Undergraduate Technical and Professional Writing Programs: A Question of Status

Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 1994

Undergraduate Technical and Professional Writing Programs: A Question of Status

Donald H. Cunningham Auburn University ; Jeanette G. Harris

Abstract

The results of our recent survey of the membership of the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing, Associated Writing Programs, and the Council of Writing Program Administration indicate the relative health of undergraduate writing programs (major, concentration, or certificate programs, not service courses) in American four-year universities and colleges. During the past five years there has been a significant increase in the number of undergraduate writing programs, including technical and professional writing. But responses to our survey also suggest that while undergraduate technical and professional writing programs comprise the second largest group of programs (behind creative writing) they are not increasing as rapidly as a new kind of undergraduate writing program—a broad-based program that students can complete by taking a wide range of creative writing, composition, journalism, and technical and professional writing courses. The future seems unclear for traditional undergraduate technical and professional writing programs, and faculties need to examine their options in designing or redesigning their programs.

Journal: Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published: 1994-04-01
DOI: 10.2190/ta1y-72ah-05ym-ukey
Open Access: Closed
Topics: writing program administration graduate education writing across the curriculum multimodality technical communication professional writing creative writing

Citation Context

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Cites in this index (1)

Sides (1994)

QUO Vadis, Technical Communication?

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Also cites 4 works outside this index ↓

10.2307/358128

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10.1632/ade.82.50

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10.2307/378726

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10.2307/2709983

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