MATC Program Overview

The MA in Technical Communication (MATC) at Boise State offers practical advanced education in technical communication for students who wish to improve their skills and their understanding of the field. The MATC is a 33-credit program consisting of seven required courses plus electives, an internship, and a final assignment (a thesis, a project, or a portfolio).

Students first learn the theory of technical communication, drawing on such disciplines as rhetoric and composition, linguistics, cognitive psychology, sociology, and gender studies. Then students progress through courses in writing, editing, and ethics, followed by a course in visual rhetoric and information design. Next, students take either a print or on-screen document production course. Finally, students take a course in oral communication skills, for technical communicators speak and listen far more than they write. Students will also complete a 3-credit internship

In addition, there are a number of elective courses, including Writing for the Computer Industry and courses in both print and on-screen document production covering topics of interest in desktop publishing, web development, and online help authoring.

We believe that Boise State's MATC is unusual in its focus on humanistic concerns. The required course in the ethics of technical communication (ENGL 514) asks students to examine technical communication from a variety of ethical perspectives. Another required course, ENGL 517 Oral Communication for Technical Communicators, addresses an aspect of technical communication that is generally overlooked in other programs, even though technical communicators speak and listen more than they write. The MATC program is also unusual in that a high proportion of its students are non-traditional: professionals who have been out of school for some years and are returning to improve their skills or change careers.

All the courses are offered in the evenings in order to accommodate students' work schedules.

Revised 9 August 2003.