Online Degree Programs for Aspiring Technical Writers

People with a talent for writing and a mind that can grasp complicated scientific or technical information are good candidates to become technical writers. Online technical writing programs are available at the certificate and master's degree level. It is a career niche in high and growing demand.

Overview of an Online Certificate in Technical Writing

A certificate program in technical writing is more limited in scope than a full degree program. Many programs lean toward a specific emphasis, such as writing for the Web. People who have some writing experience at work or who have already earned a degree may derive the most benefit from them. Nearly all industries employ technical writers.

Program Information and Requirements

Online certificate programs in technical writing may be completed in 10-24 weeks. Some online technical writing certificate programs specify a high school diploma or GED as an admission requirement. Others require only fluency in English and the ability to write grammatically coherent sentences.
Students taking the courses online log in to a school's website to retrieve assignments and lecture content. They also participate in chat sessions with professors or fellow students.

List of Common Technical Writing Courses

Courses are offered both on campus and online. They are typically completed in sequence, generally at the student's own pace.

Technical Communication Course

This course covers the basics of conveying technical information in clear, functional prose. Topics covered include usability, forms of technical documentation and page layout.

Research Techniques Course

In a research techniques course, students learn to locate supplementary information for documentation projects. Web search, print sources and attribution are among the topics covered.

Web Publishing Tools Course

Students learn to use applications that facilitate the presentation of information via the Internet. Many courses emphasize Adobe software products, such as Dreamweaver, InDesign and Flash.

Career Information for Technical Writing Certificate Holders

An online certificate in technical writing can improve a certificate holder's job prospects if it supplements an existing degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov), employers who are considering hiring technical writers want candidates with at least a bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, or English. Specialized knowledge in one of the hard sciences, medicine or engineering is even more helpful. According to Payscale.com, as of April 2010 a technical writer with less than a year of experience can earn a median of $33,270-$46,709 per year as a salaried worker or $14.52-$20.56 per hour as a freelancer.

Continuing Education Options

Mid-career technical writers can earn a master's degree to update their skills. Some graduate degree programs in technical writing are offered online.

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Overview of a Master's Degree Program in Technical Writing Online

Technical writing master's degree programs have multiple objectives. Their primary aim is to help writers understand technical and scientific information. Writers who complete the course can then explain scientific material to non-technical readers. A secondary aim is to give writers greater facility with a range of authoring tools that enable the presentation of technical documents across multiple platforms. Technical writers work in nearly all industries, but especially in computing, software, the sciences and engineering.

Program Information and Requirements

Some technical writing master's degree programs are available exclusively online; others occur both online and in a traditional classroom. An online master's degree is typically completed in two years. Some programs may be intended for current technical writers; others may accept recent college graduates. Students generally need an undergraduate degree to enroll in a master's degree program in technical writing. Some schools may specify prerequisite courses in speech, linguistics or literature.
Access to lectures, tests, chat sessions and other course-related material is achieved by visiting a school's website. Schools may use Internet course management software like Blackboard.

List of Common Technical Writing Courses

A typical format for an online technical writing degree program entails the assignment of one lesson per week per class. Students work on and finish assignments at their own pace.

Technical Editing Course

Students practice reviewing and correcting technical documents in this course. Topics covered include document types, writing styles and editing guidelines.

Visual Communication Course

This course explores design, layout and composition in the presentation of visual information. Assignments are a mix of theory and hand-on practice.

Project Management Course

In this course, students practice planning and implementing documentation projects, such as user guides for a company's product, from beginning to end. They learn to estimate a project's resource needs and track their progress.

Career Information for Technical Writing Graduates

People who earn a master's degree in technical writing can find employment in multiple industries either on staff or as independent contractors (freelancers). The highest demand for their services is in computing and software, the sciences, publishing and engineering. They are commonly tasked with writing financial statements, user guides and other training materials, environmental impact statements and white papers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) projects that employment opportunities for technical writers will grow 18% over the years 2008-2018. According to Payscale.com, as of April 2010 a technical writer with 5-9 years of experience can earn a median of $46,874-$66,923 annually as a salaried worker or $20.35-$48.88 for a freelance hourly wage.