 512, or 520 required / 4
Society & Systems:

Media Design & Applications: minimum 8 credits

Media Design & App.: TC 510: Information Design required / 4
Media Design & App.:
Electives:
Elective:
Elective:
Elective:

Seminar: 1 credit: TC 521 Current Topics in TC

/ 1
Minimum Credits Required: / 41

ü  You must appoint a committee chair by the end of your 3rd quarter in the program

ü  You must appoint the rest of your committee and submit a signed course of study by the end of your 4th quarter in the program.


Page 2.

Required courses

Your Supervisory Committee Chair must approve all courses. 41 credits are required including:

·  Min. 8 credits Theory: TC 501 (4) and TC 502 (4) required.

·  Min. 8 credits Research Methods: TC 516 (4) is required. Possible courses include TC 517 (4).

·  Min. 4 credits Society & Systems: TC 505 (4), 512 (4), or 520 (4) required.

·  Min. 8 credits Media Design & Applications: TC 510 (4) required. Possible courses include TC 511 (5), TC 518 (4).

·  Electives: No minimum required.

·  1 credit Seminar: TC 521 (1) required. TC 521 may be taken twice.

For a list of possible courses that can be used to fulfill each category, please see the TC web site at: http://www.uwtc.washington.edu/programs/categories.htm

Important notes

·  A combination of up to 8 credits of TC 596 and 599 can be approved and used in Research Methods, Society & Systems, and Media Design & App. categories, but these credits cannot substitute for an entire category.

·  TC 597, Teaching Technical Communication, may not count toward the MSTC degree

·  The following courses cannot be used to satisfy MSTC degree requirements: TC 310, C 402, TC 499, some TC 498 courses, any course 300 level and below. TC 400 & 401 satisfy prerequisites, but also cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements.

·  You must be registered for at least 2 credits during the quarter you intend to graduate. You cannot apply for graduation if you are not registered.

Proposing a Thesis

Like the standard MS course of study, an MS thesis option consists of 41 minimum required credits. However, 8 credits of electives are replaced with 8 credits of TC 700 (Master's Thesis).

Another difference is that MS thesis options must have a supervisory committee of three faculty members, rather than the two required for the standard course of study. Students completing the MS thesis option are required to give an oral presentation in their final quarter before graduation.

To propose an MS thesis:

1. Discuss your idea with a TC graduate faculty member with whom you would like to work. If the faculty member is interested in and agrees with your idea, ask him or her to be your Supervisory Committee Chair.

2. Work with your Supervisory Committee Chair to write a two-page proposal describing your thesis with report. Include a (a) title, (b) overview of topic, (c) overview of how you plan to address the topic, (d) statement of significance, and (e) anticipated timeline for completion of the degree.

3. Work with your Supervisory Committee Chair to select Supervisory Committee members. Supervisory Committees for the thesis or internship/project option must have a minimum of three faculty members (two must be graduate faculty from the TC department) and no more than four members total.

4. Once you have verbal agreement from all of your committee members, give a copy of your proposal to the Program Coordinator for your academic file. Include the names of your Committee Chair and members on your proposal.

Note: Students cannot register for TC 700 credits until a proposal is approved and the Supervisory Committee is in place.

October 2007