Bachelor of Science in Communication: Professional and Technical Communication (PTC)
Students earning the communication degree specialize in one of four areas: general communication, professional and technical communication (PTC), journalism of science (JS), or journalism of technology and business (JTB). All COM majors take coursework in editing, persuasion, communication law and ethics, and science and technology in society. PTC specialists add courses in document design, graphic and/or web design, linguistics, art and architectural history, and more. Journalism specialists add courses in journalism, mass media, and intercultural communication; JS specialists add courses in math and science, science writing, and philosophy of science, while JTB specialists take courses in economics, business, information technology, writing about technology, and history of technology.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Communication Requirements | (9) | |
| COM 371 | Persuasion | 3 |
| COM 377 | Communication Law and Ethics | 3 |
| COM 425 | Editing | 3 |
| Portfolio | ||
| Professional and Technical Communication Requirements | (9) | |
| COM 421 | Technical Communication | 3 |
| COM 424 | Document Design | 3 |
| COM 428 | Verbal and Visual Communication | 3 |
| Sequences | (18) | |
| Select one of the following graphics sequences: | 9 | |
| WebCom | 9 | |
WebCom Sequence Option 1: | ||
| Standards-Based Web Design | 3 | |
| Web Application Development | 3 | |
| App Programming Interfaces | 3 | |
WebCom Sequence Option 2: | ||
| Fundamentals of Web Development | 3 | |
| Human-Computer Interaction and Web Design | 3 | |
| Web Site Application Development | 3 | |
or ITMD 465 | Rich Internet Applications | |
| Engineering Graphics | ||
| Engineering Graphics for Non-Engineers | 3 | |
| Advanced Engineering Graphics for Non-Engineers | 3 | |
| Computer Graphics for Non-Engineers | 3 | |
| Science and Technology in Society (STS) Elective | (6) | |
| Select 6 credit hours | 6 | |
| Professional and Technical Communication (PTC) Electives | (9) | |
| Select 9 credit hours | 9 | |
| PTC/STS Elective | (3) | |
| Select 3 credit hours | 3 | |
| Art and Architectural History (AAH) Elective | (3) | |
| Select 3 credit hours | 3 | |
| Linguistics Elective | (3) | |
| Select 3 credit hours | 3 | |
| Mathematics Requirements | (5) | |
| See IIT Core Curriculum, section D | 5 | |
| Natural Science and Engineering Requirements | (11) | |
| See IIT Core Curriculum, section D | 11 | |
| Computer Science Requirements | (2) | |
| See IIT Core Curriculum, section D | 2 | |
| Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements | (21) | |
| See IIT Core Curriculum, sections B and C | 21 | |
| Introduction to the Profession | (3) | |
| Select 3 credit hours | 3 | |
| Interprofessional Projects (IPRO) | (6) | |
| See IIT Core Curriculum, section E | 6 | |
| Minor Electives | (15) | |
| Recommended minors include: Business, Entrepreneurship, Psychology, Sociology. | 15 | |
| Free Electives | (12) | |
| Select 12 credit hours | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 135 | |
Bachelor of Science in Communication: Professional and Technical Communication (PTC) Curriculum
| Year 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Credit Hours | Semester 2 | Credit Hours |
| Introduction to the Profession | 3 | CS 105 or 110 | 2 |
| MATH 130 | 3 | BIOL 114 & BIOL 117 | 4 |
| BIOL 105 & BIOL 109 | 4 | Linguistics Elective | 3 |
| Humanities 200-level Course | 3 | Humanities Elective (300+) | 3 |
| Social Sciences Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Year 2 | |||
| Semester 1 | Credit Hours | Semester 2 | Credit Hours |
| COM 377 | 3 | COM 371 | 3 |
| COM 421 | 3 | Minor Elective | 3 |
| COM 424 | 3 | STS Elective | 3 |
| PHYS 211 or CHEM 122 | 3 | Humanities Elective (300+) | 3 |
| AAH Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Social Sciences Elective | 3 | ||
| 18 | 15 | ||
| Year 3 | |||
| Semester 1 | Credit Hours | Semester 2 | Credit Hours |
| WebCom Course I | 3 | COM 425 | 3 |
| IPRO Elective I | 3 | MATH 425 | 3 |
| Humanities or Social Sciences Elective | 3 | WebCom Course II | 3 |
| Minor Elective | 3 | PTC Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Minor Elective | 3 |
| Social Sciences Elective (300+) | 3 | ||
| 18 | 15 | ||
| Year 4 | |||
| Semester 1 | Credit Hours | Semester 2 | Credit Hours |
| WebCom Course III | 3 | COM 428 | 3 |
| STS Elective | 3 | Minor Elective | 3 |
| IPRO Elective II | 3 | PTC Elective | 3 |
| Minor Elective | 3 | STS/PTC Elective | 3 |
| PTC Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credit Hours: 127 | |||
