[ATTW-L] Advice on TWPA Matter with Technical Writing Course

[Beck, Estee]

Seeking advice on a TWPA related matter.

In Texas, the state mandates (for public institutions) a core curriculum of 42 credit hours distributed over specific areas like mathematics, language and culture, and communication, so that when a student completes the credit hour requirements for specific areas, that credit transfers from colleges and universities to others in the state for a field of study, i.e., a major.

Prior to 2014, first-year writing had its own category in the core curriculum, and after 2014, first-year writing moved into the Communications section of the core for a total of 6 credit hours. Out of 88 public colleges and universities in Texas, some only have the two courses of a first-year writing sequence in the Communications section, while others have multiple courses such as first-year writing I and II, technical and business writing, speech courses, and so on.

At UTA, the sequence of a first-year writing course appears in the core curriculum, in addition to some other courses offered by the Communications and Theatre departments.

Recently, our department learned the College of Business wants to propose a technical and business writing course for the Communications area of the core curriculum. This will take away SCHs from English. The College of Business has hired three faculty with PhDs in English (literary studies emphasis) to teach a business communications course for the entire college.

In discussions among faculty in English, we have a thorny problem. If we place technical and business writing in the Communications area of the core, we cannot have a pre-req. Thus, some students might take first-year writing I and then technical and business writing.

Another problem we have is our first-year writing II course generates significant online revenue, and if we place technical and professional writing in the Communications area of the core, we could lose that significant revenue stream.

Some faculty, who deeply value first-year writing, do not want technical and business writing in the Communications core. They think the first-year writing sequences aligns perfectly with WPA outcomes, and by placing technical and business writing in the core, and having students decide which course to take (a first-year writing II or technical and business writing course) will disrupt student outcomes and will ill prepare students for the writing demands of college coursework.

These have been long and ongoing discussions, and I am preparing for a final case to put to the department next week. Any and all ideas, research, discussions off list, will be deeply appreciated.

Thank you,
Estee

Estee Beck, PhD
Assistant Professor of Technical and Professional Writing/Digital Humanities
Coordinator of Technical Writing and Professional Communication
Department of English, The University of Texas at Arlington

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