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Let me take a TWRL at this one. I agree that there is no definitive answer
on this debate. Rather than wrangle about whether a Master's degree (or any
other) is required/desirable, I am inclined to state that certification or a
professional designation would be more useful as a door opener, salary
raiser, and competition weeder. (We don't need to discuss the C-word again,
the archives have over 300 documents showing we've already done that!) [All
you potential flamers please remebmer I said that!]
I think one's choice of school, degree program, and level sought is purely
an individual matter. Some people have come at technical writing from the
most bizarre disciplines (one used to be a professional clown) and there's a
healthy mix of writing-educated and Liberal Arts folks with engineering and
science grads. That's what makes this profession so richly diverse.
I do think that some form of post-high school education (whether formal or
on-the-job training) is necessary just so you can adequately handle the
material.
For me, the reason for pursuing any additional study is to learn about
what's current in the field, to learn about the resources that can help us
broaden our knowledge, and to develop skills in finding, handling, and
disseminating information. Learning for learning's sake is not such a bad
thing. You may not know when you acquire the knowledge to what use it will
evenually be put, but I believe that nothing is ever wasted, especially an
education.
--Beth
Beth Agnew
Senior Technical Writer, InSystems Technologies Inc.
bagnew -at- insystems -dot- com Tel: (905) 513-1400 ext. 280
Fax: (905) 513-1419
Visit us at: http://www.insystems.com
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