Professional/ Technical Writing Degree

About the Degree

The Professional/Technical writing emphasis prepares the student for careers involving writing, including public relations, copy writing and editing, technical writing and desktop publishing. The senior capstone experience involves either a Senior Seminar in the literary studies or one or two internships with a writing emphasis. These internships furnish the students with practical experience using writing and research skills in a workplace environment.

What Can I Do With This Major?

Your Future with Our Professional/Technical Writing Degree

As a graduate of Missouri Southern's professional and technical writing program, you'll harness your love for writing into a fulfilling, life-long career. Picture yourself in one of these positions:

Write grants and proposals in a variety of industries.
Work as a web content writer for businesses and organizations creating website content.
Be your own boss. Work as a freelance editor and article writer.
Pursue medical writing in the healthcare industry.

What You'll Learn

Students will produce a variety of professional/technical documents.
Students will produce writing possessing characteristics of strong professional/technical writing.
Students will produce writing that reflects the target audience(s) in its design, tone, discourse community language or jargon.
Students will produce writing demonstrating the persuasiveness of professional/technical writing.
Students will engage in research, drafting, revision, and reflection as part of the writing process.
Students will use technology in the writing process, including writing for the web and social media.
Students will write both collaboratively and independently.

This Degree is Great for You if:

You contemplate a career that will require you to translate highly technical data into readable basic text.
You want to earn an average yearly salary of $65, 500 a year (as of 2012).
You're interested in pursuing a Master's and/or Ph.D and teaching professional/technical writing in a college or university.