TRACK DESCRIPTION
The Technical Communication track in the Master of Arts in English program is completely online and provides students with theoretical and applied skills in such areas as technical writing, visual design, usability, ethics, stylistics, computer documentation, international communication, and the rhetoric of science.
International students (F or J visa) are required to enroll in a full-time course load of 9 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters. Only 3 of the 9 credit hours may be taken in a completely online format. For a detailed listing of enrollment requirements for international students, please visit
www.intl.ucf.edu. If you have any questions, please consult the International Services Center at 407-823-2337.
CURRICULUM
| Total Credit Hours Required: |
| 33
Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree |
Each student must complete at least 33 credit hours of coursework including 15 credit hours of required courses and 15 credit hours of elective courses. Near the end of the degree program, each candidate will write a comprehensive examination and complete either a thesis option or a nonthesis option with a research project approved by the faculty.
The Technical Communication track requires either a thesis or a research study, which is approved by the graduate faculty and which requires extensive independent research and a final paper detailing the subject, purpose, scope, methodology, and conclusions of the study.
Required Courses—15 Credit Hours
- ENC 6297 Production and Publication Methods (3 credit hours)
- ENC 5337 Rhetorical Theory (3 credit hours)
- ENC 6217 Technical Editing (3 credit hours)
- ENC 6261 Technical Writing: Theory and Practice (3 credit hours)
- ENG 5009 Methods of Bibliography and Research (3 credit hours)
Elective Courses—15 Credit Hours
Restricted—9 Credit Hours
- ENC 6257 Graphics in Technical Writing (3 credit hours)
- ENC 6306 Persuasive Writing (3 credit hours)
- ENC 6247 Proposal Writing (3 credit hours)
- ENC 6244 Teaching Technical Writing (3 credit hours)
- ENC 6292 Project Management for Technical Writers (3 credit hours)
- ENC 6296 Writing and Designing Online Help Systems (3 credit hours)
Unrestricted—6 Credit Hours
Students in consultation with the graduate adviser, will choose two graduate-level English courses or approved courses from outside the department.
Thesis Option—3 Credit Hours
Students complete a formal thesis selected in consultation with an advisory committee and will meet both departmental and university requirements for the thesis.
- ENC 6971 Thesis (3 credit hours)
Nonthesis Option—3 Credit Hours
Students will enroll in directed research and complete a research project approved by an advisory committee. This project will be on a topic in technical communication and in a format other than that of a traditional thesis.
- ENC 6918 Directed Research (3 credit hours)
Comprehensive Examination
The comprehensive examination is a written exam based on four of the core courses (excluding ENG 5009) and two concentration areas designed by the student.
INDEPENDENT LEARNING
Both the thesis and special project options of the Master’s in English, Technical Communication Track require students to conduct original research and to produce a final paper detailing the subject, purpose, scope, methodology, and conclusions of the study, thus, providing students the opportunity to engage in independent learning.
Application Requirements
For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.
In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:
- One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
- Official, competitive GRE score taken within the last five years.
- Two letters of recommendation from faculty members or others familiar with applicant’s academic potential.
- One year of a foreign language at the university level (may be taken while in graduate residence).
- A one to two page goal statement addressing the applicant's reasons for pursuing graduate study in English.
- A professional writing sample of approximately ten pages (or an equivalent amount of web-based work), with a cover memo of no more than one page that explains why you chose to submit this particular sample.
- A computer-based score of 233 (or 91 internet-based score) on the Test of English as a Foreign language (TOEFL) if an applicant is from a country where English is not the official language, or if an applicant's degree is not from an accredited U.S. institution, or if an applicant did not earn a degree in a country where English is the only official language or a university where English is the only official language of instruction. Although we prefer the TOEFL, we will accept IELTS scores of 7.0.
- A résumé is required for applicants seeking assistantship positions.
Meeting minimum UCF admission criteria does not guarantee program admission. Final admission is based on evaluation of the applicant's abilities, past performance, recommendations, match of this program and faculty expertise to the applicant's career/academic goals, and the applicant's potential for completing the degree.
Please note: Due to restrictive state regulations, UCF is not permitted to provide online courses or instruction to students in the following states. If you reside in one of these states, you may not be permitted to enroll in or be admitted to a UCF online program. Please contact your state’s higher education regulation authorities or the UCF Graduate Program (see contact information above) for more details.
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Maryland
- Minnesota
Application Deadlines
| Technical Communication |
Fall Priority
|
Fall
|
Spring
|
Summer
|
|---|
|
Domestic Applicants
| Jan 15 | Mar 30 | Nov 1 | - |
|---|
|
International Applicants
| Jan 15 | Jan 15 | Jul 1 | - |
|---|
|
International Transfer Applicants
| Jan 15 | Mar 1 | Sep 1 | - |
|---|
FINANCIALS
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see
Funding for Graduate School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The
Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowships
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student’s graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see Fellowships, which includes descriptions of UCF fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.