Overview

All Technical Writing & Communication (TWC) majors must satisfy the H&SS requirements for the B.S. degree, and a set of 3 to 4 prerequisite courses in calculus, statistics, and computer science. All prerequisites should be completed by the beginning of the fall semester, junior year. Prerequisites may double count toward H&SS Requirements or requirements for other majors or minors.

Prerequisites

Mathematics Prerequisite (1 course)

Complete one of the following:

Statistics Prerequisite (1 course)

Computer Science Prerequisite (2 courses)

Complete two of the following courses:

* 15-110 is a prerequisite for 15-121. Students who qualify to enroll in 15-121 on the basis of prior experience or who have taken 15-121 as part of their requirements for another degree can satisfy the computer science prerequisites for TWC with 15-121 alone.

Additional Advice on Choosing Computer Science Courses for TWC:

15-101, 15-102, and 15-110 are all designed for novices with no prior programming experience and are appropriate for students in both the Scientific and Medical Communication (SMC) and Technical Communication (TC) tracks. 15-121 is most necessary and recommended for students in the TC track with interests in going into technical writing in the software industry.

Beyond these prerequisites, students in both TC and SMC tracks take a common set of 5 TWC Core Requirements in writing, communication, and information design. To complement these foundations courses, TWC students take a set of 3 Theory/Specialization courses specific to either TC or SMC. In addition, students in the SMC track take a series of 3 courses in the natural sciences or engineering relevant to their areas of interest, while TC students take 3 electives in management, technology, and social issues.