How Do I Get Started?

Be aware that you can selectively take Business & Technical Communications courses without going for a degree or certificate. Students intending to complete the degree or certificate often get jobs during the program and never complete the degree or certificate.

What about ACC Admissions?

If you take Business & Technical Communications courses at Austin Community College for regular academic credit, you must go through the admission process:

ACC admissions

There is no admissions process for courses taken as continuing education.

How Do I Register?

Once you've been admitted to the college, you can register for academic credit courses when the registration periods begin. That's mid-November for spring semesters; mid-April for summer semesters; mid-August for fall semesters. Registration for continuing education occurs at the same time.

You can register for Business & Technical Communications courses in one of two ways:

• Regular academic credit. To get an formal academic certificate or degree, you must take courses for regular academic credit. This entails admission to the college and tuition payment according to where you live. You can transfer in any relevant college course work you have done. You can complete the certificate or degree by distance. As a distance student, you can apply local course work to the certificate or degree as long as at least 25% of your course work is "in residence" at Austin Community College. (Online Austin Community College courses are considered "in residence.") To find out more about the full academic-credit degrees and certificates, keep reading and then return to the main page.


• Continuing education. You can take Business & Technical Communications courses as continuing education—either in the classroom or by distance. With this option, you do not have to apply for admission to the college, and you pay the same tuition (roughly the same as in-district tuition) no matter you live. However, you must "convert" courses taken as continuing education to official academic credit. To find out more about continuing-education degrees and certificates, keep reading and then go to the Continuing Education page.

If you plan to go for a degree or certificate (either academic credit or continuing education) or just take selected Business & Technical Communications courses, contact David McMurrey, department chair, at davidm@austincc.edu or 512.223.4804 for advising. You'll want to get on the e-mail list for job and event anouncements and learn about flexibility in course selection.

• Regular academic credit registration
• Continuing education registration

Remember: there is no admissions process for courses taken as continuing education.

Don't forget to contact David McMurrey at davidm@austincc.edu or 512.223.4804 if you plan to go for a degree or certificate (either academic credit or continuing education) or just take selected Business & Technical Communications courses.

What about Distance Students?

Austin Community College's Distance Learning Office provides excellent support for students in online courses:

Distance Learning Office

Be aware, however, that if you are a distance student and want to take a course offered only in the classroom, accommodations can usually be made. The Business & Technical Communications program broadcasts the audio and desktop video for many of its courses over the Internet—it's almost like being there.

For More Information

The Business & Technical Communications Department is located in Building 4000 on Northridge Campus, at the corner of Metric Boulevard and Stonehollow Drive. You are invited to write or call:

David McMurrey, Department Chairperson
Business & Technical Communications Department
Austin Community College
11928 Stonehollow Drive
Austin, Texas 78758-3101

Voice: (512) 223-4804
Facsimile: (512)223-4988
E-mail: davidm@austincc.edu