Are you a writer, editor or social media junkie? UW-Stout's Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Professional & Technical Communication will prepare you to create and deliver content that is tailored to specific audiences across a wide range of applied fields, including biomedical engineering, packaging, international studies, quality management, telecommunications, tourism, training and development, art and design, and business and management. As graduate of the program, you will have the skills to research, visualize, design, develop and oversee publication of both print and electronic documents.
100% of Graduates Employed or Continuing Education
Career-Defining Curriculum
Professional and technical communication is a critical part of nearly every profession, and emerging technologies continue to increase the demand for professionals who can clearly explain policies, products and services to clients and customers. UW-Stout’s program integrates communication theory with coursework in a chosen applied field. The core of our program includes courses in:
- Content Strategy
- Document Design
- Digital Storytelling
- Foreign Language/Global Experience
- Social Media Strategy & Content Creation
- Usability Design & Testing
- User Documentation
- Writing for the Media
Program Overview
Use the Request Information form to receive a program summary and learn more about the Bachelor of Science degree in Professional & Technical Communication.
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Communication is everywhere. Whether you’re reading a website, texting your friends, speaking with your boss, sending an email or writing a paper, you are engaged in communication. It is one of the most important skills you can develop in the Information Age – and it can be a great career track. Our program will keep you on the cutting edge.
Copy editing and preparation, multimedia or hypertext writing, and critical, technical and freelance writing courses prepare you to write clearly for specific audiences. In addition, courses in an applied field of your choice supply the strong technical background crucial to communicating complex ideas to different audiences. Elective courses give you the chance to explore other areas, such as photography or creative writing. All students will participate in a co-op, internship or practicum during their career.
"I met some of the most important people in my life during my time on campus. UW-Stout has given me the opportunity to gain fantastic experience that I can put towards my career after graduation."
~ Kylie FrankB.S. Professional & Technical Communication
Professional Internship Placements in Professional & Technical Communications
Take your education into industry and earn while you learn through UW-Stout’s award-winning Cooperative Education & Internship Program (CEIP) and other placements. Unlike traditional internships, our professional paid and pro bono credit-earning experiences connect you with leaders in your field, including publishers, impactful non-profits, NGOs, and healthcare organizations, to ensure you’re set up for success long before you graduate. More than a third of Stout students accept positions after graduation with their internship employer.
Recent Internship Employers
- Arquette & Associates
- Blueberry Lane Books
- Callan Publishing, Inc.
- Lessiter Media
- Selma Center for Nonviolence
- Thomson Reuters
- The Toro Company
- Volume One Magazine
Select Internship Position Titles
- Agency Intern
- Advertising Layout Intern
- Editorial Intern
- Journalism Intern
- Marketing Intern
- Technical Writer Intern
- Writing & Editorial Intern
- Video Communications Intern
Program Objectives
- Analyze the rhetorical situation (audience, purpose, context, genre) to effectively engage with various audiences
- Gauge the affordances and constraints of technology and media on effective communication
- Deliver content that exhibits accuracy and clarity
- Apply visual rhetoric to design user-friendly, appealing deliverables
- Conduct research, using appropriately designed methods and tools
- Demonstrate collaboration, leadership, and project management by working in teams
- Develop professionalism by recognizing the value of diverse perspectives and identities
- Engage effectively with diverse audiences by recognizing how different cultures communicate
- Produce socially and ethically responsible communication
Advisory Committee Members
| Paul | Anheier | Researcher | Target, Co. |
| Teena | Carnegie | Director, Technical Communication | Eastern Washington University |
| Brian | Croxall | Assistant Research Professor | Brigham Young University |
| Kevin | Drzakowski | Associate Dean, CAHS | UW-Stout |
| Matt | Gundrum | Producer | Audacy, Inc./Gleam Tower Media |
| Rachel | Hallgrimson | Social Media & Video Coordinator, Marketing Communications | UW–Stout |
| Maria | Jahn | Technical Communications Manager | Kohler Co. |
| David | Madden | Senior Manager of Digital Content | HealthPartners |
| Colin | Marklowitz | Team Leader, Technical Communications | Kohler Co. |
| Amy | Mittlestadt | Public Affairs Manager | Mayo Clinic Health System |
| Mitch | Ogden | Associate Professor; Director, Honors College | UW-Stout |
| Daisy | Pignetti | Professor | UW-Stout |
| Cody | Reimer | Associate Professor; Program Director, B.S. Game & Media Studies | UW-Stout |
| Kate | Roberts Edenborg | Professor; Program Director | UW-Stout |
| Alison | Saxton | Technical Writer | The Toro Company |
| Jason | Schmitt | Dean, CAHS | UW-Stout |
| Gregory | Schneider-Bateman | Professor | UW-Stout |
| Emi | Stuemke | Instructor | UW-Stout |
| Julie | Watts | Professor; Department Chair, English, Philosophy & Communication Studies Department | UW-Stout |
