As part the work on their degree, students in the program complete a minimum of 60 approved semester credits beyond their Master's degree. Also, students must fulfill several requirements to continue through the program.

See Coursework for a list of approved courses, and Requirements for a detailed list of other program requirements.

Coursework

The following information gives the courses and requirements for the Theory and Practice of Technical Communication track in the English Department.

To view the General Course Catalog, click here.

1. Core Course (3 credits required)
   
   Engl 7410 (required as prerequisite for qualifying examination): Theory & Research in Professional Communication (3)

   Introduction to contemporary theories of written discourse; emphasis on the implications of these theories for research in professional communication.

   Research (12 credits minimum required; 15 credits recommended)
   
   Engl 7000(required): Advanced Research Methods in Professional Communication (3)

   Examines and compares methods for conducting research in professional communication.

   Engl 7420: Usability Studies & Human Factors in Professional Communication (3)

   Examines the concepts and practices of usability studies and human factors in the design and production of print and online documents. Emphasis is placed on developing objectives, criteria, and measures for conducting tests in the lab and field.

   Engl 7900 (required): Research Internship (6)

   Application of workplace field research theory and methods in an actual workplace setting.

   Educ 6570: Research Methods
   Educ 6770: Qualitative Methods I
   Hist 6000: Historical Methods and Research
   Soci 6100: Advanced Methods of Social Research

   
   

   Seminars (9 credits required; up to 18 credits allowed)
   
   Engl 7440: Advanced Seminar in Culture & Professional Communication (3) (Repeatable for up to 6 credits)

   Covers topics in rhetorical, critical, and cultural theory with an emphasis on their application to contemporary practices in social organizations.

   Engl 7480: Advanced Seminar in Technology & Writing (3) (Repeatable for up to 6 credits)

   Study of theoretical aspects of technologies affecting writing. Course topics may include an examination of the history of computing, rhetorics of hypertext, or theories of communication in virtual space.

   Engl 7890: Advanced Seminar in the Theory & Practice of Written Communication (3) (Repeatable for up to 6 credits)

   Seminars in various areas of communication theory and practice including current and historical topics, major figures, and theoretical perspectives.

   Pedagogy Courses (6 credits required; up to 9 credits allowed)
   
   English 6820: Practicum in Teaching English (3) (required for a Graduate Instructorship appointment)

   Introduction to teaching writing, designed specifically for graduate instructors teaching in the English Department writing program. Focuses on theory and practice of teaching writing.

   Engl 7800: Theory & Practice of Online Education in Writing (3)

   Examination of principles and their implementation in online writing instruction. Emphasis is placed on writing instruction within English departments.

   Engl 7860: Teaching Technical Writing (3)

   Prepares students to teach professional and technical writing courses at the undergraduate level.

   Electives (6 credits required; up to 15 credits allowed)
   
   Engl 7400: Advanced Editing (3)

   Examines complex roles editors assume in creating professional documents. Principal components include working with the substance of documents, mediating the writer-reader relationship, and exemplifying the application of rhetorical theory in editing.

   Engl 7430: Publications Management (3)

   Covers processes for developing and producing publications, including information development cycles, supervision, and budgets.

   Engl 7450: Reading Theory & Document Design (3)

   Examines how reading theory interacts with the rhetoric of graphics, layout, and type to influence the way documents are designed.

   Engl 7460: Studies in Digital Media (3) (Repeatable for up to 6 credits)

   Focuses on the production of advanced digital media documents. During this course, students examine theories underlying such publications, plus related hardware and software.

   Engl 7470: Studies in Specialized Documents (3) (repeatable for up to 6 credits)

   Focuses on the writing and design of specific genres in professional communication. Genres include environmental impact statements, software documentation, proposals, manuals, annual reports, newsletters, and fact sheets.

   Engl 7830: Rhetorical Theory (3)

   Surveys major theories, theoreticians, and controversies in the field, developing an understanding of rhetoric as a study of relations between discourse, knowledge, and power.

   Engl 7850: Advanced English Theory & Methods (3)

   Focuses on theory and practice in teaching English. Explores various philosophical positions in the field and examines their practical implications.

   Engl 7920: Directed Study (1-6)

   Customized study or readings for graduate students on topics not covered in regular courses. Prerequisite: Approval of proposal written by student in consultation with instructor.

   Cognate Area (6 credits required; up to 18 credits allowed)
   
   To support the breadth of perspective required to understand professional communication as it operates in society at large, students are required to take at least 6 credit hours (and a maximum of 18 credit hours) of graduate-level coursework outside of the Department of English at Utah State University. Students are encouraged to select courses that will help them develop expertise in an area (either disciplinary or inter-disciplinary) that will complement their research and/or pedagogical goals. Students may also use these courses to identify an outside member of their dissertation committee.

   
   

   Dissertation (12 credits minimum required)
   Engl 7970: (required) Dissertation Research (12)
   Engl 7990: Continuing Graduate Advisement (0-12)

Course Work and Residency Requirements

Students in the program complete a minimum of 60 approved semester credits in addition to a Master's degree. (Coursework used to fulfill the requirements of a Master's degree may not be used to complete the requirements for this PhD program.) A minimum of three consecutive semesters in residency is required by the USU School of Graduate Studies, with a minimum of two semesters to be completed before enrollment for dissertation credits.

Specific Coursework Requirements

Doctoral students' approved semester credits (60) must include a minimum of 36 credit hours in the required 7000-level core courses. Core courses are offered on campus and should be completed while students are in residency.

The required courses include the following:

1. English 7000: Advanced Research Methods (3 credits)
2. English 7410: Research and Theory of Professional Communication (3 credits)
3. English 7440: Advanced Seminar in Culture & Professional Communication (3 credits)
4. English 7480: Advanced Seminar in Technology & Writing (3 credits)
5. English 7860: Teaching Technical Writing (3 credits)
6. English 7890: Advanced Seminar in the Theory & Practice of Written Communication (3 credits)
7. English 7900: Research Internship (6 credits)
8. English 7970: Dissertation Research (minimum of 12 credits)

To encourage interdisciplinary work and to allow students to tailor their program of study to their interests, students determine, with the guidance of their supervisory committee, the coursework for the remaining 24 credit hours. To fulfill these requirements, students select courses from two categories to complement their research, teaching, and career objectives: 7000-level graduate courses offered within the Department of English or graduate-level courses offered outside the Department of English.

7000-Level English Courses. The first category includes 7000-level graduate courses offered by the Department of English. While the core courses are offered on campus only, students may complete up to 12 credit hours of their additional 7000-level coursework requirements via the English Department's existing online graduate degree programs with approval from their supervisory committees.

Four 7000-Level courses—7410, 7420, 7800, and 7890—are on-site courses with an online component. These four courses will not count toward the students' 12-hour online course limitation.

Online and on-campus classes are all assessed using University instruments to ensure the quality of student learning and instructional practices throughout the degree program.

Graduate-Level Courses from Other Departments. The second category includes graduate-level courses offered outside the Department of English. Students may take up to 18 credit hours from this second category. These fields include, but are not limited to, sociology, instructional technology, business information systems, speech communication, journalism and mass communication, women's studies, and natural resources.

Summer Credit Workshops

Doctoral students may take one-week summer credit workshops at the master's (6000) level. Like other coursework completed at the master's level, these courses may not be used to fulfill the minimum hours requirements for the PhD. Students may fulfill category requirements with master's courses with the approval of their supervisory committees, however, the hours for these courses will not count toward the 60-hour requirement for doctoral work.