Technical Communication (Medical and Health) ,BS
Collaboration, Communication, Content Marketing, Editing, Policy, Regulation, Strategy, medical, technical writing, usability
Technical communication can be a helping profession. Contribute to better health outcomes and well-being by learning to apply your skills as an expert communicator. You'll be able to translate complex health and medical information into clear, actionable knowledge for patients, medical professionals, manufacturers, researchers, policymakers and the public.
Communication skills are essential in the health professions, given the complex information, diverse audiences and regulatory guidelines that shape the field. Medical and health writers partner with doctors, scientists, engineers, end users and government agencies to produce information products, such as websites, social media content, mobile applications and educational materials.
In the Bachelor of Science program in technical communication with a concentration in medical and health, you learn advanced writing and communication strategies for the multifaceted information environments of health-related professions. You develop various applied skill sets, including drafting, adapting and reviewing messages for various audiences and formats; managing multiple projects that require analysis, negotiation, persuasion and collaboration skills; and gathering and using feedback from end users to develop products.
- College/school:
College of Integrative Sciences and Arts
- Location: Polytechnic or Online , ASU Local
- Second language requirement: No
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
- First required math course: MAT 114 - College Mathematics
- Math
intensity: General
What If: See how your courses can be applied to another major and find out how to change your major.
This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. Accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for high-achieving students who want the opportunity to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of their master's degree. These programs feature the same high quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
First-year | Transfer | International | Readmission
A current ASU student has no additional requirements for changing majors.
Students should visit the Change of Major form for information about how to change a major to this program.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
It is now possible to earn an ASU degree with ASU Local, an integrated college experience in which students take advantage of in-person success coaching and programming experiences on site while completing one of 130+ undergraduate online degree programs, all of which come with online faculty interaction and tutoring support.
ASU is committed to helping students thrive by offering tools that allow personalization of the transfer path to ASU. Students may use MyPath2ASU® to outline a list of recommended courses to take prior to transfer.
ASU has transfer partnerships in Arizona and across the country to create a simplified transfer experience for students. These pathway programs include exclusive benefits, tools and resources, and they help students save time and money in their college journey.
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program’s learning outcomes include the following:
- Design clear, ethical and persuasive communication products for diverse audiences.
- Develop recommendations to improve the design and impact of technical content using user experience research methods.
- Evaluate emerging technologies to determine appropriate methods for delivering content for different audiences and purposes
- Explain complex health and medical user experiences
- Write medical communications on related health topics addressing clinical and public audiences
Technical communication students can become strategic communication specialists, with opportunities all over the world. Through study abroad experiences, students gain valuable leadership, communication and design skills. Whether in a foreign country, in the U.S. or online, by participating in one of the more than 300 available Global Education programs, students expand their scope of learning beyond the classroom and gain hands-on experience in different and exciting cultures.
Many of the School of Applied Professional Studies programs allow students to earn credit toward their major for their experiences studying abroad.
People with medical and health writing skills fill varied positions, such as editor, project manager, media specialist, coordinator, administrator, manager and educator. Graduates are well positioned to seek employment with hospitals, hospice organizations, government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, nonprofit organizations and academic institutions, as well as software and electronics companies, insurance providers, media corporations and financial institutions --- all of which rely on skilled technical communicators.
Graduates are prepared for careers such as:
- communication manager
- content strategist
- information architect
- public relations specialist
- user experience specialist
- web content creator
Example job titles and salaries listed below are not necessarily entry level, and students should take into consideration how years of experience and geographical location may affect pay scales. Some jobs also may require advanced degrees, certifications or state-specific licensure.
| Career | *Growth | *Median salary |
|---|---|---|
|
3.6%
|
$76,910
|
|
|
11.3%
|
$51,850
|
|
|
2.7%
|
$73,620
|
School of Applied Professional Studies
|
SANCA 233
cisa@asu.edu
480-727-1526
Program term definitions
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
