Does the Curriculum Fit the Career? Some Conclusions from a Survey of Graduates of a Degree Program in Professional and Technical Communication

Abstract

Recent graduates of a degree program in professional and technical communication were surveyed to identify their current employment, their attitudes toward their academic preparation, and the professional courses they found most helpful. The history and curriculum of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT's) eleven-year-old program in Professional and Technical Communication (PTC) is described, as well as the program's “professional core,” its Liberal Arts core, and its cooperative education requirement. The survey was modeled after a previous survey the authors conducted with members of the Society for Technical Communication. The results of both surveys emphasized the basics of writing and computer skills. The degree program alumni also expressed the desire for a “more practical” curriculum that placed less emphasis on theory. Anecdotal responses from the alumni provided a unique view of the field through the eyes of its newest practitioners.