Graduate Certificate in Technical and Scientific Communication
Why choose this program
- As a graduate student or professional, participate in a truly interdisciplinary program. Improve your written and visual communication skills while working towards theses, dissertations, publications, posters, and similar key genres.
- With a strong foundation in discursive theory—the study of how language shapes meaning—and cultural analysis, you will gain critical tools for teaching technical and scientific writing and for working effectively in interdisciplinary workplaces.
- You will build and practice skills in designing effective communication for a variety of everyday workplace deliverables while deepening you understanding of accessibility, effectiveness, and usability of such deliverables.
About the program
Technical and scientific communication is complex and multi-faceted, requiring a combination of expertise in subject-matters and in human elements of communication. This certificate provides opportunities for graduate students to learn and critically analyze the norms, practices, and cultural elements of technical, including scientific, information. Students will learn about producing well-designed and contextualized technical and scientific content for a variety of specialist and public audiences. The certificate teaches theories and principles of rhetorical analysis, document design, data visualization, and collaborative writing processes, along with interdisciplinary communication.
While the certificate focuses on norms, principles, and analysis, some of the specific genres students might encounter are technical reports, proposals, scientific manuscripts, instructional texts, and public-facing documents like feature stories, fact sheets, and web content. It includes instruction on the life cycle of scientific publications and usability of technical communication products, with an aim of preparing students to teach technical writing, to succeed in academic writing, and to improve workplace writing across diverse industries in nonprofit, governmental, and commercial sectors.
Campuses:
Virginia Tech Blacksburg Campus, the greater Washington, D.C area, or online.
Type of Instruction:
This certificate can be completed fully online. Some classes will be offered in-person in person with hybrid options for distance learners to participate.
What you'll study
Curriculum
This 12-credit program consists of two core and two elective courses, providing you with a foundation in techical and scientific communication.
Required Courses
Foundational concepts in technical and scientific communication, including defining key terms, design thinking, and user experience principles. Theories of audience analysis and exploration of various genres such as reports, proposals, web sites, graphics, and instructional texts. Emphasis placed on multimodal (print, video, digital) communication strategies, web content design principles, and information design. Iterative design thinking processes, usability methodologies, and field testing to tailor content to varied audiences. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
Critical analysis and synthesis of scientific research. Ethical data visualization, structuring of clear and coherent abstracts, articles, and conference presentations, and collaborative writing that integrates diverse perspectives. Life cycle of scientific publications, including drafting, submission, peer review, and revision processes. Evaluation of science writing's societal impact, namely in citizen science and the circulation of knowledge. Multimodal design of accessible public-facing materials to convey complex scientific research information to diverse audiences. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
Elective Courses
Specialized studies in writing and communication with application to Rhetoric and Writing, Scientific and Technical Communication, and English Studies. May focus on theories, histories, pedagogies, practices, or sites of practice for writing and communication. May be repeated up to 2 times for a total of 9 credit hours when the topic varies. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
Introduction to the medical humanities. Literary inquiry as narrative medicine, medicine and literature, literary bioethics, medical rhetoric, and cultural studies of medicine.
Examination of the theories, research, and practices of visual rhetoric and document design. Emphasis on ways in which images and other visual methods of communication influence audiences. Prerequisite: Graduate standing required.
Key theories, methods, strategies, genres, and modes of written and multimedia technical communication and information design. Intellectual history of the field and its relation to contributing disciplines. Economic, political, cultural, and ethical contexts of technical communication. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing.
Admissions and Tuition
Admissions Requirements
- Minimum GPA 3.0 (4 Scale)
- Degree-seeking students complete a Graduate Certificate Application
- Submit a Graduate School Application for Admission and a Graduate Certificate Application
- Submit official undergraduate transcripts demonstrating bachelor’s degree conferral
- Possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or better
International applicants
- TOEFL (90+ iBT) or IELTS (6.5+) scores required (if applicable).
- TOEFL scores of 20 or greater in Listening, Writing, Speaking, and Reading subsections.
Application Deadline
- Fall: Aug 1
- Spring: Jan 1
- No summer semester admissions.
For International applicants:
- Fall: April 1
- Spring: Oct 1
- No summer semester admissions.
Tuition
- Degree-seeking students: No additional costs beyond regular tuition beyond the certificate $25 application fee.
- Non-degree seeking in-state students: Approximately $10,594 total program cost
- Non-degree seeking out-of-state students: Approximately $21,510 total program cost
Contact Us
If you have questions about the M.F.A. Program, please contact:
Marie Trimmer
Graduate Programs Coodinator
310 Shanks Hall
540-231-4659
mtrimmer@vt.edu
Carolyn Commer
Director of Graduate Studies and Ph.D. Program Director
419 Shanks Hall
ccommer@vt.edu