Online certificates in professional writing
are available at the graduate level. Though these programs can help
aspiring writers further hone their craft, they're also suitable for
scientists, lawyers, marketers and numerous other workers who need to
create effective, polished written documents.
The online certificate program in professional writing is available
to individuals who have previously completed a bachelor's degree. It is
typically designed for individuals who don't hold English, writing or
journalism degrees and need to develop their writing skills for the
workplace. Through this professional writing program, students become
familiar with the principles of
technical writing,
rhetoric, magazine writing, editing, public relations and other
advanced writing and communication techniques. Since written
communication is essential to many industries, the certificate program
can help students pursuing careers in areas as diverse as science,
business, advertising and law.
The Graduate Certificate in Professional Writing program typically
takes 1-2 semesters to complete. All of the courses are available fully
online. Students submit their work through online educational course
systems, such as Blackboard, which are interactive and facilitate
communication between students and their professors and classmates. Some
programs require students to complete a writing internship in their
local area.
In order to complete the courses, students must have access to a
computer. They must also have reliable Internet access and may be
required to install some software programs to watch videos and submit
coursework.
List of Common Professional Writing Graduate Courses
Since certificate programs are short and typically take less than a
year to complete, students don't have general education credits to
fulfill. Instead, all of the classes are specifically related to
professional writing.
Technical Writing Course
Students learn how to write technical documents in this course. They
also study techniques for writing effective proposals, reports and sales
letters. This course may be particularly suitable for individuals
entering business, science, law or government.
Professional Editing Course
This course covers the basics of spelling, grammar and punctuation.
Students gain practice in editing and revising professional documents in
both electronic and print forms.
Grant Writing Course
Students study ways to write a grant proposal for fundraising
purposes based on an assessment of a company's needs. Some programs
require that students work with a local non-profit organization to write
a grant proposal on its behalf for a more thorough understanding of the
process.
Creative Writing Course
The adaptation of creative writing principles for other writing forms
is the focus of this course. Students learn how techniques commonly
seen in fiction can be used to make non-fiction prose more interesting,
without losing its factual basis.
Writing for Law Course
Students study introductory topics in legal research and writing. They gain experience creating legal documents and case briefs.
Writing for the Web requires different considerations than writing
for print publications, and students study both in this course. They
examine various research and writing techniques to explore what is
effective for each medium.
Graduates from the online professional writing certificate program
can find jobs as editors or writers, including technical writers and
business writers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (
www.bls.gov),
technical writers made a median of $62,730 in 2009, while writers in
general made a median of $53,900 and editors made a median of $50,800.
For those who earn the certificate not to pursue a writing career but to
increase their communication skills for a different career, the job and
salary prospects vary widely.
The online professional writing certificate can be useful for
individuals who want to continue their education by earning a master's
degree in writing, since students could transfer some of their courses.
Some students earn this graduate certificate to enhance their skills for
master's or doctoral degree programs in other fields; for example,
aspiring lawyers might earn the certificate between their baccalaureate
and Juris Doctor (J.D.) in order to improve their ability to write legal
documents.
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