Description of the Undergraduate WRTC Programs
The study of writing, rhetoric and technical communication includes two concentrations in the undergraduate major: Technical and Scientific Communication and Writing and Rhetoric. The WRTC major emphasizes scholarly, humanistic and social scientific perspectives on the function and application of communication technologies, with instruction in areas such as: literacy studies, rhetorical traditions, writing pedagogy, editing, web theory and design, publications management, knowledge management, organizational and managerial communication, and writing for professional communities such as government, medical and scientific. In addition to offering students the rhetorical tools with which to excel as professional communicators, the B.A. and B.S. programs also prepare graduates for academic studies in Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication at the master's level.
The B.A. and B.S. programs in WRTC are interdisciplinary and encourage students to take courses in a variety of fields. Many program electives are offered in academic units outside the institute, such as communication studies, computer information systems, computer science, integrated science and technology, and media arts and design.
Description of the Graduate WRTC Programs
Through a blend of course offerings and internship programs, the Master of Arts and Master of Science programs in technical and scientific communication seek to provide students with communication skills and training that will enable them to build productive careers in industry or academia. They also introduce students to the most current communication technologies used to produce documents of professional quality not only during their studies at James Madison University but also throughout their careers. Finally, students learn the kinds of communication, analytical and reasoning skills that will allow them to become leaders in their fields.
The specific goals of the Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees are to help students to
- define what effective communication means in writing, rhetoric and technical communication environments.
- enhance their understanding of how and why communication works.
- learn how to identify and eliminate barriers to effective communication.
- improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their communication management.
- develop research skills.
- create for themselves a cognate area of study within the scientific or technical field in which they intend to work as professional technical communicators.
To achieve these goals, the programs combine work in theory, writing, text design, and analysis of communication systems and contexts to help students to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to begin careers in writing, rhetoric and technical communication. The programs emphasize scholarly, humanistic and social scientific perspectives on the function and application of writing, rhetoric and technical communication.
Consequently, the programs provide students with not only the knowledge and skills required for careers in industry, business or government but also the research skills and communication theory that will prepare them for doctoral study in communication and rhetoric. The long-range goal of the Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees, then, is to enable program graduates to grow as professionals and, ultimately, to contribute to the developing field of writing, rhetoric and technical communication.
Potential Careers
In the WRTC major students learn the kinds of research, analytical and reasoning skills that will allow them to become successful professionals in a wide range of fields. WRTC graduates can expect career opportunities in writing, editing or production positions with a variety of business, educational or industry employers, including the computer hardware and software industry, law firms, journalism, health care providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, education, engineering companies, publishing houses, environmental concerns, not-for-profit or political organizations, and technical translation groups of multinational corporations.
Goals
The goals of WRTC are to help students:
- Develop into accomplished writers and editors.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of communication based upon the principles of rhetoric.
- Develop proficiency in critical thinking, technological and analytical skills.
- Create for themselves an area of expertise applicable to work as professional communicators.
The School formed in 2008 through the merger of the Institute of Technical and Scientific Communication and the Department of Writing and Rhetoric Studies.