Technical and business writing programs prepare people to write and edit papers on specialized topics in science, business, and technology. Students learn how to research, and write complex ideas in a language many people can understand, and edit their work. They also learn to format and present work so that people can read it on computers.

How many times have you tried to follow the instructions in a technical manual? Did you think you could have written it more clearly? Do you like to clarify complex ideas with a metaphor or turn of phrase? These are some of the tasks and challenges for technical and business writers.

Technical, business, and science writers must imagine a reader who does not know what the writer knows. The writer wants to win the reader's attention, understanding, and appreciation. Because this imaginary reader may be of any age or background, technical writers look for words that are plain and simple. When they must use technical terms, they often create glossaries - mini-dictionaries - to define them.

In technical and business writing, you learn how to draft, edit, and revise many types of documents. You learn how to write grant proposals, technical manuals, and essays, to name a few. You study the fundamentals of good writing, including grammar, paragraph construction, and using good vocabulary. You also learn editing and proofreading techniques. In many programs, you also learn how to create web sites and use databases. This is because many technical writers work in scientific and high-tech fields that require extensive computer knowledge.

Many colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in English with an emphasis on writing and composition. Most two-year colleges offer the first two years of study. Students can often transfer these credits to a four-year school. In addition, most community colleges and four-year schools offer professional certificates in technical, professional, or business writing. Certificates are often good choices for people who already have a college degree and want to update their skills. About 100 schools offer graduate degrees in this field.

Master's degrees typically take five or six years of full-time study after high school. Doctoral degree programs typically take three to five years after the master's degree. In most cases, technical and business writing is offered as a concentration of English or rhetoric and composition programs. Most people with graduate degrees in this field become professors and teachers of writing.