TCOM410
Final Project: Technical Communication Guided Practicum
The practicum gives you an opportunity to apply the knowledge and abilities you acquired through the previous courses. With feedback from your instructor and from other students, you will create a portfolio-quality document that you can show prospective employers as a demonstration of your technical communication skills and knowledge. You will be required to secure a project 'client' (which can be your current employer) for whom you will prepare this document/deliverable. The instructor will work closely with you to ensure you successfully complete the assignment and create a portfolio-worthy project.
Prerequisite(s):
- Introduction to Technical Communication TCOM110
- Technical Writing and Editing TCOM120
- Research, Analysis and Information Design TCOM210
- Design and Production of Technical Publications TCOM220
- Indexing: An Essential Art and Science TCOM230
- Microsoft Word for Technical Writers: Advanced TCOM240
- Fundamentals of Creating Online Documents TCOM260
- Technical Writing: Advanced Workshop TCOM310
- Documentation Project Management TCOM320
- Tools for Technical Communicators TCOM270
Instructional hours: 18
This course is available only to accepted Technical Communication Certificate students who have completed all prerequisites listed above.
Overview
Location: Online
Format: Self-paced within deadlines set by instructor
Duration: 12 weeks
Tuition: $630
Can be applied to:
Technical Communication Certificate
Upcoming Offerings
Register for a course at any time, with the option to apply to a program later.
- Tue, Sep 17 (self-paced all week)
- Tue, Sep 24 (self-paced all week)
- Tue, Oct 1 (self-paced all week)
- Tue, Oct 8 (self-paced all week)
- Tue, Oct 15 (self-paced all week)
- Tue, Oct 22 (self-paced all week)
- Tue, Oct 29 (self-paced all week)
- Tue, Nov 5 (self-paced all week)
- Tue, Nov 12 (self-paced all week)
- Tue, Nov 19 (self-paced all week)
- Tue, Nov 26 (self-paced all week)
- Tue, Dec 3 (self-paced all week)
What you will learn
After completing this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Conceive, outline, write and produce a technical communication product
- Design and manage a plan to complete a technical communication product that includes a schedule and budget
- Implement peer-editing techniques, analyzing another's written work and providing professional feedback
- Develop a personal marketing plan tailored for the technical communication industry
How you will learn and be evaluated
- Prepare to spend 10–15 hours per week on coursework
- Expect reading and other assignments on a weekly basis
- Plan to access the course at least once every few days to keep up with your work and group assignments
You will be evaluated on:
- Assignments
- Final document
To graduate with the Technical Communication Certificate, complete all courses with minimum average grade of B- (70%).
Learning Materials
No textbook is required. We will provide all course materials online.
Recommended reading:
The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition. University of Chicago Press, 2017. ISBN 978-0226287058
Note: Courses use the author-date style from the Chicago/Turabian (17th ed.) citation guide.
Once you begin the course you’ll be sent SFU library access information for this text. Alternatively, you may wish to access a 30-day free trial of the online version of Chicago Manual of Style.
Technical Requirements
For online courses, you will need a computer with audio and microphone that is connected to the internet. Canvas is the online system that will be used for the course. For more information and online support, visit Online Learning.
This course requires:
- High-speed internet access
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
To get the most from this course, you should be comfortable with the following MS Word and/or Google Docs functions:
- Using Paragraph styles
- Working with headers and footers
- Tracking changes and accepting or rejecting changes
- Inserting a table of contents, media
- Sharing documents
English language requirements
To succeed in this course, you will need an advanced level of written and spoken English. If you are unsure whether your English language skills are sufficient, we recommend you complete the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with the following minimums:
- Overall band score minimum 6.5
- No band below 6.0
- Writing band score minimum 8.0
Please note we can’t refund your registration fees after the course start date if you find your English language skills are not adequate.
If you have questions or concerns about your English language proficiency, we encourage you to contact your local IELTS Test Centre.