Proposal and Grant Writing Graduate Certificate

The certificate program in Proposal and Grant Writing (PGW) offers students a structured program to complete graduate-level instruction in the areas of grant development and proposal writing and to gain professional experience writing proposals and managing grants.

In this program, you will  learn about and gain experience in all stages of the grant development process, including prospecting funding opportunities, building relationships with funders, managing complex grant proposals and teams, writing and designing proposals, and managing grant funds, work plans, outcomes assessments, and relationships.

Grant writing professionals are in demand and possess a specific set of skills–these factors make proposal and grant writing particularly amenable to certificate programming. Students who earn this certificate will develop their writing and project management capacities and will gain a set of hands-on skills that translate into a range of workplace roles.

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

Certificate students complete a foundational course, Proposal and Grant Writing, and then complete an additional 3 courses that are tailored to their professional pathways. Students typically complete an additional track in Grant Writing in the Sciences, Grant Writing for Research, Grant Writing in the Nonprofit Sector, Grant Writing in Government, or Proposal Writing in Business.

PGW Graduate Certificate at a Glance

  • Can be completed online or hybrid

  • 12 credits

  • 9 out of the 12 credits need to be graduate-level courses (5000-level or higher)

  • 3.0 GPA minimum in PGW courses

PGW Graduate Credential at a Glance

  • Can be completed online or hybrid

  • 6 credits

  • All 6 credits need to be graduate-level courses (5000-level or higher)

  • 3.0 GPA minimum in PGW courses

Program Perks and Career Advancement

  • Connect with CU Denver’s English Careers Advisory Board of TPW professionals. All certificate and credential 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 grant writing professionals

  • Get connected with internship opportunities

  • Gain hands-on practice by taking high impact client-partnered grant writing courses

  • Work with faculty, career advisors, and mentors to focus your job searches, build your TPW portfolio, optimize your resume, and practice interviews

Program Delivery 

  • This is an online or hybrid program

Declaring This Credential

For CU Denver Students:

Eligibility:

  • CU Denver graduate students in any discipline can apply to the program at any point in their studies.

  • Non-degree-seeking students who have earned an undergraduate degree are welcome to apply.

To Apply for the certificate:

Additional information about the undergraduate certificate in Technical and Professional Communication may be obtained from Dr. Kari Campeau, 240-731-4229 or kari.campeau@ucdenver.edu.

What are the requirements to complete the credential?

Students complete the certificate by taking 3 credits in the foundational course, Proposal and Grant Writing, and one grant writing elective or internship.

Foundational Course (3 credits)

English 5280: Proposal and Grant Writing

  • This course is offered every spring semester as an online course

Elective Courses (3 credits)

English 5175: Writing in the Sciences

  • When: This course is offered every Fall and Spring semesters in both online and in-person modalities

  • Description: Provides rhetorical analyses of scientific discourse and student practice in writing research reports and proposals. 

  • This course also taught as an experiential learning course, wherein students work on sections of NIH and NSF proposals

  • Who should take this elective?: This course is most useful to students pursuing the certificate with career interests in academia, science, medicine, and/or healthcare.

English 5177: Technical Editing

  • When: This course is offered every Fall semester and alternates online and in-person.

  • Description: This course will immerse students in the world of copyediting, technical editing, and scientific editing. You will learn a lot about the industry and do a lot of hands-on editing, and complete the course with a polished editing portfolio,

  • Who should take this elective? This elective is great for students who want to sharpen and showcase your writing and editing skills. If you are considering grant writing as part of a wider suite of professional and technical writing skills, this class is a good one for you.

English 5939: Grant Writing Internship

  • When: This course is offered every fall, spring, and summer semester. Internships can be completed in-person, online, or hybrid modalities.

  • Description: The PGW program has a range of internships students can pursue. You will work with the director to set up an internship in your area of interest. Students have worked in grant writing internships in government, nonprofits, NGOs, academic research, scientific research, and engineering.

  • Who should take this elective?: Students eager for professional experience and networking. It’s hard to go wrong with a grant writing internship.

What are the requirements to complete the certificate?

Students complete the certificate by taking 3 credits in the foundational course, Proposal and Grant Writing, and then complete three electives in a designated track.

Foundational Course (3 credits)

English 5280: Proposal and Grant Writing

  • This course is offered every spring semester as an online course

Elective Courses (9 credits)

Track One: Grant Writing in the Sciences

  • ENGL 3154: Technical Writing

  • ENGL 5175: Writing in the Sciences

  • ENGL 5177: Technical Editing

  • ENGL 4/5190: Advanced Topics in Writing, Rhetoric, and Linguistics in approved topics

  • HIST 5261 / COMMM 5261: Working With Data

  • ENGL 3939: Grant Writing Internship

Track Two: Grant Writing for Research

  • ENGL 3154: Technical Writing

  • ENGL 5175: Writing in the Sciences

  • ENGL 5177: Technical Editing

  • HIST 5261 / COMMM 5261: Working With Data

  • ENGL 3939: Grant Writing Internship

Track 3: Grant Writing in the Nonprofit Sector

  • ENGL 4/5800: Creative Nonfiction Workshop

  • ENGL 4/5190: Advanced Topics in Writing, Rhetoric, and Linguistics in approved topics

  • HIST 5261 / COMMM 5261: Working With Data

  • PUAD 5115 -  Effective Grant Writing for Nonprofit and Public Sector Managers

  • ENGL 3939: Grant Writing Internship

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.