undergraduate
Professional and technical writing
Best schools with professional and technical writing
What is a professional and technical writing major?
This course of study concentrates on professional, technical, business, and scientific writing; and prepares individuals for academic positions or for professional careers as writers, editors, researchers, and related careers in business, government, non-profits, and the professions. Class topics may include theories of rhetoric, writing, and digital literacy; document design, production, and management; visual rhetoric and multimedia composition; documentation development; usability testing; web writing; and publishing in print and electronic media.
of students said interesting challenges were a highlight of this major.
of students found this major to be difficult.
of students said they were motivated to select this major because it fit their passion & interest.
of students and alumni plan on being or are currently employed in an occupation related to this major.
of students said balancing many projects & deadlines was a challenging aspect of the major.
How much do professional and technical writing majors make?
This data isn't currently reported, but we're working on it!
How popular is professional and technical writing as a major?
Each year, around 1,440 students obtain a bachelor’s degree and around 110 students obtain an associate degree in professional and technical writing. In 2021, 1,400 students received a bachelor's degree and 42 students received an associate degree. This is 5% fewer professional and technical writing majors than there were in 2020. Professional and technical writing is a relatively popular major compared to other interdisciplinary studies majors.
Advice from professional and technical writing majors
Share your experienceProfessional and technical writers are employed at every large company, and many smaller companies as well. Don’t let anyone tell you your degree is useless. I recommend adding an additional major or minor (or even both). Your possibilities with this degree are endless, especially when combined with other programs of study. One year after graduating with a degree in professional writing (as well as a second major in media & culture and a business minor) I work as a marketing & communications professional for a small organization in the construction industry. I love my role and what I get to do every day. Many peers I graduated with have gone on to work in sports, tech, the non-profit world, and the corporate business world. Others have attended graduate or law school. There are so many possibilities with this degree. Choosing professional writing was the best decision I made for my college career.
The major doesn't require a minor, but suggest communication minor for adaptability.
For current technical writing students, focus on your audience, context, subject, and purpose. The five phrases of why that are as follows: who, what, when, where, and why are all important in understanding your document and comprehension of the material. As a fellow student who knows the struggles of writing, I was taught by an amazing professor of mine to always stay on the formal side and be informative about your topic. On a personal note, create a layout of steps and follow them one at a time in a notepad to relieve some of the most complicated parts. This field is hard but very rewarding and that is exactly why I enjoy it!
If you love to read and write, this brings out your creative side. I work at the writing center helping students who struggle with writing papers. It's very rewarding to see them grow and help them achieve their goals.
Get ahead on work if you can because that gives you the flexibility you may need to fall back on later. Make sure you understand MLA formatting. Purdue Owl is great to help with that. Other than that it's just about working hard. It's not incredibly difficult, just lots to do.
