What Do Students Enrolled in TPC Service Courses Want to Learn?

This study examines what undergraduate students want to learn in service technical and professional communication (TPC) courses at a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-focused university in the southeastern United States. We analyzed qualitative survey responses collected between Fall 2021 and Spring 2025 that asked students enrolled in TPC service courses what they wanted to learn. Results show that students prioritize professionalism, transferable skills, job-search, and career-related communication. Differences also emerged between business writing and technical writing students, particularly concerning disciplinary conventions, audience awareness, and genre. Findings suggest that framing TPC service course curricula around students’ interest in professionalism may strengthen connections between service course outcomes and workplace preparation.