FAQs

We welcome questions about our program, which should be sent to bizntech@rci.rutgers.edu. Below are answers to some of the more common questions we receive:

Question: I have already completed a B.S. or B.A. degree at another school. Can I take classes at Rutgers to get one of your writing certificates?

Answer: Our certificates are designed for Rutgers undergraduates pursuing a Rutgers degree. We are currently unable to grant certificates to students from outside of the University. We are developing courses and certificates for working professionals through RUWrite: The Writing Program Extension, which should be available shortly. Meanwhile, I suggest you visit the web site of the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing, which lists available programs.

Question: Will these courses satisfy major requirements for English majors?

Answer: The English Department does not count credits in Business and Technical Writing toward the English major. English majors would benefit from pursuing a certificate in Professional Writing, but they would have to take our courses as elective.

Question: If I'm an English major and courses like Web Authoring, Writing for Business and Professions, and Business Writing Essentials don't count toward the English major, why should I consider taking them?

Answer: I think that courses in professional writing areas are always useful preparation for workplace writing, which is generally very different from the modes of writing you learn as an English major. While the English major will prepare you for critical thinking and writing in general, it may also teach you habits of writing that are not appropriate to professional contexts. Though Writing for Business and Professions (355:303), for example, does not count toward the English major, it is a very useful class for English majors because of the ways it helps to socialize students to writing outside of academic contexts. And because it is a research writing course, it usually fulfills your college's research writing requirements. About 20% of the students taking Writing for Business and Professions, for example, are English majors. And many English majors take a Writing Internship to help them prepare for work after college. Though these courses might not count toward the major, they will count a lot after graduation.

Question: I hear that the School of Communication, Information and Library Science (SCILS) will accept some courses in Business and Technical Writing toward the major. Is that true?

Answer: Yes, SCILS will count some of our courses as electives toward specific majors in Communication or ITI. We are currently in discussions with SCILS about which specific courses they will accept and for which majors. At this time, you will need to speak with your advisor or department head to discuss specific courses. As soon as we have more information, we will post it to our web site.

Question: I'm a first year student who just completed Expository Writing (355:101). Am I ready to take a course in your program? And what course would be best for me?

Answer: The only prerequisite for our courses is Expository Writing. But you are right that some of our courses might be very challenging for a first year student. Most students take Writing for Business and Professions or Scientific and Technical Writing in their junior year, when they have a good sense of their major field and their career field after graduation. A good sense of one's major field of interest is useful in these courses because they require an independent project.