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MA in English, Technical & Professional Communication concentration

For this online e-learning program, you need not move to the Greenville area. However, those living in the area can participate in face-to-face activities.

To discuss this program, contact

Brent Henze    *    tpc@ecu.edu     *    252-328-6699

On this page, you'll find 

  • Summary of the plan of study to guide your choice of courses
  • Discussion of that plan of study
  • Comprehensive assessment project (formerly comprehensive exam)
  • Other requirements

     Plan of Study Summary

For the MA in English, TPC concentration, you can complete either a non-thesis and a thesis option. Most students choose the non-thesis option because, even if you may some day apply to a doctoral program, most schools do not require students to have completed a thesis.

If you are considering entering a doctoral program after earning your masters degree, faculty will advise you about how to be competitive for those programs. They will, for example, mentor you as you participate in professional activities such as attending and participating in professional conferences, in addition to publishing in proceedings and journals. However, you should also investigate doctoral programs to determine whether completing a thesis is advised.

What follows is a plan of study for the non-thesis option, summarizing the requirements for this degree, and some discussion of those requirements. A copy of this plan of study can be accessed from  rtf file  or  doc file.

Core (6 s. h.)

  1. Engl 7701 (formerly 7730)
  2. Engl 7702 (formerly 7701)

Technical & Professional Communication Courses (15 s.h.)      [Chosen from 6700, 6715, 6721, 6725, 6740/41, 7730 (Issues), 7705, 7710, 7712, 7716, 7745, 7746, 7750, 7765 (can repeat as long as topic changes), 7766 (can repeat 2 times w/ different topics), 7780, 7785, 7790.]

  1.  
  2.  
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Electives, English or non-English (6 s. h.)

  1.  
  2.  

Comprehensive Assessment Project (6 s.h.), requires project plus 2 courses

  1.  
  2.  
  3. Assessment project (oral) completed, date completed

Other

  • Computer Portfolio OR Foreign Language, date completed
  • Average [subject to termination w/ 2 Fs OR 2 Cs & an additional F or C OR 3 Cs]
  • All incompletes removed w/in one year & before assessment project completed
  • Applied for Graduation, date completed
  • Non-degree courses (3 count automatically; 2 additional courses can count w/ minor paperwork for total of 5)

     Discussion of Plan of Study

The concentration in Technical & Professional Communication requires two research courses: Engl 7701 (3 s. h.) and Engl 7702 (3 s. h.), along with 5 tpc courses (15 s. h.). In addition, you complete 4 electives (12 s. h.).  

Also required are a comprehensive assessment project as well as computer portfolio or foreign language.

More on courses

You may complete special studies seminars:

  • Engl 7765 as many times as you wish as long as the topic is different
  • Engl 7766 two times as long as the topic is different

With approval of Director of Graduate Studies, you may complete 6 s.h. of graduate courses in a discipline other than English as long as the courses are part of a masters program, transfer 6 s.h. of graduate courses from a masters degree-granting program from another institution, or complete a combination. Those courses cannot have been taken more than 6 years ago during the semester that you receive your MA in English, concentration in Technical & Professional Communication. 

If you want to complete a course at another university after you are enrolled in the MA in English program at ECU, the same guidelines apply.

For courses taken at another school to count toward your degree, you must submit "Request for Transfer Credit" form, which you can access as rtf file or pdf file.

Note: you may not use courses completed as part of another degree; courses can count toward only one degree.

To access the ECU graduate catalog, go to http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/aa/SrchCatalog.cfm 

More on comprehensive assessment project (formerly comprehensive exam) . . .

For additional very important information about MA requirements, such as comprehensive assessment project, click here .