Technical writing is a practical way for writers to earn a living and contribute to the workforce. English majors and graduates from other writing-intensive programs can learn to transition their creative talents, critical thinking abilities and organization skills to professional writing in fields like engineering, science and public health. Through classes in technical writing, students learn how to analyze and report collections of facts; conduct and communicate research; target a specific audience; persuade and motivate through classical rhetoric; and become invaluable assets the business and scientific worlds.

In the following courses, students understand the different dynamics of academic and professional writing, and get an overview of the issues, trends and audiences unique to those fields. From writing essays, commentaries and reviews about food and food-related issues, to analyzing public health issues like AIDs, to writing exclusively for engineering and science firms or publications, these classes cover a variety of topics in technical writing. All of them, however, are aimed at helping writers channel their skills into a practical, profitable career. Courses in this list are offered by schools like MIT and York College, and feature additional resources to help students without much background on their specific writing subject gain a more solid foundation. Links and resources include the definition of public health, online writing labs, career advice and more. Assignments may range from writing a cover letter to writing a progress report to writing a literature review.

• Introduction to Technical Communication: Perspectives on Medicine and Public Health [MIT] – Students learn to analyze and write about the medical field, including topics like AIDS, malaria control and obesity.
• Expository Writing – Food for Thought: Writing and Reading about Food and Culture [MIT] – Students who want to write about food professionally will benefit from this MIT course, which explores food issues and topics including fair trade, cooking, eating disorders and more.
• Research and Writing for Professional Programs [York College] – Students learn to conduct their own research and write for a professional audience in this course.
• Communicating in Technical Organizations [MIT] – Learn how to organize and communicate instructions, presentations, and other business and technical content to engineering and science-focused audiences.
• Advanced Workshop in Writing for Science and Engineering [MIT] – This course teaches students how to write for science and engineering publications, academic and professional.