The certificate in Technical and Professional Writing (TPW) offers students the opportunity to focus and sharpen their expertise in workplace and technical communication.
The TPW certificate can be completed through online, in-person, or hybrid courses.
What is technical and professional writing?
As technical writers, students will analyze audiences, visualize data, manage content, write reports, design user interfaces, compose web pages, and communicate science to the public. The TPW 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.
TPW Certificate at a Glance
TPW Perks and Career Advancement
- Connect with CU Denver’s English Careers Advisory Board of TPW professionals - all certificate students are invited to networking events, panels, and workshops (virtual and in-person) with our network of TPW professionals
- Receive one-on-one mentorship with faculty and TPW industry professionals
- Get connected with internship opportunities
- Gain hands-on practice by taking high impact client-partnered TPW courses (you complete real world technical writing projects for industry and community partners; client-partnered courses are remote or in-person)
- Work with faculty, career advisors, and TPW mentors to focus your job searches, build your TPW portfolio, optimize your resume, and practice interviews
Program Delivery
- This is on-campus and online program
Declaring This Certificate
For CU Denver Students:
- Declare the certificate by completing this short online form: CLAS Undergraduate Certificate Intent to Declare Form.
- The certificate advisor will contact you to discuss the program and your goals.
For Non-Degree seeking students:
- Certificate earners complete an online Application for Non-Degree Admission prior to registering for courses.
- Declare the certificate by completing this short online form: CLAS Undergraduate Certificate Intent to Declare Form.
- The certificate advisor will contact you to discuss the program and your goals.
Questions? Email certificate advisor Dr. Kari Campeau at kari.campeau@ucdenver.edu.
What are the requirements to complete the certificate?
- 4 courses or 12 hours of approved credits in the certificate’s course clusters (listed below). Credits applied to the certificate must be earned at CU Denver.
- An internship or an approved, upper-level course (at least 3 credits) taken outside of the English department (included in the 12 credits).
- A 3.0 GPA average in all approved TPW Certificate courses.
What are the course requirements?
Students should select one course from each of the following course clusters:
Courses not appearing on this approved list may still apply to the certificate – just ask the Director!
Cluster: 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.
- ENGL 3154: Technical Writing
- ENGL 4175: Writing in the Sciences
- ENGL 4190: Advanced Topics in Writing in approved topics (such as medical writing, usability and UX, accessibility in professional writing)
- ENGL 4177: Technical Editing
Cluster: 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.
- ENGL 3170: Business Writing
- ENGL 4280: Proposal and Grant Writing
- ENGL 3084: Digital Writing and Storytelling
- ENGL 4190: Advanced Topics in Writing & Digital Studies in approved topics (such as podcasting, humor writing, creative nonfiction writing)
- ENGL 4701: Multimedia in the Community
- ENGL 3405: Topics in Writing (in approved topics)
- ENGL 3416: Magazine Writing
- ENGL 3415: Screenwriting Workshop
Cluster: Rhetorical Approaches
These courses ground students’ TPW skills in rhetorical approaches to writing. Rhetorical approaches are anchored to audience, context, purpose and are attuned to the social and cultural contexts of communication.
- ENGL 2060: Intro to Writing & Digital Studies
- ENGL 2070: Grammar, Rhetoric, and Style
- ENGL 4190: Advanced Topics in Writing & Digital Studies (in approved topics)
- ENGL 3160: Language Theory
- ENGL 3405: Topics in Writing (in approved topics)
Cluster: Interdisciplinary Learning
For this requirement, students should either:
- Take a course outside of the English Department that advances your career goals, or
- Complete an approved internship
Contact Dr. Kari Campeau for help finding internships or for course suggestions.
Who can I contact for more information?
If you want to learn more about the Undergraduate Certificate in Technical & Professional Writing, please reach out to the program director, Dr. Kari Campeau at kari.campeau@ucdenver.edu.