Re: Grad Education for Tech Writers

[Marguerite Krupp <Marguerite_Krupp -at- BAYNETWORKS -dot- COM>]

The STC maintains a list of academic tech writing programs at all levels.
Many are geared to getting people into the profession form other careers,
but some are designed for people who have been practicing for a while and
who want to increase their skills. I feel strongly about the advantages of
having you do an internship or co-op assignment as part of a graduate
program, especially if you haven't worked in the field before. It DOES help.

So check out the STC list, then visit the web sites of the schools that
interest you. Don't overlook certificate programs or distance learning
opportunities. Some programs are fairly narrowly focused (esp. at the
Certificate level), and others offer broader scope... but in those, you
would still be well advised to pick an area of technical concentration,
just as a way of getting yourself a job. Don't choose a concentration just
because of the employment opportunities, though. If you hate software,
don't go into the computer industry just because it's there.

The tech writing field is so broad, and the opportunities so diverse, it's
hard to be more specific. Nobody expects you to be a subject-matter expert
coming out of school. When I was hiring writers, I looked for demonstrably
superb writing skills, an affinity for the technology, and the ability to
work with stressed-out people in stressful situations.

I teach part-time in a graduate TW program at Northeastern University in
Boston (and work full-time as a tech writer), so I'm admittedly somewhat
biased. Working for a while in a tech writing job may give you some good
grounding in what you would like to do with your career. We have many
students who work full-time and go to school part-time. It takes longer,
but the work and school seem to reinforce each other.

<commercial> See the Northeastern University web site at
http://www.casdn.neu.edu/~english for information about our graduate-level
technical communication programs. </end_commercial>

Please note that the opinions expressed in this posting are mine, not my
employers'.

Marguerite


 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=