Why Study Writing
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of jobs in technical writing and related fields will grow on pace with the expanding career field; job growth from 2024 until 2033 meets the national average of all occupations and is higher than related fields in media and communication. Job openings in PTC are most common with high-tech industries in places like California, Texas, and the Northeast, but Tennessee employs more technical writers than the national average, and the mean pay for technical writers is higher than comparable careers in Tennessee. Many of our former students have successful careers in their field after graduation.
PTC faculty have decades of experience as educators, editors, and writers. They take pride in individualized success for students. Dr. Deeren is an award-winning fiction writer and professor of working-class experiences and is an important part of our internship opportunities. Dr. Fuglsby teaches technical and professional communication courses and researches topics of digital writing, collaboration, and intercultural communication. Dr. Major has published on international communication, computer editing tools, and collaboration. A technical writer since 1988, Dr. Wadia brings his wide experience to audiences at large regional conferences such as SCMLA. He frequently presents on issues related to workplace professionalism and tips for success with employment opportunities as technical writer or editor.
You Can Expect To...
- Work with dedicated, caring faculty mentors
- Collaborate and explore with classmates, faculty, and industry professionals
- Broaden your worldview by reading across experiences, perspectives, and professions
- Write and revise your own original, creative projects
- Practice and sharpen professional editing and publishing skills
- Invest in internship opportunities
- Develop proficiency with the tool of language
- Engage with visiting authors and industry experts
- Enhance your critical thinking and communication skills
- Choose from a variety of courses across genres and styles
- Comprehend the nuances of language and rhetoric
- Participate in local, regional, and national conferences
- Compose a compelling resume, write effective application letters, and learn engaging interviewing techniques
- Design text and visuals for appealing and usable documents
- Prepare effective oral presentations using PowerPoint, Canva, and other software
- Understand and implement effective social media and digital communication strategies
- Prepare documentation for training manuals and write briefing reports
- Apply desktop publishing skills to create marketing and PR materials
- Create effective workplace documents such as professional correspondence, reviews, reports, proposals, policies, and digital and social media content
- Critically analyze and address rhetorical situations and the needs of particular audiences
- Expand on professional online and library research skills
What Will I Learn
- Clear, persuasive writing
- Document genres and formats
- Collaboration
- Research skills
- Comprehend the nuances of language and rhetoric in the workplace
- Apply desktop publishing skills to create marketing and PR materials
- Create effective workplace documents such as letters, emails, and memos
- Sharpen proofreading skills for a goal of zero tolerance in TW documents
- Discern shades of meaning in homonyms and commonly confused words (disinterested vs. uninterested)
- Write effective documentation for training materials and briefing reports
- Edit graphical items and objects
- Writing effective proposals and policies
- Understand effective social media strategies
- Edit closely at the sentence, paragraph, and essay level using a variety of rhetorical techniques and strategies
- Understand how the collaborative writing process has pros and cons
- Understand the glossary of the professional writing industry and English and foreign nomenclature related to technical writing
- Improve chances of employment after learning good interviewing techniques
- Prepare a good resume and write effective application letters
- Prepare effective oral presentations using PowerPoint, Canva, and other software
Program Information
Professional, Technical, Creative Writing Program Requirements
English: Professional, Technical, Creative Writing Sample 4 Year Plan