Interestingly, colleges and universities do not offer an undergraduate degree in technical writing. I suppose the field is a too specialized to have a four-year degree available to it, although with the advancements in technology and technical writing tools, the time may come when technical writing degrees will be offered at the collegiate level. For now, a technical writing degree could best be defined as a certificate, or certification, in technical writing. A tech writing degree is crucial, for it will give the technical writer an instant amount of credibility; however, the quality of the degree credibility is often dictated by the quality of the organization or school issuing it.
Higher Education Degrees. Certainly the most favorable sources for technical writer degrees are colleges and universities. There are many reputable institutions of higher learning that offer technical writer instruction--usually this is through a module of classes or workshops in the English or Business Departments. Obviously the more reputable the college or university, the more reputable and valuable your technical writer degree will be. Investigate the colleges and universities nearest you to find out the availability and cost of their technical writing programs.
Online Degrees. There are also countless online classes and workshops for technical writers that will offer technical writer degrees or certificates upon completion of the program. These classes offer anything from advanced technical writing training to more beginning writing instruction. Be careful, though--some of these are low-grade courses, designed mainly to take your money. Make sure you research the different tech writing classes and determine the quality of their training and their reputation in the technical writing industry.
Many technical writer classes and workshops that offer technical writer degrees and certificates can be found online here:
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