Writing Degree Overview

Writing is the preservation of and the preserved text on a medium, with the use of signs and symbols. It is communication through the written word. The study of literature enriches people's understanding of the human condition. A writing degree provides students with a wide range of career opportunities and typically, students will focus on one particular area of writing such as informational writing, advertising, children's stories, poetry, etc. There are generally three categories of writers: writers and authors, editors, and technical writers. Writers and authors develop original nonfiction and fiction for magazines, online publications, books, trade journals, radio and television broadcasts, company newsletters, motions pictures, and advertisements. Editors primarily review, rewrite, and edit the work of writers, while some may even write original copy. Technical writers develop materials such as appendixes, equipment manuals, or operating and maintenance instructions. A degree in writing will prepare graduates for a career in any of those categories.

Writing Degree Curriculum

Writing courses include composition, writing trends, grammar, ethical issues, and studies of great literary work, literature and historical literature. Electives are chosen to gain skills in specific focus areas of writing that interest the student. Today, it is common for writing courses to teach computer literacy, using various software programs, using online search engines and databases, word processing, and presentation programs. A college degree is generally required for most writing or editing positions. In addition, those who select specialized fields such as business or law will most likely need additional background training. Graduates with a writing degree will learn skills to express ideas clearly and logically and will also learn the importance of ethics involved when publishing material. Many schools will provide opportunities for students to practice their writing skills for the school newspaper, magazine, radio and/or television stations.

Career Opportunities in Writing

A degree in writing provides graduates with a wide range of career opportunities including copywriters, ghostwriters, editors, journalists, creative writers or authors, bloggers or technical writers. Often students will find that a writing degree provides preparation for career advancement in law, business, human services, and education. Writers can choose to work for a specific company or simply freelance their work. Although freelance writers do not have the same stability of those working for a company, freelance work does offer flexible working hours, allows for selection of projects, and can typically be done from anywhere in the world. In most instances, writing careers can have the pressures of deadlines and erratic work hours, especially those in the broadcast or publication media industry. In small firms, recent graduates are often hired as assistants and may begin writing right away, while larger firms will typically start new hires with research, fact checking, and copyediting. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of writers and editors is expected to grow at an average rate through 2014 and the median annual wages for salaried writers and authors was $44,350 in 2004.

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