Sorry Engineering students, you need more writing requirements

Transitioning from LSA to the College of Engineering has been jarring. Aside from the 3:7 female-to-male ratio, I’ve noticed a stark difference in communication skills between both cohorts of students. Within LSA, it was quite easy to carry conversations with peers. Meanwhile, in the College of Engineering, it has been impossible to make any form of small talk. I prepared myself to be in the gendered minority of any room I walked into, but I did not think I would be in the “communication skills” minority as well. 

Over the past month, I asked three project teams (student-run engineering competition teams) five questions: their year, major, graduate plans, if they took ENGR 100 or an equivalent course, and their opinion about introducing an upper-level writing requirement to the core engineering curriculum. Half had plans to attend graduate school, but three-quarters are uninterested in the idea of a writing course — which could help with their graduate school applications.

In addition to major requirements, LSA students must complete two writing classes and fulfill other distribution requirements. The College of Engineering, on the other hand, requires that students take ENGR 100, a First-Year Writing Requirement analog and some form of technical communication component built into majors. Despite this, after asking around, I found that many of my engineering colleagues seem to undervalue the importance of strong writing skills.

One of the most significant benefits of requiring writing classes for engineering students is the development of greater communication skills. Writing courses teach more than just technical writing; they cover essential skills such as argumentation, clarity and persuasion. These skills are crucial for engineers who often need to explain complex ideas to nontechnical stakeholders or advocate for their projects effectively. 

Imagine an engineer presenting a new project to a board of directors, many of whom may not have a technical background. Without strong writing and communication skills, the engineer may struggle to convey the importance and impact of their work, leading to misunderstandings and potential setbacks. In today’s world, being able to communicate effectively is just as important as technical expertise. 

The importance of writing skills extends beyond technical fields. Most engineering graduates find themselves working on interdisciplinary teams that include professionals from varying backgrounds. A solid foundation in writing can facilitate better collaboration and innovation. In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to articulate ideas clearly and persuasively can lead to more productive discussions and breakthroughs. By taking a writing class, engineering students can learn how to communicate with professionals in other fields, fostering an environment where creativity and diverse perspectives can thrive. 

Effective communication is also vital for career readiness and adaptability. Engineers often shift careers or roles, and strong writing skills are versatile. These skills are valuable whether they enter consulting, management or academia. Writing essays enhances critical thinking and analytical skills, preparing students for a variety of challenges they may face in their professional lives. 

Consider the engineer who decides to transition into consulting. Their ability to write compelling reports and deliver presentations can significantly influence their success in that new role. A writing course can provide the practice and feedback necessary for honing skills, ultimately making students more versatile and marketable in the job market. 

Aside from the professional edge writing gives you, there’s a genuine concern among many teachers that many college students, including those in engineering programs, lack the necessary reading and writing skills for academic success. These lack of skills may lead to shorter attention spans and less emphasis on lengthy texts. A dedicated writing course could help bridge this gap by providing structured practice and feedback, ensuring that all students can effectively communicate their ideas. This is especially critical as engineering students encounter dense technical literature, and the ability to distill information into clear writing is essential for their future roles. 

In speaking with most of my peers, I’ve noticed a troubling trend: Many struggle to articulate their thoughts coherently, even in informal settings. The ability to communicate clearly is not just an academic skill — it’s a life skill that can affect personal and professional relationships. By requiring a writing course, perhaps even one that requires oral communication, the College of Engineering can ensure that its graduates are not only technically competent, but also capable of contributing meaningfully to discussions in their workplaces and communities. 

The College of Engineering already has technical communication classes built into some required courses across majors. The TC requirement is similar to a standard English writing course, but with the added layer of writing in a concise manner. Some disciplines have stand-alone technical communication classes, taught only by members of the Program in Technical Communication. For instance, in the Industrial & Operations Engineering program, students must take TC 380 (Technical Communication in IOE) their junior year. In others, TC is embedded in a class, co-taught by an instructor from TC and another from the major program. For example, the Aerospace Engineering program requirement AERO 305 (Aerospace Engineering Laboratory I). Since the Department of Robotics opened in 2022, the TC program was able to curate a curriculum that took their learnings from other departments and created something unique just for them. Robotics uses a hybrid of both, using stand-alone and embedded technical communications courses in their curriculum. 

In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Kelly Hanson, director of the Program in Technical Communication, discussed the role of technical communication in the College of Engineering. 

“I think that if we could do a model like (Robotics) in every department, would that be amazing? Absolutely. Would there be benefits to student learning? Yes. Would it be expensive in multiple ways? Obviously, it would take people to teach it and time, both of which cost things,” Hanson said. “But it would also be a cost to students too, because when you’re talking about adding in credits to the curriculum, something else is falling out. Or you’re adding to the point where you end up with more credit hours to take.” 

Hanson is right to say that TC classes prepare engineering students, but practicing writing skills, especially for upperclassmen preparing to enter the workforce or applying to graduate school, remains crucial. Most technical communication classes can help those entering a field they just studied, but these courses need to do more to prepare students who transition to new fields, as many eventually will. 

The writing skills needed in a technical communication context differ significantly from those needed to articulate complex ideas in essay form. Look, an engineering major on The Daily would be in favor of adding more explicit writing requirements because I’ve written many lab reports for my classes, but writing an argumentative essay — even a column like this one — is a completely different ballgame. Writing essays encourages students to develop their arguments, analyze different viewpoints and construct coherent narratives — skills that are invaluable regardless of one’s career path. 

Considering these differences, it is clear that each engineering major’s curriculum should adopt the Department of Robotics model with courses co-taught by staff and faculty from the Department of English Language and Literature. By prioritizing writing skills, the College of Engineering can help its students become not only exceptional engineers, but also effective communicators. This change will better prepare them for the diverse and collaborative environments they will encounter in their careers. It’s time to recognize that strong writing skills are just as essential to an engineer’s toolkit as technical knowledge, and it’s time for the curriculum to reflect that. 

Jovanna Gallegos is an Opinion Analyst from Lansing. She writes about technology, health care and things she finds interesting. She can be reached at jovanna@umich.edu.

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