Program Location within Colleges and Universities

Program Location within Colleges and Universities

How Does the Institutional Home of a Program Affect its Development?

The location of a technical communication program within a university can have “a profound impact on the nature of the program,” its mission, goals, curriculum, and use of technology (Davis 2000).

Where are programs of Technical Communication located in academic institutions in the United States? In March 2008, academic program and department listings posted to the academic database or websites of three technical communication organizations (STC, CPTSC, and ATTW) indicated that technical communication programs in the United States are located throughout the university (Henschel 2008).

In total, the three organizations listed 139 U.S. institutions (excluding two-year programs) with programs located in the following departments, schools, or divisions:

  1. Arts
  2. Communication
  3. Culture
  4. Digital/Multi Media
  5. Engineering
  6. English
  7. English (e.g., Communication, Foreign Language, Philosophy)
  8. Extended Education
  9. Humanities
  10. Information Design
  11. Interdisciplinary
  12. Journalism
  13. Language and Literature
  14. Technical and Professional Writing
  15. Rhetoric
  16. Technical /Professional/Scientific Communication
  17. Writing

Davis, Marjorie. 2000. “How does the institutional home of a program affect its development?” Proceedings of the annual meeting of the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication, ed. Bruce Maylath. Menomonie, Wl.

Henschel, Sally. 2008. “Forecast: change in technical communication programs”. Poster presented at the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing Conference, New Orleans. LA.