Firehead contributes to new master’s degree in tech comm and localisation

Skyline view of Paris with Eiffel Tower in background.
TLOC display material © madeleine barois
The University of Strasbourg’s new tech comm master’s course. Photo: © Madeleine Barois

A brand new online master’s programme in technical communication and localisation is launching at the University of Strasbourg, France in early 2017 – and Firehead is proud to be an industry contributor.

The new programme, Master in Technical Communication and Localization – or TCLoc for short – is designed for the international market and is taught in English. It combines online distance learning with a career-oriented course which aims to help fill the skills gap in the international technical communication market.

The curriculum and learning materials have been developed by leading professionals and experts from both realms of industry and academia. For example, the TCLoc programme not only leads to a master’s degree but also to the Technical Communicator Certificate offered by tekom, Europe’s largest association for technical communication: “tekom has been cooperating with universities for many years,” says Dr Renate de la Paix, Director of the TCLoc programme. She adds that the key to a successful master’s programme is to include the industry in the learning process from the beginning. Designing and teaching the course materials must always be done with the business world in mind, and integrating work-study options is equally important. “If graduates don’t have the relevant skills for jobs in technical writing and localisation then let’s work together to change that!”

As a result of this unique approach, Firehead’s Adobe-approved training in Adobe® FrameMaker® 2015 Release (now updated to the 2019 release) forms a part of the curriculum. Learning FrameMaker gives students direct training in authoring and publishing software commonly used by technical communicators, and allows them to publish natively across channels, mobile devices and formats and author with best-in-class XML/DITA support.

TCLoc is an online course with 1-3 meetings on campus © Mrs Catherine Schroder
TCLoc is an online course with 1-3 meetings held on campus. Photo: © Catherine Schroder

TCLoc is an online course with 1-3 meetings on campus © Mrs Catherine Schroder

TCLoc is an online course with 1-3 meetings on campus © Mrs Catherine Schroder

You can find out more about the course on the University of Strasbourg site. The new programme is accepting applications from :

  • professionals working in the fields of technical communication, technical writing, multimedia, IT, localisation or languages who wish to further their skills and obtain a master’s degree.
  • students with a degree equivalent to four years of higher education (240 ECTS in the European system), eager to evolve in the professional world of technical communication.

We think this is a great opportunity for professional communicators to develop their career and earn certification. The e-learning nature of the course is ideal for those who already work to study part-time.

Applications are now open and the TCLoc programme will begin at the end of January.

CJ Walker

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