Technical Communication (TCO)
TCO 101 Careers in Technical Communication (A, SP)
2 credits
In this course, students are required to interview with Technical Communication professionals, research the field of Technical Communication, and deliver an oral presentation of the findings. Discussions of career goals, including the preparation of an initial resume and employment data file will also be required. The requirements of this course must be met within the first two quarters of entering the Technical Communication degree program.
Lecture: 1 hours – Lab: 2 hours
Lab fee: $20.00
TCO 102 Tools and Techniques for Technical Communicators (W, SU)
3 credits
This course will introduce students to the software tools and basic techniques required of entry-level technical communicators. Students will learn about the various hardware and software tools technical communicators use on a daily basis. Lectures on general principles will be followed by exercises selected to simulate employer expectations. Mastery of techniques needed to complete daily technical communication tasks will be emphasized.
Lecture: 2 hours – Lab: 3 hours
Prerequisite: CIT 101, TCO 101 or corequisite enrollment
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 203 Introduction to Technical Communication (W, SU)
In this course, students learn the project documentation cycle used by technical communicators in business, industry and government by selecting an authentic problem-solving project from their technical cognate fields, and writing and formatting a series of reports in support of that project. Students learn the principles of modern technical communication and time/project management and practice them individually and in small groups throughout the documentation cycle.
Lecture: 2 hour – Lab: 3 hours
Prerequisite: CIT 101 and ENGL 102 (grade of "C" or higher)
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 204 Introduction to Technical Editing (A, SP) 3 credits
In this course, students will practice editorial skills needed for revising scientific/technical writing by checking grammar, sentence structure, clarity, and style in personal, peer, and professional writings. Students will practice hard copy and online editing and proofreading and analyze editorial style books and other technical resource materials. Various editorial approaches and the editor/author relationship will be covered.
Lecture: 2 hour – Lab: 3 hours
Prerequisite: ENGL 102 (grade "C" or higher) and OADM 101
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 214 Document Design and Delivery Methods (W, SU) 3 credits
This course will introduce students to learning theory as applied to the design and delivery of technical documents. It will integrate current technical communication theory in document design and delivery with the capabilities of various software packages and delivery methods. Students will develop skills in applying design theory to technical documents and in selecting appropriate delivery methods for technical documents Lecture: 2 hours – Lab: 3 hours
Prerequisite: TCO 203
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 215 Online Documentation (A, SP) 3 credits
This course introduces students to all aspects of creating online documentation. Students will learn about the five phases involved in creating online documentation: planning the online documentation, designing and/or modifying information for online presentation, testing it, and redesigning online documentation. TCO 215 students will develop actual online documentation for a software package.
Lecture: 2 hours – Lab: 3 hours
Prerequisite: TCO 203 and TCO 214
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 221 Proposal Development (A) 3 credits
Students will learn how to develop proposals which offer to solve problems for a reader or groups of readers by providing specified services at a specified cost. The units involved in the learning process will include understanding the bidding process, defining the request for a proposal, planning and developing a proposal document, and practicing the methods of formatting, writing, editing and presenting a formal business proposal.
Lecture: 2 hours – Lab: 3 hours
Prerequisite: TCO 203
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 222 Developing Software Documentation (W) 3 credits
In this course, students are prepared as software documentation specialists to work with software users and developers. Students will prepare software documentation, conduct document usability testing, and perform documentation development tasks, such as preparing user specifications, task lists, style guides, project schedules, instruction sets, and problem reports, as well as conducting interviews, reviews, and walkthroughs. Lecture: 2 hours – Lab:3 hours
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 223 Advanced Technical Communication (W, SU) 3 credits
In this course, students focus on current research and theory in scientific and technical writing and apply that research to practical situations. Students produce a proposal for funding, a full-length, portfolio-quality manual or report, and various other writing assignments. They also lead class discussions on topics such as readability theory, writing style, documentation methods, text processing, manual formatting, and integrating graphics and text.
Lecture: 2 hours – Lab:3 hours
Prerequisite: TCO 203
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 224 Advanced Technical Editing (A, SP) 3 credits
In this course, students are prepared as editors to work with other publications specialists. Students will edit manuscripts, prepare style books or manuals, and perform special editorial tasks such as preparing abstracts, indexes, and bibliographies with line-by-line precision and accuracy.
Lecture: 2 hours – Lab: 3 hours
Prerequisite: TCO 203 and TCO 204
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 230 Technical Presentations (W, SP) 3 credits
In this course, students learn to prepare and present various types of information ranging from press releases, annual reports, and statistical analyses to proposals for projects, systematic evaluations, and revisions of existing documents. Various types of audiences will be targeted, and students will be required to use computer graphics, hypermedia, desktop publishing, and multimedia approaches to supplement oral presentations. Lecture: 2 hours – Lab: 3 Hours
Prerequisite: TCO 223
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 235 Instructional Design (A, SP) 3 credits
Students will study the phases of an Instructional Design Project. They will conduct a needs assessment and define the skill and knowledge requirement of a job assignment. They will learn the typical training development cycle.
Lecture 1 hour – Lab: 3 Hours
Prerequisite: TCO 230 or current enrollment
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 236 Computer Based Training (W, SU) 3 credits
Students will study instructional design as it applies to developing Computer-Based Training (CBT) modules. They will learn about the typical CBT development cycle and will design CBT screens, incorporating multimedia effects and maximum interactivity.
Lecture 2 hours – Lab: 3 Hours
Prerequisite: TCO 235
Lab fee: $8.00
TCO 237 Digital Video Production for the Workplace (A) 3 credits
TCO 237 is an introduction to basic and advanced techniques for creating and using digital video in the workplace. During the course, students will storyboard and write scripts, shoot and acquire clips, edit electronically, work collaboratively, and present video segments appropriate for a workplace environment. Students will critique examples and work on individual and group projects to produce a final product. This course is intended for Technical Communication students.
Lecture 2 hours – Lab: 3 Hours
Prerequisite: TCO 235
Lab fee: $20.00
TCO 245 HTML-Based Online Documentation (W, SU) 5 credits
This course introduces students to all aspects of creating HTML-based online documentation without the use of an HTML authoring tool. Students will learn about the various phases of creating HTML-based online documentation: planning, designing, organizing, developing, publishing, testing and redesigning.
Lecture 5 hours – Lab: 0 Hours
Prerequisite: TCO 214
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 250 Capstone in Technical Communication (A, W, SP, SU) 3 credits
In this course, students will be required to demonstrate both the overall competency and quality workmanship expected of professionals in the technical communication field. Students will work individually and in collaboration to solve problems of technical writing, editing, and presentations, and on the study and implementation of projects normally assigned to entry-level technical communicators. TCO 250 can be taken only during the final quarter prior to graduation.
Lecture 2 hours – Lab: 3 Hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 260 Career Development (A, SP) 1 credits
In this course, students prepare a professional portfolio, including a resume developed from the student’s previous academic work experience. Students are required to review their portfolios informally and through formal oral presentations. Students will learn how to carry out company research and apply that research to targeted resumes, letters of application and interview situations. This course must be completed within the final four quarters of the student’s program.
Lecture 1 hours – Lab: 0 Hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 290 Industry Internship (A, W, SP, SU) 1-4 credits
In this course, students are engaged in work specifically related to the technical communication field as employees in business or industry. Students are responsible for arranging the internship and must submit a written proposal to the Technical Communication Program Coordinator for approval no later than two quarters prior to becoming an intern. During the internship, the student must keep a written record of job responsibilities and projects. A formal written report must be accompanied by a written evaluation of the student’s performance by his/her supervisor. One credit hour is equal to one hundred (100) clock hours on the job. The four credits may be spread over more than one quarter.
Prerequisite: TCO 101, TCO 203, TCO 204, permission from the TCO Program Coordinator, and a GPA of "B" or higher in TCO courses
Lab fee: $5.00
TCO 297/298/299 Special Topics in Technical Communication (On Demand) 1-5 credits
Students explore special topics in technical communication designed to meet specific needs. Prerequisite: TCO 101, TCO 203, TCO 204, permission from the TCO Program Coordinator, and a GPA of "B" or higher in TCO courses
Lecture: 5 hours - Lab: 0 hours
Lab fee: $5.00
| 
