Introduction

Technical writers analyze audiences, visualize data, manage content, write reports, design apps and user interfaces, compose web pages, and communicate science to the public. Technical and professional writing is everywhere. It’s a dynamic field and industry that is constantly changing to keep pace with new technologies, emerging problems, and audience needs. The Technical and Professional Writing Certificate prepares students to become innovative, collaborative, and technically proficient writers who can work across a range of fields, including business, health, nonprofits, technology, science, publishing, environment, and law.

Program Delivery 

• The certificate can be completed through online, in-person, or hybrid courses.

Declaring This Certificate

Students interested in completing this certificate should complete this form: CLAS Undergraduate Certificate Intent to Declare Form, which requests that the certificate be added to your student record. Once added, you will be able to run a certificate degree audit. The certificate degree audit should be used in collaboration with the Certificate Advisor to ensure successful completion of the requirements.

Students should then work with Kari Campeau (kari.campeau@ucdenver.edu) – the certificate advisor, to ensure completion of all certificate requirements.

Completing This Certificate

Students must also complete the CLAS Undergraduate Certificate Completion Verification Form, before graduation, in order to confirm completion of their certificate. The certificate advisor will confirm that your certificate has been successfully completed, and will work with campus partners to apply the certificate to your transcript.

Students must fill out the Certificate Completion Form before the deadlines below, to ensure the certificate is applied to your transcript correctly. If you are a non-degree seeking student, please fill out this form in the term in which you intend to complete your certificate.

Spring semester – April 1
Summer semester – July 1
Fall semester – November 1

These program requirements are subject to periodic revision by the academic department, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences reserves the right to make exceptions and substitutions as judged necessary in individual cases. Therefore, the College strongly urges students to consult regularly with their Technical and Professional Writing advisor to confirm the best plans of study before finalizing them.

General Requirements

Students must satisfy all requirements as outlined below and by the department offering the certificate.

• Click here for information about Academic Policies

Certificate Requirements

1. Students must complete a minimum of 9 ENGL credit hours.
2. Students must complete a minimum of six upper-division (3000- level or higher) credit hours. 
3. Students must earn a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in all courses that apply to the certificate and must achieve a minimum cumulative certificate GPA of 3.0. Courses taken using P+/P/F or S/U grading cannot apply to certificate requirements.
4. All credits for the certificate must be completed with CU Denver faculty.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete the following required course:		3
ENGL 3154	Technical Writing
Complete two elective courses - one from Cluster 1 and one from Cluster 2.		6
Cluster 1
Cluster 2
Students complete one of the following:		3
ENGL 3939	Internship 1
One additional course from either Cluster 1 or Cluster 2
Total Hours		12

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Students should work with the certificate director to enroll in an internship for credit related to professional and technical writing.

Cluster 1: Technical & Scientific Writing

These foundational courses introduce students to technical or scientific writing. Students can expect to gain an academic grounding as well as hands-on experience in technical or scientific writing.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
COMM 4500	Health Communication	3
COMM 4558	Digital Health Narratives	3
ENGL 3140	Writing and Editing with Generative Artificial Intelligence	3
ENGL 4175	Writing in the Sciences	3
ENGL 4177	Technical Editing	3
ENGL 4190	Advanced Topics in Writing, Rhetoric, & Linguistics	3
GEOG 2080	The Power of Maps: Introduction to Geospatial Sciences	3
GEOG 4080	Introduction to GIS	3
HIST 4261	Working With Data	3

Cluster 2: Professional Writing

These courses offer students an opportunity to develop their TPW skills in a specific field or industry. Courses focus on the unique TPW skills and situations called for when writing for business, nonprofit, community, journalistic, or grant-writing contexts.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
COMM 3072	Media Writing Skills	3
COMM 3081	Introduction to Digital Studies	3
COMM 3650	Media and Society	3
COMM 3660	Social Media for Social Change	3
COMM 4660	Queer Media Studies	3
ENGL 2060	Introduction to Writing & Digital Studies	3
ENGL 3084	Digital Writing and Storytelling	3
ENGL 3170	Business Writing	3
ENGL 3405	Topics in Writing	3
ENGL 3415	Screenwriting Workshop	3
ENGL 3416	Magazine Writing	3
ENGL 4088	Literary Editing: Copper Nickel	3
ENGL 4177	Technical Editing	3
ENGL 4190	Advanced Topics in Writing, Rhetoric, & Linguistics	3
ENGL 4280	Proposal and Grant Writing	3
ENGL 4701	Multimedia in the Community	3

To learn more about the Student Learning Outcomes for this program, please visit our website.