Online technical writing certificates at accredited universities

Are you a worker in a position where the best online essay writing service certificate could help with promotion? Learn about these accredited university programs.

Technical writers often fall into the job with little formal training. Engineers, developers, marketing specialists, and others may be asked to help with a proposal, some documentation, a manual - and suddenly a technical writer is born. If you need some formal training, though, online technical writing certificate programs can help with understanding the theory and practice of the field - but be sure to choose an accredited university program.

Online Technical Writing Certificates

Why online? Most workers don't have the luxury of a nearby accredited university with a strong, well-established tech writing program. Fortunately, major universities have created certificates in publishing and writing departments to help workers who need a structured tech writing credential.

You want to be careful when choosing a tech writing certificate program, though – many colleges offer publishing certificates, or web marketing certificates, that may have technical writing components, but don't maintain the focus on technical writing, document structure, code documentation, and other elements that a tech writer truly needs to know to gain mastery over the job.

To make certain a program is rigorous enough for your professional needs, go to the Society for Technical Communications' website - the organization devoted to technical writing – and verify that your online technical writing certificate is in their database of approved programs.

Continuing Education for Adult Learners

Many online technical writing certificates are offered for people who already possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited university. If you do not have a B.A. or B.S., contact the school's admissions department to ask about "special student" status. Some colleges will make exceptions for experienced professionals.

Otherwise, be prepared to apply for admission to the certificate program the same way you applied for an undergraduate degree. You may need:

• Transcripts from past work
• References from employers
• A short essay describing why you want to enrol

Three Online Technical Writing Certificate Programs

The following three online technical writing certificates can be completed in months or less attending part-time, and all are with established, non-profit universities with strong reputations.

Brooklyn College – this online technical writing certificate course is run through the continuing education department at Brooklyn College and consists of eight courses.

University of California at San Diego – this online technical writing certificate requires 8 to 9 courses for completion.

University of California at Riverside – this certificate program requires 5 courses.

If you are looking for an online technical writing degree program, read about three colleges that offer bachelor's degree online for tech writing at Online Technical Writing Degrees.