Department of EnglishB.A. in Writing, Design, and Technical Communication

The BA in Writing, Design, and Technical Communication can be earned both onsite and online.

Why Focus Your Studies in Writing, Design, and Technical Communication?

If you have ever considered a professional career as a writer, editor, or information designer, then you have arrived at the right degree program. Any company, government organization, or nonprofit organization needs writers who can advance their internal and external communication goals through clear information design and effective editing. A 2017 Report of 959 employers, including international Fortune 500 companies, overwhelmingly ranked soft skills like effective written communication and information design as the most important abilities they sought in new employees. Unsurprisingly, students with skills in these areas have seen a steady 1.7% annual increase in employment growth for a lucrative career field that featured a mean salary of over $78,000 in 2020. Our program has particular strengths in interaction design and UX. In 2021, user experience designers averaged salaries of $94,018 per year.

Our program (BA in Writing, Design, and Technical Communication) caters to a broad array of careers in professional writing, information design, and technical communication, such as the following:

• content strategist
• user experience (UX) designer 
• usability specialist or researcher 
• information designer
• web and interaction designer
• editor or copywriter
• proposal and grant writer
• legal and corporate writing consultant
• medical writer
• organizational communication consultant

Many undergraduate majors in WDTC earn credits for internships. The English department also offers two undergraduate certificates that align well with the WDTC degree, often requiring only 1 or 2 more classes beyond the major: the Certificate in Writing and the Certificate in User Experience. For students not majoring in WDTC, the department offers a Minor in Writing, Design, and Technical Communication.