Technical Writing & Communication

Associate of Arts Course of Study
Recommended basic skills standards are
• ENG 060
• MAT 030
• REA 090

Technical Writing is the integration of creativity, technology, and problem solving. The Technical Writing program offers a certificate and an AA degree. The certificate is designed for individuals with a bachelor degree, individuals who may already be in the Technical Writing field and need additional job-specific training, or individuals interested in making a career change. The degree is appropriate for individuals who are interested in entering the field of Technical Writing and/or positions that require a substantial amount of writing, and/or transferring the Technical Writing degree to a four-year university. Technical writers play a vital role in the development and dissemination of information in many organizations. Technical writers employ a talent for devising novel solutions to complex problems and an aptitude for computer technology and written and verbal communication. Some of the many titles that technical writers hold are documentation specialist, content developer, research associate, and editor. Technical writers help make information comprehensible.

Please contact 502-3278 to learn more about the education, tools, and training available at PPCC for career development in the Technical Writing field.

I. Communication
Nine (9) credit hours
GT-CO1: ENG 121
GT-CO2: ENG 122
COM 115 or COM 125

II. Art and Humanities
Nine (9) credit hours
Select three (3) courses, with no more than two (2) courses from any one (1) of the following categories:
GT-AH1: ART 110, ART 111, ART 112, ART 207, MUS 120, MUS 121, MUS 122, THE 105, THE 211, THE 212
GT-AH2: HUM 121, HUM 122, HUM 123, LIT 115, LIT 201, LIT 202, LIT 205, LIT 211, LIT 212, LIT 221, LIT 222, LIT 225
GT-AH3: PHI 111, PHI 112, PHI 113, PHI 114, PHI 214
GT-AH4: FRE 211, FRE 212, GER 211, GER 212, JPN 211, JPN 212, RUS 211, RUS 212, SPA 211, SPA 212

Category 1
 

ART 110  Art Appreciation: AH1    3
ART 111  Art History I: AH1    3
ART 112  Art History II: AH1    3

Category 2
 

HUM 121  Early Civilizations: AH2    3
HUM 122  From Medieval to Modern: AH2    3
HUM 123  The Modern World: AH2    3
LIT 115  Introduction to Literature: AH2    3
LIT 201  Masterpieces of Literature I: AH2    3
LIT 202  Masterpieces of Literature II: AH2    3

Category 3
 

PHI 111  Introduction to Philosophy: AH3    3
PHI 112  Ethics: AH3    3
PHI 113  Logic: AH3    3

III. Mathematics
Three (3) credit hours minimum (credit hours over three (3) will be applied to the electives category).
GT-MA1: MAT 120, MAT 121, MAT 122, MAT 123, MAT 125, MAT 135, MAT 155, MAT 156, MAT 166, MAT 201, MAT 202, MAT 203, MAT 215, MAT 255, MAT 265
*Students must take both MAT 155 and MAT 156 to satisfy this requirement.

Suggested Courses
 

MAT 125  Survey of Calculus: MA1    4

IV. Social and Behavioral Sciences
Nine (9) credit hours
Select 3 courses, at least 1 of which must be History, with no more than 2 courses from any 1 category.
GT-HI1: HIS 101, HIS 102, HIS 111, HIS 112, HIS 201, HIS 202, HIS 247
GT-SS1: ECO 201, ECO 202, POS 105, POS 111, POS 205, POS 225
GT-SS2: GEO 105, GEO 106
GT-SS3: ANT 101, ANT 107, ANT 111, ANT 215, ETH 200, PSY 101, PSY 102, PSY 205, PSY 217, PSY 226, PSY 227, PSY 235, PSY 238, PSY 249, SOC 101, SOC 102, SOC 205, SOC 215, SOC 216, SOC 231

Suggested Courses

Category 1
 

ECO 201  Principles of Macroeconomics: SS1    3
ECO 202  Principles of Microeconomics: SS1    3

Category 3
 

PSY 101  General Psychology I: SS3    3
PSY 102  General Psychology II: SS3    3
SOC 101  Introduction to Sociology I: SS3    3
SOC 102  Introduction to Sociology II: SS3    3

Category 4
 

HIS 101  History of Western Civilization I: HI1    3
HIS 102  History of Western Civilization II: HI1    3
HIS 201  United States (U.S.) History I: HI1    3
HIS 202  United States (U.S.) History II: HI1    3

V. Physical and Life Sciences
Eight (8) credit hours: select two (2) courses (credits over eight (8) will be applied to the electives category).
GT-SC1: AST 101, AST 102, BIO 105, BIO 111, BIO 112, BIO 201, BIO 202, BIO 204, CHE 101, CHE 102, CHE 105, CHE 111, CHE 112, GEY 111, GEY 121, MET 150, PHY 105, PHY 111, PHY 112, PHY 211, PHY 212, SCI 155, SCI 156
*Students must take both SCI 155 and SCI 156 to satisfy this requirement.

Suggested Courses
 

AST 101  Astronomy I: SC1    4
AST 102  Astronomy II: SC1    4
GEY 111  Physical Geology: SC1    4
GEY 121  Historical Geology: SC1    4

VI. Fine Arts/Communications
One to three (1-3) credit hours
Select one (1) to three (3) credit hours from approved list

Suggested Courses
 

COM 115  Public Speaking    3
COM 125  Interpersonal Communication    3
COM 217  Group Communication    3
COM 220  Intercultural Communication    3
COM 225  Organizational Communication    3
ENG 221  Creative Writing I   3
ENG 222  Creative Writing II    3
ENG 230  Creative Nonfiction    3
ENG 231  Literary Magazine    3
JOU 111  Principles of Advertising    3
JOU 215  Publications Production and Design    3

VII. Computer Communication
Three (3) credit hours
CSC 105 or CSC 120

VIII. Electives
Sixteen to eighteen (16-18) credit hours selected from the AA approved course list.
Choose 16-18 credits from the suggested courses below 

Suggested Courses
 

ENG 116  Designing Print Documentation    3
ENG 117  Grammar, Usage, & Style for the Professional Writer    3
ENG 118  Designing Online Documentation    3
ENG 131  Technical Writing I    3
ENG 132  Technical Writing II    3
ENG 205  Technical Editing   3
  Total Credit Hours  60