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Studies & Degrees in Technical Report Writing

Technical report writing is the skill of presenting technical work, such as a test, a design, an inspection, a fault or a piece of research, in a document that another person can understand and act on. It belongs to the wider field of technical communication, which the European association tekom defines as the process of defining, creating and delivering information for the safe, efficient, effective and sustainable use of products.

A course in the subject teaches students to identify the reader and the purpose of a report, to organise it in a standard structure (summary, introduction, method, results, discussion, conclusions and recommendations), to present data in tables and figures, to cite sources and to write short, precise sentences. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) names the core ability: simplifying complex, technical information for colleagues and consumers who have non-technical backgrounds.

Qualifications and levels

Technical report writing is rarely a degree in its own right. Students usually meet it in one of four forms.

  • A course inside a technical programme. Engineering, science, computing and technician programmes include report writing because graduates have to document their work. ABET, which accredits engineering programmes in the United States, lists "an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences" among the outcomes every engineering graduate must reach.
  • A degree in technical communication or a related field. According to the BLS, technical writers typically need a bachelor's degree, and knowledge of or experience with a technical subject such as science or engineering is beneficial. The UK National Careers Service says technical authors usually have a degree in a subject such as science, computing, journalism, engineering, communications or modern languages.
  • Postgraduate courses. In the United Kingdom there are technical or science communication and writing courses at postgraduate level.
  • Short professional courses. Specialised training covers content planning, writing styles, quality assurance, costing and project management; the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators keeps details of course providers. Some associations also offer certification for technical writers, which the BLS describes as not mandatory.

Short courses usually end with the provider's certificate of attendance or completion. Ask the school what recognition the certificate has before paying for a course.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists four active schools for technical report writing: two in the United States, one in Ghana and one in Denmark. They are technical and applied institutions, where report writing is taught alongside engineering, technology and business subjects.

  • Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, and Central Ohio Technical College in Newark, Ohio, in the United States.
  • Accra Polytechnic (now Accra Technical University) in Ghana, whose Higher National Diploma programmes, such as the HND Mechanical Engineering, last three years.
  • VIA University College in Horsens, Denmark, which offers English-taught bachelor's and AP degree programmes in fields such as construction, design, engineering and business. VIA states that a bachelor's degree in Denmark takes about 3.5 years and that it accepts IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge English tests as proof of English.

All four teach in English. No school in Spain is currently listed for this subject; in Spanish-speaking countries the skill is normally taught as part of engineering and science degrees, under names such as redacción de informes técnicos or comunicación técnica.

Careers

Most people who study technical report writing do not become full-time writers. They are engineers, laboratory technicians, inspectors, quality staff and researchers who need to report their own work. For them the subject is a working skill that employers expect.

Those who specialise work as technical writers, also called technical communicators or technical authors. They prepare instruction manuals, how-to guides, user guides and maintenance manuals. The BLS notes that some begin as specialists or research assistants in a technical field and move into writing later. In the United States there were 46,400 technical writer jobs in 2025, concentrated in the computer and the management, scientific and technical industries. The BLS projects employment to grow 1 percent from 2025 to 2035, slower than average, with about 3,200 openings each year.

Frequently asked questions

Is technical report writing a degree or a course?

Usually a course. It is taught inside engineering, science and technology programmes or as a short professional course, while full degrees carry names such as technical communication.

Do I need a technical background to study it?

It helps. The BLS says that knowledge of or experience with a technical subject such as science or engineering is beneficial for technical writers, and the UK National Careers Service lists science, computing and engineering among the usual degree subjects.

What does a technical report contain?

A typical report has a summary, an introduction, a description of the method, the results, a discussion and conclusions with recommendations, supported by tables, figures and references. Companies and universities often have their own templates.

Is there a certificate for technical writers?

Some professional associations offer certification. According to the BLS these credentials are not mandatory but demonstrate competence and professionalism.