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> I am a double major in Biology and Technical Writing at Carneige Mellon
> University...I was wondering how important it is for me to have a masters
> degree? Are there jobs available for technical writers who have a B.S.
> or is it better for me to go on for my masters?
Dorothy,
I have a B.S. in Technical Communication with a minor in Electrical
Engineering and I have had little difficulty in finding jobs as a technical
writer over the last seven years. Although a Masters degree certainly
looks more impressive on a resume, I have found that the key to
most jobs is experience and a good portfolio.
Most of the writers I know who have benefited from a masters degree in
technical writing had undergraduate degrees in Journalism or English.
From what I've heard, there is quite a bit of overlap between the
masters and undergraduate programs in tech writing. The main difference
seemed to be that graduate students had an opportunity to do more "real world"
projects. If you have the money to go on for a masters, I would
recommend getting a degree in a complimentary field such as Cognitive
Psychology or Instructional Technology.
In any case, you might get some of the best input from Technical Writing
graduate students and professors at Carnegie Mellon. Find out what students
liked and didn't like about the program and see how the program differs
from your undergraduate experience.
