Professional and Technical Communications (PTC) Department at Montana Tech - PTC & Me

The Professional and Technical Communications (PTC) department at Montana Tech was not my first choice for a secondary education. I wanted to go out of state to study journalism, advertising, or liberal studies. Because of my financial situation, I stayed home in Butte and attended Montana Tech. While searching for a suitable degree program, I came across PTC. As soon as I read the course descriptions, I knew this was the program for me.

Throughout my four years in the PTC program, I've completed several classes. Some classes brought out new interests I didn't know I had, while others pushed me hard to grasp a concept or write a paper. During this time, I realized my true passion for writing and graphic design. Luckily for me, the courses in the PTC department challenged me to take a chance and helped me learn the skills to become the professional I am today.

The first class I remember really having an impact on me was Publications Design, now called Visual Communication. This class introduced me to the concepts and ideas behind graphic design and desktop publishing. The assignments and projects dealt with typography, color usage, and logo design. Matt Hamon, the instructor at the time, encouraged us to have fun with our assignments.

Deric Olsen instructed New Media Design I and II. He taught us about the basic principles of graphic design, but also expanded on those principles to include moving images. By the end of the year, I was able to create animations using still images and other visual creations of my own design.

Desktop Publishing was another course that profoundly influenced me. In this class, I realized that the design and writing skills that I've learned could be combined to produce something valuable and marketable. We created brochures, newsletters, letterheads, and business cards.

My favorite writing class was Scientific Report Writing with Kay Eccleston. In this class, we were assigned to write two different articles regarding the same scientific topic of our choosing. The first article was written for a scientific audience or a scholarly journal. The second article was aimed at a more general audience. This was a good experience because we were able to use our research, writing, journalistic, and desktop publishing skills.

The PTC program excels in delivering the practical and hands-on skills needed in the real world. In almost every class, I was taught techniques and tools that I've used in other classes and/or my professional life outside of school. Also, the concentration on theory-based classes helped me to uncover the major principles of communication which shaped me into a well-rounded professional. It also helped me understand the reasons for choices we make in communications. The PTC curriculum also taught me about the cultural and social context of communication. Classes such as Rhetorical Theories and Politics of Technical Decisions helped me gain this important perspective on the communications industry.

All in all, my time in the Professional and Technical Communication program has shaped me in many ways. While gaining writing, design, research, and analytical skills, I've discovered my passions. Now, as I graduate and move on to graduate school, I look forward to translating my passions into a successful and satisfying career.