Carnegie Mellon University

Technical Writing (TW) - Additional Major

If students wish to declare an additional major (sometimes called a double major) in Technical Writing, they must first choose a track: Science and Medical Communication or Technical Communication.

Science and Medical Communication Track

The Scientific and Medical Communication track (SMC) is designed for students who seek to develop skills that focus on communication and information design problems in health, science, and medicine. It should appeal to those students who have interests in the health care professions, science and public policy, patient education, scientific journalism or related fields. The SMC track is designed to provide both the technical and the communication skills needed to analyze and solve complex communication problems. Students will learn the fundamentals of visual, verbal, and on-line communication as well as the technical skills needed to design, communicate, and evaluate complex information systems and to manage the interdisciplinary teams needed to develop them. Students will also become fluent in both print-based and electronic media across a variety of information genres and learn to design information for a range of specialist and non-expert audiences.

Curriculum: 15 courses, 137 units minimum

Prerequisite Requirements (3 courses, 29 units):

Mathematics Prerequisite
One of the following

21-111 Calculus I
21-112 Calculus II
21-120 Differential & Integral Calculus
21-127 Concepts of Mathematics

Statistics Prerequisite

36-200 Reasoning with Data

Computer Science Prerequisite

15-110 Principles of Computing

Departmental INTRODUCTORY GENRE WRITING Requirement (1 course, 9 units):

76-260 Introduction to Writing Fiction
76-261 Introduction to Writing Creative Nonficiton
76-265 Introduction to Writing Poetry
76-269 Introduction to Screenwriting

TWC Core Requirements (5 courses, 45 units):

76-271 Introduction to Professional & Technical Writing
76-300 Professional Seminar
76-390 Style
76-391 Document & Information Design
76-487 Web Design

Science & Medical Communication Track Courses (6 courses, 54 units minimum):

Theory/Specialization Courses

  • Recommended Course - 1 required
    Courses include but are not limited to:

76-319   Environmental Rhetoric
76-359   User Experience Methods for Documents                       
76-395   Science Writing 
76-425   Science in the Public Sphere         
76-474   Software Documentation            
76-476   Rhetoric of Science         
76-481   Introduction to Multimedia Design   
76-494   Healthcare Communications

  • Additional Options Course - 2 required
    Courses include but are not limited to:

76-318   Communicating in the Global Marketplace          
76-319   Environmental Rhetoric
76-325   Intertextuality            
76-351   Rhetorical Invention      
76-355   Leadership, Dialogue, and Change           
76-359   User Experience Methods for Documents            
76-360   Literary Journalism Workshop         
76-372   News Writing            
76-378   Literacy: Educational Theory and Community Practice     
76-389   Rhetorical Grammar                
76-395   Science Writing
76-396   Non-Profit Message Creation     
76-420   The Cognition of Reading and Writing: Introduction to a Social/Cognitive Process              
76-425   Science in the Public Sphere      
76-474   Software Documentation            
76-475   Law, Performance, and Identity
76-476   Rhetoric of Science         
76-481   Introduction to Multimedia Design          
76-484   Discourse Analysis                   
39-605   Engineering Design Projects

Natural Science and Engineering Electives
Complete 3 advisor-approved courses that contribute to your chosen focus. The courses may be all in one area, such as biology, or spread across areas. Additional options include advanced courses in any of these areas as well as basic and advanced classes in statistics, or engineering. Consult your Department of English advisor on the appropriateness of specific courses for your interests. Courses in this category may double count for both the TW/SMC degree and a major or minor in another department.

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Technical Communication Track

The Technical Communication track (TC) helps students develop skills that are indespensable in the rapidly changing areas of software and digital media. Students will learn the fundamentals of visual, verbal, and on-line communication as well as the technical skills needed to design, communicate, and evaluate complex communication systems and to manage the interdisciplinary teams needed to develop them. Majors will become fluent in both print-based and electronic media across a variety of information genres and learn to design information for a range of specialist and non-expert audiences. Graduates of this track are likely to follow in the footsteps of previous TW students from Carnegie Mellon who are currently employed as web designers, information specialists, technical writers, and information consultants in a range of technology and communication-based organizations including Salesforce, IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, Apple, and HP Vertica.

Curriculum:

Prerequisite Requirements (4 courses, 41 units):

Mathematics Prerequisite
One of the following

21-111 Calculus I
21-112 Calculus II
21-120 Differential & Integral Calculus
21-127 Concepts of Mathematics

Statistics Prerequisite

36-200 Reasoning with Data

Computer Science Prerequisites

15-110 Principles of Computing
15-112 Fundamentals of Programming & Computer Science

Departmental INTRODUCTORY GENRE WRITING Requirement (1 course, 9 units):

76-260 Introduction to Writing Fiction
76-261 Introduction to Writing Creative Nonficiton
76-265 Introduction to Writing Poetry
76-269 Introduction to Screenwriting


TWC Core Requirements (5 courses, 45 units):

76-271 Introduction to Professional & Technical Writing
76-300 Professional Seminar
76-390 Style
76-391 Document & Information Design
76-487 Web Design

TEchnical Communication Track Courses (6 courses, 54 units minimum):

Theory/Specialization Courses

  • Recommended Course - 1 required
    Courses include but are not limited to:

76-319   Environmental Rhetoric
76-359   User Experience Methods for Documents                   
76-395   Science Writing
76-425   Science in the Public Sphere      
76-474   Software Documentation            
76-476   Rhetoric of Science         
76-481   Introduction to Multimedia Design      
76-494   Healthcare Communications

  • Additional Options Course - 2 required
    Courses include but are not limited to:

76-318   Communicating in the Global Marketplace          
76-319   Environmental Rhetoric
76-325   Intertextuality             
76-351   Rhetorical Invention      
76-355   Leadership, Dialogue, and Change           
76-359   User Experience Methods for Documents            
76-360   Literary Journalism Workshop          
76-372   News Writing             
76-378   Literacy: Educational Theory and Community Practice        
76-389   Rhetorical Grammar                
76-395   Science Writing
76-396   Non-Profit Message Creation   
76-420   The Cognition of Reading and Writing: Introduction to a Social/Cognitive Process              
76-425   Science in the Public Sphere        
76-472   Topics in Journalism: Storytelling in a Digital Age
76-474   Software Documentation            
76-475   Law, Performance, and Identity
76-476   Rhetoric of Science         
76-481   Introduction to Multimedia Design          
76-484   Discourse Analysis                   
39-605   Engineering Design Projects

Technical Communication Electives
Three advisor-approved courses in management, technology, and social issues that contribute to your focus.

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