What is the Best Degree to Get to Become a Grant Writer?

becoming-a-grant-writerWhile there are a plethora of personally and professionally rewarding careers that an individual could opt to pursue, becoming a grant writer can be particularly advantageous. This is the case for several reasons, including the fact that becoming a grant writer gives individuals the opportunity to help individuals and organizations attain the financial assistance necessary to complete meaningful projects. If you have decided to become a grant writer, you may be interested in learning which degree you should attain to jumpstart your career. By reading the data below, you can obtain an answer to this important question.

Grant Writing Degree Options

If you are interested in learning what the best degree is to become a grant writer, you should know that there isn’t one specific degree that will facilitate the most excellence and expedience in this career sector. However, individuals who have chosen to become grant writers should select a degree program that is writing-intensive. Below you will find a brief breakdown of four such programs:

English

English degrees place primacy upon the study of language and literature while also emphasizing the development of strong writing skills. Because grant writing typically involves extensive reading and writing, individuals who opt to pursue this career field should consider English when selecting degree programs. Throughout the course of the educational career, the student will learn how to write in a variety of different formats, including argumentative essays, research papers, and expository work.

Resource: 25 Great Scholarships for English Majors

Journalism

Journalism is the process of investigating trends, events, and issues and subsequently reporting them via mass media formats such as newspapers, magazines, television, blogs, and mobile media. This field involves the development of skills with design, photography, editing, and writing. Because this degree program is writing intensive, people who plan to become grant writers should consider it.

Communications

Communications is a field that involves analyzing the processes of human communication. Within this field, a wide range of topics are covered, including the world of television broadcasting and face-to-face conversations. Additionally, the field of communication can involve the study of how messages are interpreted in cultural, political, semiotic, economic, and hermeneutic contexts.

Marketing

Marketing is a degree program that involves the study of how individuals and businesses communicate the value of services and products to customers in order to sell those services and products. Because the field of marketing is designed to help students effectively advertise goods and services, the degree program will involve learning how to write persuasive messages. For this reason, marketing can be an ideal degree program for individuals who are preparing to become grant writers.

Other Considerations

In addition to selecting a writing-intensive degree program in order to become a great grant writer, you should know that there are various skills employers will typically look for. Specifically, employers will want employees who are detail-oriented, have computer research skills, are experienced with productivity software, and have strong communication skills.

As Joanne Fritz points out in How to Write a Grant Proposal, “Grant proposals are a part of any fundraiser’s portfolio.” In recognizing the integral role that grant proposals can play in facilitating the economic livelihood of important projects, individuals who have chosen to become grant writers should note that formal study can help them excel in their chosen career field. Now that you have a basic understanding of several degree programs that can help you if you’re interested in becoming a grant writer, you can determine which educational path would be best for you to follow.