Programs in English: Business and Technical Writing (EBT)

Within the context of an English major, EBT concentrators develop the skills in writing, editing, graphics, document design, and management necessary for a career as professional writers. Career options include corporate communication, computer documentation, advertising, medical writing, and legal writing.

To advance their personal and career goals, EBT concentrators are also encouraged to minor in a technical, scientific, or business discipline, for example, biology, chemistry, computer science, or economics. In addition, advanced study in a foreign language is always an asset.

The Department offers a variety of resources helpful to the EBT concentrator. These resources include a computer laboratory with state-of-the-art applications in electronic publishing, student organizations that provide opportunities for exercising leadership, and an excellent advising program that counsels students in selecting courses and preparing for their careers.

An important step in that career preparation is the required 3-credit internship (ENGL 464). The program has available a wide selection of internship placements; students present a portfolio of their work, generally in the junior year, to be selected and placed. The internship allows students to shape their career goals while enhancing their professional portfolio. Students work for corporations, nonprofit organizations, or government agencies in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, and a growing number of internships being developed in conjunction with our study abroad semester in London. The sponsors of such internships include Winterthur Museum and Gardens, Blood Bank of Delaware, Chase Manhattan Bank, the Du Pont Company, Delaware Chamber of Commerce, Wilmington Savings Fund Society, and Apollo Magazine, the Design Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Students are also encouraged to participate in volunteer, part-time, or summer positions in addition to the three-credit internship.

Requirements for the Major in English--Concentration in Business and Technical Writing
CORE SEQUENCE

All majors must complete five of the following six courses:

ENGL 202-- Biblical and Classical Literature
ENGL 205--British Literature I
ENGL 206--British Literature II
ENGL 300--Texts and Contexts
ENGL 324-- Shakespeare
ENGL 340-- American Literature to the Civil War
OR
ENGL 341--American Literature: Civil War to World War II

In addition to the core sequence, English majors concentrating in Business and Technical Writing will take one course at the 300- level or above from each of the following groups (2 courses total):

Medieval and Renaissance literature (excluding ENGL 324) OR Literature between 1700 and 1900 Modern literature OR Cultural and theoretical studies

One other literature course is required. This course may be at the 200-, 300-, or 400-level if one of the courses taken in the above two groups is a 480 seminar. Otherwise, this additional course must be a 480 seminar.

Students concentrating in business and technical writing must also take the following technical writing courses:

One of the following three introductory courses:

ENGL 312--Written Communications in Business
ENGL 410--Technical Writing
ENGL 415- -Writing in the Professions

All of the following courses:

ENGL 412-- Technical Publications
ENGL 414-- Technical Editing
ENGL 411-- Rhetoric for Business and Technical Writers
ENGL 464-- EBT Internship

Optional:
ENGL 416--Designing Online Information

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• ENGL 307, 308, 309, 310, 407, 409 count toward the English major only as part of the concentration in Journalism.
• ENGL 200, 204, 210, 301, 365 do not count toward the English major.

Please visit the EBT website.