By: Allison Fisk | March 27, 2021
A Master of Science in Technical Communication (MSTC) qualifies you for a treasure trove of career paths – from science journalism to usability design. Read on and find out what it takes to be an MSTC student, and what the program has to offer.
The Application Process
The best way to get information about any program that you want to apply to is to look it up on your favorite search engine and find the official departmental site.
Here is the link to the MSTC program’s site, which has a link where you can apply, other helpful links, and a brief overview of the program. If you select “Admission Info” it’ll run you through what applying entails. Reach out to the faculty as well, they are a great resource.
Graduate Teaching Assistantships
Graduate Teaching Assistantships are a great idea for any program. There are a number of undergraduate classes you will get to teach and you will receive a fixed stipend, paid tuition, and health insurance to do so. You also get to add this experience to your resume. If you are interested, you can contact the faculty for more information.
The deadline for applying to the MSTC teaching assistantship program is February 1st, so if you plan on applying for this year, you won’t be able to apply for the assistantship. However, any applicants interested in applying in the next cycle should consider this opportunity. According to the information page, about 1 in 3 applicants will be granted a teaching assistantship, so all applicants should consider it. In order to stay in the program, you will need to maintain a 3.0 grade point average.
For more information, visit the NCSU Department of English Graduate Teaching Assistantship page.
Degree Requirements
The MSTC program requires you to take 33 credit hours, 15 of which will be required core courses, 9 or 12 application courses, and 6 or 9 theories and methods courses. There is also a professional work experience requirement. These details and a graduation timeline are found at the bottom of this page. There are plenty of wonderful and interesting classes to choose from. The MSTC program has students from many different backgrounds and there are classes for everyone.
Required Courses, Electives, and Clusters
The descriptions for required courses are listed here. There are options science writing, technical writing, research, linguistics, and much more. Looking at these courses before starting the program is essential for timely completion, academic success, focusing your interests, and getting the most out of your MSTC degree. There are more options for courses listed under the electives list. The list is arranged by cluster. By looking at the cluster options it’s possible to specialize in your field of interest. (Side note: you are not required to complete a cluster, and you don’t receive any kind of certification for it, it’s simply there as a suggestion for classes that will help you develop skills for a particular interest.) The ENG 522, Writing in Nonacademic Settings, class is available that will help you with this process of searching for an internship as well.
For example, if your interests are related to usability or website design, the Web Site Design and Development cluster would have courses to help you along that path. Science communicators may be interested in the Environmental Communication or Health/Medical Communication clusters. Project managers may be interested in the Training and Development cluster. Those interested in information architecture might want to look into the Organizational Information Systems cluster. Under the clusters, there is a full list of approved elective courses. Prior to registration, those electives are also sent out via email. You can also speak to your advisor for help choosing electives.
Now is a good time to explore your interests, but if you already have an idea of what you want to do, going through the clusters list will help you better choose courses that are interesting to you.
Some Things to Consider
Listed in the graduation requirements for the MSTC degree program are an internship or job experience and the capstone project. The directions you can go with an MSTC degree are as numerous as the internships available. Students receive regular emails with job and internship openings related to the field since the program curates relationships with industry, which makes the process a bit easier. The capstone is at the end of the program and is a great way to start thinking about your professional portfolio.
MSTC is a fantastic opportunity to try new things and push yourself to flexibly move through several fields all while learning technical communication! Don’t forget to stop and consider your end goals and desired direction. There are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of if you a part of this degree program. The MSTC faculty with specialties, ranging from science communication to usability, and peer mentoring programs such as the IBM-NCSU pathfinder program. I am a part of this particular program and it’s great for both networking and having someone to talk to about your career goals. I’ve found it to be an invaluable experience. The program also has alumni that work at places like Epic games, IBM, and Red Hat.
If you choose to apply for the MSTC program and are accepted- congratulations! You will automatically become a part of the Technical Communication Association (TCA). The TCA curates this blog post, hosts SpeedCon, and engages with MSTC students throughout the program. SpeedCon is a conference that includes short SpeedTalks and longer Workshops from professors and professionals in the field. SpeedCon is a great opportunity for networking, learning more about what you can do with an MSTC degree, and creates more opportunities for learning. Running for a TCA office not only looks great on your resume and gives you experience in the field, but it’s also a great way to interact with your cohort. If you’re currently part of the program, consider applying to the TCA board for experience and a way to connect with your program.
Good luck with your application and future endeavors.