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Subject:Do you need a degree? From:Stephanie Beaver <sbeaver -at- SINCLAIR -dot- EDU> Date:Mon, 16 Jun 1997 10:52:14 -0400
I agree with Debbie Molis that, in terms of the specific skills for
technical writing, practical experience can be more valuable than
college coursework. However, I have found that an college degree often
provides value to the graduate (and his or her employer) above and
beyond any specific technical skills. An undergraduate education helps
to develop team and time management skills, discipline, and a generally
well-rounded worldview (even for accounting and systems majors!).
The benefits of a master's degree are probably easier to pinpoint since
advanced degrees offer greater specialization than do undergrad degrees.
As a "pretty good" writer prior to grad school, my coursework has
provided the opportunity to practice specific writing skills while
receiving a level of feedback that is unavailable in most jobs. In
addition, seminars on technical communication, rhetoric, linguistics,
and management have afforded opportunities to discuss and explore issues
that affect this discipline, helping to expand the way I think about my
work. I'm also pursuing personal interests in usability and
collaborative writing with the support of knowledgeable technical
communicators who happen to also be my professors; I would not have
these opportunities for professional development if I hadn't detoured
through grad school.
For me, the big question is: Are you satisfied to be an excellent
technical writer? or do you want to make a greater contribution to the
field of technical communication? There's no right or wrong, better or
worse, but I believe that there is a difference and that formal
education plays some part in that.
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