Business Communication vs Technical Writing: which one fits your program?

Pick by what your program asks for. Business Communication (Business 210) covers how people communicate at work, from teams and cultures to leaders and business messages. Advanced Technical Writing (English 120) is mostly writing: instructions, reports, résumés, proposals, research and grammar. If your college takes ACE recommendations, Advanced Technical Writing is the one with an ACE ID (UPIS-0014).

Advanced Technical Writing has an English code (English 120). NCCRS recommends it in Technical Writing, Business, Communications or Applied Learning, and ACE recommends Advanced Technical Writing in Technical Writing. NCCRS recommends Business Communication in Business, Communication, Business Communication, Communication Studies or Management. Which requirement each one meets is your college's decision, so ask your registrar before you choose.

Business Communication's final is 100 multiple-choice questions. Advanced Technical Writing's final has two parts: 3 writing questions and 100 multiple-choice questions. Both finals are proctored; quizzes and the assignment are open-book.

Business Communication: NCCRS recommends 3 semester hours, lower division, in Business among other subjects. Advanced Technical Writing: NCCRS recommends 3 semester hours, lower division, in Technical Writing among other subjects; ACE recommends 3 (ACE ID UPIS-0014).

Business Communication is longer by its syllabus. Business Communication: 9 chapters and 68 instructional hours. Advanced Technical Writing: 12 chapters and 56 instructional hours. Both are self-paced, so you finish as fast or as slow as you want.

No prerequisites are listed for Business Communication and Advanced Technical Writing, so the order is up to you and your program.

Business Communication: Bovee, C. L., & Thill, J. V. (2023). Excellence in Business Communication (14th ed.). Pearson, with other references. Advanced Technical Writing: Kinonen, Amber. ENGL 145: Technical & Report Writing. 1st ed., Bay College, Designed by Bay College Online Learning Department, Creative Commons License, with other references.

Business Communication: NCCRS only. Advanced Technical Writing: yes, ACE ID UPIS-0014, 3 semester hours. ACE listings run three years and UPI Study renews them as they end; credit you have earned stays valid for 10 years.

Business Ethics. In the “Start in business” order on the Business courses page, it follows Business Communication. Your program may set its own order.

On upistudy.com: the Business Communication syllabus opens after a free sign-in. It lists all 9 chapters, the grading and the credit recommendation, so you can send it to your registrar.

Take it again: a failed Business Communication final comes with one free retake (fail that and you restart the course). A passed final can be retaken too, but the original score stands; for quizzes, the average of your first two attempts counts.

ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities. Search your school in Find My College and ask your registrar which courses Business 210 and English 120 would count as. For the registrar: Business Communication's NCCRS recommendation lists Business and Advanced Technical Writing's NCCRS recommendation lists Technical Writing.