<p>While I'm still inclined to agree regarding technical writing, I think the importance of this has diminished over the last several decades. Speaking from someone in the technical field, I have seen a huge change in terms of modes of communication since I first joined the technical ranks. Back in "the old days", formal, written communication was the standard way of communicating. We used to have mail delivered to our offices 3 or 4 times a day with memos and engineer's notes. Now, with advances in email and the need for significantly shortened design cycles, the importance of the memo has given way to email chains and PowerPoint presentations. Writing is still important, but just not as much as before. Hopefully, technical writing classes have evolved to take this new form of communication into account.</p>
<p>org, I took the request for few distribution requirements differently-- I took it to mean that he wanted room to take <em>deep</em> programs in engineering, edu, arch, & theatre. I would think these four areas of interest are diverse anough to imply a balanced curriculum w/out specific dist requirements.</p>
<p>My brother, I think, would be ok with some sort of distribution. </p>
<p>For example, I know Rice has some distribution requirements, but you aren't required to take classes in any one department. Same with U. of Rochester. </p>
<p>I don't think it is a requirement for him that there is a completely open curriculum a la Brown or Smith. He just doesn't want to be paying tens of thousands of dollars to take several classes that he has no interest in, with other students who have no interest in them, when he could be taking things he'd love instead with students who share his passions. </p>
<p>I think he understands the importance of getting a balanced education, and his interests reflect that. At the same time, I can understand where he's comng from about required courses.</p>
<p>I want to major in architecture but out of state colleges are a problem for me...Can anyone help me find architecture-friendly schools in Virginia?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.naab.org/cal_cat1724/cal_cat.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.naab.org/cal_cat1724/cal_cat.htm</a></p>
<p>Pick the state of VA</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>Fundingfather, I believe your comments have more to do with inter-office communications which can be rather informal. However when writing documentation, specifications, formal reports for public dissemination and correspondence to clients, informality will not cut it with engineering management. Sloppy writing reflects poorly on the author and the corporation sending it out the door. Proper organization of thoughts which is taught in a good Technical Writing course is also very helpful in public presentatiopns,.</p>
<p>UVA and Virginia Tech have good architecture schools. I know grads from both.</p>
<p>Not as familiar with Hampton....</p>
<p>Originaloog, many/most engineers typically do not get involved with writing in which the target audience is external. Probably in the world of civil engineering, which I believe is your field, things are different. But most "hi-tech" companies have technical writers (non-engineers) who do externally facing documents. Probably 98% of anything an engineer writes in our company is internal in nature. We even have one senior VP who refuses to read any document that is sent to him unless it is in bullet format (or diagrams) in a PowerPoint document. He just doesn't have the time to read paragraph-based documents.</p>
<p>Every student considering an engineering program should read Originaloog's intial post on this thread.</p>
<p>Here is a small, rural school for architecture. There aren't many, Architecture is almost always part of a university. For a complete list of architecture programs you can go to the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture web site, <a href="http://www.acsa-arch.org%5B/url%5D">www.acsa-arch.org</a>. He should look at the affiliated members as well as the full members. There are a couple of small, LAC's that have an undergraduate in architectural studies that he could take and then transfer for his masters.</p>
<p>ANDREWS UNIVERSITY
The Division of Architecture
Berrien Springs, MI 49104-0450
Phone: 269/471-6003
Fax: 269/471-6261
Email: <a href="mailto:collard@andrews.edu">collard@andrews.edu</a></p>
<p>Carey C. Carscallen, Director</p>