De Anza College :: Technical Writing

Welcome

Technical writers play an essential role in many of the highly technical businesses in Silicon Valley. The ability to write clear and concise documents, manuals, memos, and reports is the key to career success as a technical writer—and success as an executive, manager, marketer, salesperson, or engineer as well!

The Technical Writing Department (TWRT) at De Anza offers an exciting opportunity to study the field of technical communications. The courses are taught by professionals with years of industry experience. As students advance through the TWRT program, they master increasingly complex material, progressing from writing short documents to preparing camera-ready manuals. Classes explore career and professional opportunities through research and interaction with industry professionals.

The Technical Writing program is not just for technical writers. Executives, managers, marketing and sales people, trainers, consultants, and businesspeople find their programs, businesses, and careers become more marketable and effective when they acquire the planning, analysis, organization, program management, and communication skills taught and practiced in the program.

Students in the program can pursue either an AA Degree or a Certificate of Achievement in Technical Writing.

Why De Anza's Technical Writing program?

Benefits of De Anza's Technical Writing program include:

Instructors work as technical writers in industry, so they bring professional standards and real world projects to the classroom.
Open media labs provide Macintosh and Windows computers equipped with the latest software.
De Anza offers complementary courses in computer hardware and software, programming, Web development, e-business, graphic design, and desktop publishing.
Evening, weekend, and online courses accommodate working professionals.
The cost to participate in the program is low because De Anza is committed to providing the community with education that is both affordable and effective.
The Technical Writing Certificate of Achievement requires only four core courses that can be completed in nine to twelve months.

Why is the program called Technical Writing when it is so much more?

De Anza renamed the Technical Communications program to Technical Writing in 2005 because Technical Writing is the term commonly used in the industry, by students, and by most people. Nevertheless, De Anza's Technical Writing program encompasses much more than writing technical documents. The program prepares professionals in all fields to organize and communicate their ideas clearly and concisely in documents, reports, plans, letters, presentations, and in their day-to-day activities.

NOTE: Some of De Anza's documentation may still refer to the program as Technical Communications or TECO.