Technical and Business Writing Degree Online

What is Technical and Business Writing?

Some schools may offer this major under similar names, such as “Professional Writing” or “Professional and Technical Writing.” Each of these names refers to essentially the same thing: learning how to make the complicated simple for specific audiences.

Everywhere you look there is text. Someone had to write the pages of your favorite band’s website. Someone wrote the manual that told you how to put your new bookcase together. And someone wrote the manual that came with your new laptop. Wherever there is text, there is a professional writer at a keyboard behind the scene.

Some people assume that “technical writing” is easier than other types of writing, but this isn’t true. In many ways, technical writing (as well as business writing) is the most difficult type of writing because one has to be able to communicate on so many different levels. This can be a two-year or four-year degree.

Is Technical and Business Writing a Good Major / Degree for Me?

Do you really love to write? Are you good at working independently? Do you enjoy working with new technologies? Are you a strong communicator? Are you good at explaining things? Do you enjoy your high school English classes? Would you like to learn new things every day? Do you enjoy doing research? If so, you might be destined for a professional writing degree!

High School Classes Needed for a Technical and Business Writing Degree / Professional Writing Degree in College:

• 4 English Credits
• 3 Math Credits
• 3 Science Credits
• 3 Social Studies Credits
• At least 2 Foreign Language Credits
• If your high school offers the following courses, take advantage!
  • Creative Writing
  • AP English Language
  • AP English Literature
• If your high school offers the following co-curricular opportunities, take advantage!
  • Speech Team
  • Debate Team
  • Yearbook Staff
  • Foreign Language Club

Common Technical and Business Writing Courses in College:

• Argumentation
• Business Communications
• Collaborative Writing
• Contemporary Theory and Practice
• Editing
• Grant Writing
• Internet Writing
• Intro to Professional Writing
• Report Writing
• Scientific Writing
• Technical Writing

Some programs require an internship.

Similar Degree Programs You Might Want to Explore:

• Advertising: the study of how to create persuasive messages
• Communications: the comprehensive study of the many ways in which people share information
• Creative Writing: the study of creating poems, fiction, nonfiction, scripts, mixed media art, and the avante-garde
• English: the study of English language and literature
• English Education: a course of study that prepares individuals to serve as English teachers
• Journalism: a course of study that prepares students to communicate the news
• Linguistics: the scientific study of language and its structure

Technical and Business Writing Careers:

Technical and Business Writing majors have gone on to work as:

• Business Writers
• Copywriters
• Editors
• Journalists
• Publishers
• Teachers
• Technical Communicators
• Technical Writers
• Web Editors / Publishers / Developers