Technically?
September 11, 2008 5:22 PM Subscribe
Bachelors in Technical Writing/Technical Communication?
Okay, part 3 in my indefinite series on education questions (see here, and here for previous q's, if you hanker for lame background)
in short, I have a fairly technical Associate's degree (electron microscopy). I'd like to get a bachelors. I have no definitive career track in mind, just want to move on up.
The most obvious choice would be an engineering degree, BUT, they are nigh impossible to obtain and still work full time.
But many of the non-lab based degrees have a lot more flexibility in scheduling, one of which is Technical Communication.
So the question is, is a Bachelor of Arts in Technical Communication worth anything in the real world? What could I expect for job prospects/pay/competition. For what its worth I work for a major tech manufacturing company currently, so... foot in the door and all that.
Okay, part 3 in my indefinite series on education questions (see here, and here for previous q's, if you hanker for lame background)
in short, I have a fairly technical Associate's degree (electron microscopy). I'd like to get a bachelors. I have no definitive career track in mind, just want to move on up.
The most obvious choice would be an engineering degree, BUT, they are nigh impossible to obtain and still work full time.
But many of the non-lab based degrees have a lot more flexibility in scheduling, one of which is Technical Communication.
So the question is, is a Bachelor of Arts in Technical Communication worth anything in the real world? What could I expect for job prospects/pay/competition. For what its worth I work for a major tech manufacturing company currently, so... foot in the door and all that.
Response by poster: Cool Papa Bell, exactly the type of concise answer I was looking for. Thanks! Where were you for my other education questions. I kid.
posted by ian1977 at 5:45 PM on September 11, 2008
posted by ian1977 at 5:45 PM on September 11, 2008
If you go for a program that has internships/co-op and lots of opportunities to build a portfolio, you may find a higher ROI than with a regular BA. But that's using a BA as a base point. Another kind of bachelors may deliver higher ROI.
posted by acoutu at 8:00 PM on September 11, 2008
posted by acoutu at 8:00 PM on September 11, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
Does it have unique or special worth? Not at all. Although this is a good program, the career prospects are somewhat limited in depth (note: not limited in availability, just that options for going deep with it are limited), and often crowded by people coming in from other disciplines, whether its writing (in all its forms -- journalism, English, technical writing); marketing (especially research); UI design; or quality assurance and testing.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:42 PM on September 11, 2008