Austin Community College

FY 2009 Degree Plan

The Associate of Applied Science Degree in Technical Communications is designed to give students skills and background essential for careers in technical communications. Coursework includes developing print and online materials, online helps, web sites, and graphics; working within the documentation process as writers, editors, reviewers, designers, and coordinators; exploring industry developments involving single sourcing, content management, and document control; using software applications most in demand by employers to develop portfolio-quality documents; and, most importantly, practicing clear succinct direct writing that is carefully adapted to its intended audience.

Semester I

	ENGL	1301		English Composition I	3
				Oral Communication1	3
				Office Administration Elective2 OR	3-4
				Computer Elective3
				Visual Design Elective4	3-4
				Mathematics Elective1	3
				Humanities Elective1	3
					------- 18-20

Semester II

+	ENGL	2311		Technical and Business Writing	3
+	ETWR	1374		Graphics for Business, Government and Technical Information	3
				Computer Elective3	3-4
				Visual Design Elective4	3-4
				Social & Behavioral Science Elective1	3
					------- 15-17

Semester III

+	ETWR	2472		Book-Length Documents with Adobe Frame Maker OR	4
+	ETWR	2476		Book-Length Documents with MS Word
+	ETWR	2473		XHTML and CSS for Information Specialists	4
+	ETWR	1377		Indexing and Document Control OR	3
+	ETWR	2374		Online Helps and Help-Authoring Tools
				Visual Design Elective4	3-4
					------- 14-15

Semester IV

+	ETWR	2478		XML and Structured Authoring for Information Specialists OR	4
+	ETWR	2477		Documentation Process and Content Management
+	ETWR	2379		Editing Government, Business and Technical Information	3
				Business & Technical Communications Elective5	3-4
				Computer Elective3 OR	3-4
				Visual Design Elective4
#				Capstone Portfolio Examination6
					------- 13-15
				TOTALS	------- 60-67

¹ Select from the appropriate section of the General Education Course List.
² Students lacking computer skills should take COSC 1300, COSC 1301 or BCIS 1305; students without experience with Microsoft Word should take POFT 1329.
³ Students are encouraged to take related sequences of courses focusing on computer networks, databases, operating systems, or programming from the Computer Information Technology and the Computer Science departments.
⁴ Students are encouraged to take related sequences of courses focusing on web design, graphics, automated drafting, and multimedia from the Visual Communications or Engineering Design Graphics departments.
⁵ Select from Business & Technical Communications courses.
⁶ Fourth semester capstone requirement - Portfolio Examination.

The Certificate in Technical Communications is designed to give students skills and background essential for careers in technical communications. Coursework in this certificate can be applied to the Associate of Applied Science degree in Technical Communications.

Semester I

	ENGL	1301		English Composition I	3
+	ETWR	1374		Graphics for Business, Government and Technical Information	3
				Office Administration Elective1 OR	3-4
				Computer Elective2
				Visual Design Elective3	3-4
					------- 12-14

Semester II

+	ENGL	2311		Technical and Business Writing	3
+	ETWR	2472		Book-Length Documents with Adobe Frame Maker OR	4
+	ETWR	2476		Book-Length Documents with MS Word
+	ETWR	2473		XHTML and CSS for Information Specialists	4
+	ETWR	2374		Online Helps and Help-Authoring Tools	3
				Business & Technical Communications Elective4	2-4
+	ETWR	2379		Editing Government, Business and Technical Information	3
#				Capstone Portfolio Examination5
					------- 19-21
				TOTALS	------- 31-35

¹ Students lacking computer skills should take COSC 1300, COSC 1301, or BCIS 1305; students with limited experience with Microsoft Word should take POFT 1329. Students with skills in these areas should take a Semester II course such as ENGL 2311 or ARTC 1402.
² Students are encouraged to take a course focusing on computer networks, databases, operating systems, or programming from Computer Information Technology or Computer Science departments.
³ Students are encouraged to take a course focusing on web design, graphics, automated drafting, and multimedia from Visual Communications or Engineering Design Graphics departments.
⁴ Please select from: ETWR 1377, ETWR 2478, or ETWR 2477.
⁵ Second semester capstone requirement - Portfolio Examination.

The Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business and Government Communications is designed for information specialists in business and government who write a lot in their work but who are not trained as writers and whose job titles do not include "writer." Coursework includes developing print, online, and graphic materials; writing grant and new-business proposals as well as effective business correspondence; handling statistical material both in text as well as in tables, charts, and graphs; using software applications common to the business and government work environments; and, most importantly, practicing clear succinct direct writing that is carefully adapted to its intended audience and that gets the job done.

Semester I

	ENGL	1301		English Composition I	3
+	ETWR	1373		Government and Business Correspondence	3
				Oral Communication1	3
+	ETWR	1372		Grammar/Style	3
				Office Administration Elective2 OR	3-4
				Computer Elective3 OR
				Visual Design Elective4
					------- 15-16

Semester II

				Business Studies Elective5	3
+	ETWR	1374		Graphics for Business, Government and Technical Information	3
+	ETWR	2476		Book-Length Documents with MS Word	4
				Computer Elective3 OR	3-4
				Visual Design Elective4
				Mathematics Elective1	3
					------- 16-17

Semester III

				Business Studies Elective5	3
+	ETWR	2375		Writing Statistics for Information Specialists	3
+	ETWR	1378		Administrative Policy Writing OR	3
+	ETWR	1376		Grant Proposals and Business Plans
				Humanities1	3
				Business & Technical Communications Elective6	3
					------- 15

Semester IV

				Business Studies Elective5	3
+	ETWR	2379		Editing Government, Business and Technical Information	3
				Social and Behavioral Science Elective1	3
				Business & Technical Communications Elective6	3
				Computer Elective3 OR	3-4
				Visual Design Elective4
#				Capstone Portfolio Examination7
					------- 15-16
				TOTALS	------- 61-64

¹ Select from the appropriate section of the General Education Course List.
² Students lacking computer skills should take COSC 1300, COSC 1301, or BCIS 1305; students with limited experience with Microsoft Word should take POFT 1329. Students with skills in these areas should take a Semester II course such as ENGL 2311 or ARTC 1402.
³ Students are encouraged to take related sequences of courses focusing on computer networks, databases, operating systems, or programming from the Computer Information Technology and the Computer Science departments.
⁴ Students are encouraged to take related sequences of courses focusing on web design, graphics, and multimedia from the Visual Communication or Engineering Design Graphics departments.
⁵ Students must select from Accounting, Business Administration, Financial Management, International Business, Management, or Marketing.
⁶ Select from Business & Technical Communications courses.
⁷ Fourth semester capstone requirement - Portfolio Examination

The Certificate in Business and Government Communications is designed for information specialists in business and government who write a lot in their work but who are not trained as writers and whose job titles do not include "writer." Coursework in this certificate program can be applied to the Associate of Applied Science degree in Business and Government Communications.

Semester I

	ENGL	1301		English Composition I	3
+	ETWR	1373		Government and Business Correspondence	3
+	ETWR	1372		Grammar/Style	3
				Office Administration Elective1 OR	3-4
				Computer Elective2 OR
				Visual Design Elective3
				Business Studies Elective4	3
					------- 15-16

Semester II

				Business Studies Elective4	3
+	ETWR	1374		Graphics for Business, Government and Technical Information OR	3
+	ETWR	2375		Writing Statistics for Information Specialists
+	ETWR	2476		Book-Length Documents with MS Word	4
+	ETWR	1378		Administrative Policy Writing OR	3
+	ETWR	1376		Grant Proposals and Business Plans
				Business & Technical Communications Elective5	3-4
+	ETWR	2379		Editing Government, Business and Technical Information	3
#				Capstone Portfolio Examination6
					------- 19-20
				TOTALS	------- 34-36

¹ Students lacking computer skills should take COSC 1301 or BCIS 1305; students without experience with Microsoft Word should take POFT 1329.
² Students are encouraged to take a course focusing on computer networks, databases, operating systems, or programming from the Computer Information Technology or Computer Science departments.
³ Students are encouraged to take a course focusing on web design, graphics, and multimedia from the Visual Communications or Engineering Design Graphics departments.
⁴ Students must select from Accounting, Business Administration, Financial Management, International Business, Management or Marketing.
⁵ Select from Business and Technical Communications courses.
⁶ Second semester capstone requirement - Portfolio Examination.