Copyeditors' Knowledge Base

Education and Certification

Which is more important for editors, formal training or experience? Copyeditor Helen Schinske says both are valuable:

I think training did give me a leg up in a lot of ways. I had done a good deal of desultory proofreading and editing before going in for a formal certificate program, but the class work really consolidated and clarified a lot of ideas I'd been a bit vague on before. I'd never really had proper feedback on what I was doing—either there wasn't time or the customer didn't know any better than I did. In fact, I'd been doing a lot of things right, but it was a great relief to know they were right and to get official credit for what I knew. I also made a bunch of local connections in the business that have been quite important to me.

Probably nine-tenths of the benefit was psychological; if I'd had more chutzpah, I could have done just as well on my own. All the same, I really liked being part of a community of editors, and I liked getting pats on the back from my teachers. I came out of the training much more confident in my own ability to adapt and find my feet in the freelance world.

American Medical Writers Association
The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) offers one of the most extensive continuing education programs available to professionals in the medical and allied scientific communication fields. AMWA courses are tailored for the profession, are continually expanded to broaden the options for both novice and experienced medical communicators, and meet the needs of both medical writers and medical editors. [ at chapter and national conferences | self-study programs available]
Board of Editors in the Life Sciences
Medical and science copyeditors can obtain certification of their proficiency by taking the 3-hour Board of Editors in the Life Sciences (BELS) test. This assures clients that you're highly skilled. [ online | examination sites around the world]
Bookjobs.com
If you’re still working on your degree, an internship may be the perfect way to experience the inner workings of the publishing industry. Some are paid, many offer college credit, and all provide invaluable knowledge that may help you get your foot in the door when it comes time to look for a full-time job. Bookjobs.com, sponsored by the Association of American Publishers, offers a listing of links to publishers who offer internships. [ online ]
Boston Center for Adult Education
Choose from a variety of online courses on writing, editing, and publishing taught by experienced professionals. [ online ]
Boston University
The university offers a master of arts and a doctorate in editorial studies. Its Editorial Institute was formed with the conviction that the textually sound, contextually annotated edition is central to the intellectual life of many disciplines. [ Boston, MA ]
California State University Chico
The university's certificate in Literary Editing and Publishing offers training in editing, copyediting, selection standards, publishing procedures, graphics, printing technologies, and marketing and distribution of literature. [ Chico, CA | online ]
Communication Central
Training programs offered by freelance writer, editor, and presenter Ruth E. Thaler-Carter and tech writer and editor Katharine "Kat" Nagel for aspiring and current freelance writers, editors, and others in the communications field who seek advice and assistance in launching and enhancing their businesses. [ Rochester, NY ]
Comteck
A privately maintained resource for consultants. It includes links to certificate programs, online tools, editorial tutorials, and online publishing tests and reviews. [ online ]
Copyediting
The leading newsletter in its field since 1991, Copyediting is for communications officers of major corporations, editors of trade newsletters, freelancers for journal publishers, newspaper copy chiefs, managing editors at book publishers, writers for major magazines, and more. The newsletter (formerly Copy Editor) is the preferred source of language news, style advice, and usage tips. It also offers in-person workshops and distance-learning audio conferences and webinars. [ online ]

Copyediting offers a series of online editing training modules in the following categories: fundamentals of English grammar and syntax, fundamentals of punctuation and mechanics, fundamentals of copyediting, copyediting resources, advanced copyediting, in-depth with style guides, and specialized skills. Choose any of the modules à la carte and get a certificate of completion for each one, which will count toward full certification, to be available by the end of 2009. The certificate program prepares editors to work on copy for magazines, journals, and books and in corporate communications. The modules are self-paced 2-hour online courses. [ online ]
Drug Information Association
Diahome.org (DIA) offers training courses that serve the needs of both beginners and those seeking to further develop advanced skills in a variety of disciplines. A medical writing certificate is among them. [ Horsham, PA | online ]
Editorial Freelancers Association
EFA hosts one-day workshops, seminars, and classroom and online courses designed especially for editorial freelancers. [ online ]
Editcetera
Editcetera offers courses by mail and workshops on general and specialized editing, proofreading, grammar, the business of freelancing, and other topics. Workshops are held in Berkeley, California. [ Berkeley, California | online ]
Editors' Association of Canada
The EAC program is based on an examination covering the four core areas of skills and knowledge set out in Professional Editorial Standards. Membership is not required. [ online ]
EEI Communications
EEI workshops are taught by professionals who have practiced their skills for many years as communications support providers for corporations, associations, and government agencies. Workshops in subjects such as writing and editing; Macintosh and PC software; design, desktop production, and project management; Web site development, multimedia, and the Internet are available in Alexandria, Herndon, and Reston, Virginia; Boca Raton, Florida; Columbia, Hunt Valley, and Silver Spring, Maryland; Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and online. [ various locations | online ]
George Washington University's Master of Professional Studies in Publishing
The master of professional studies (MPS) degree in publishing gives students a solid background in all areas of publishing. The program integrates traditional print with electronic publishing topics, including editorial acquisitions, production and design, copyright law in print and cyberspace, marketing, distribution, management, and business. Designed for current and aspiring professionals, including post-bachelor and post-graduate students who have earned their degrees in other disciplines but desire careers in publishing, the program offers courses in the evenings at George Washington University's convenient Alexandria Graduate Education Center. Students can complete the degree in two years while working. [ Alexandria, VA ]
Graduate School
The Graduate School, formerly known as the USDA Graduate School, offers a certificate program in editing and publishing that includes theoretical practices, hands-on editing, proofreading, and indexing. [ online ]
Institute for American Thought: graduate editing certificate program
This program from the School of Liberal Arts of Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis provides an interdisciplinary range of core and elective courses designed for graduate students who want to study the techniques and consequences of traditional editing procedures, learn how corrupted texts of the past can be recovered and disseminated for readers today, and explore how these procedures are evolving in reaction to the rapidly changing technical communications environment of the information age. [ Indianapolis, IN ]
mediabistro.com
mediabistro.com offers courses, both online and classroom, for editors, writers, television producers, graphic designers, book publishers, people in production, and circulation departments—in industries including magazines, television, radio, newspapers, book publishing, online media, advertising, public relations, and graphic design. [ New York, NY | online ]
Michigan State University
MSU Law offers new masters’ programs on intellectual property specifically designed to meet the demand for attorneys and professionals working in the intellectual property and communications areas. [ East Lansing, MI | online ]
National Association of Independent Writers and Editors
The National Association of Independent Writers and Editors is a professional association that embraces both literary and commercial writers and editors. The association links independent professionals with information, support, and resources they need to build a thriving business. The organization believes that entrepreneurship provides the best job security and benefits available, and it offers support to each member on the path to success. [ Ashland, VA | online ]
National Association of Science Writers
The association offers a number of workshops and conferences throughout the year, as well as web space for individual pages for freelance science writers and articles for science writers and about science writing. [ New York | online ]
New Jersey Institute of Technology
This master of science degree in professional and technical communications includes digital layout and graphics, information development, usability testing, advanced research methods, and technical editing. [ Newark, NJ | online ]
New York University
NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies offers a wide variety of classes in the publishing field, including a master of science degree in publishing. The program provides students with the fundamentals of book and magazine publishing, while preparing them to succeed in an era of digital publishing and media convergence. Students learn to explore multiple approaches to creating, managing, distributing, and marketing content across multiple platforms, including books, e-books, periodicals, web sites, blogs, podcasts, mobile extensions, and other formats. [ New York | online ]
nSightworks.com
nSight offers a wide range of the most popular publishing tools, technologies, and skills-based training programs. It specializes in consultative one-to-one tutorials, small group training, and team training. [ Burlington, MA ]
Pace University
The Pace publishing certificate program is designed for professionals who would like to extend their knowledge of the publishing field through online education. Courses include marketing, distribution methods, editorial principles, magazine circulation, and legal aspects of publishing. [ White Plains, NY ]
Ryerson University
The Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson offers an extensive array of online and distance learning programs. Among these are the business of book publishing, copyediting, journal production and writing, and more. [ Toronto, ON | online ]
Simon Fraser University Summer Publishing Workshops
The SFU workshops offer a chance to learn from and work with more than 100 of Canada’s top editors, writers, marketers, designers, publishers, and new-media moguls. They will challenge and guide students through an intense educational experience. [ Vancouver, BC ]
Stanford University
Stanford University offers several highly tailored courses for working professionals who want to expand their expertise in the business of publishing. Participants are drawn from publishing companies, associations, corporations, and throughout the United States and around the globe. [ Stanford, CA | online ]
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences offers a master of science degree program in science and technology journalism to prepare students for careers as reporters, writers, and editors specializing in the coverage of science, technology, and medicine. Each student's choice of courses is geared to his or her interests and goals. Students choose between an internship track and a thesis track. [ College Station, TX ]
Thieme
Thieme, an STM (scientific, technical, medical) publisher for more than 100 years with offices in New York, Stuttgart, and Singapore, offers internships (year-round, full time or part time, from 10 weeks to 6 months, with a stipend to cover transportation expenses and lunch, flexible office hours, and possibly academic credit) with hands-on publishing experience in the areas of editorial, production, marketing, sales, accounting, and Internet and information technology. An interview is required for acceptance into the program. [ New York, NY ]
“Toolkit for New Medical Writers”
An in-depth article explaining how to get started as a medical writer. [ online ]
University of California Berkeley
The Berkeley Extension offers a three-course editing sequence for those currently working as editors who need a concentrated program to acquire additional skills, those who want to make a transition into editing, and those who want to enter the publishing field as editors. There are also courses available in editing, publishing, indexing, writing, and technical communication. [ Berkeley, CA | online ]
University of California San Diego Extension
UCSD Extension is an innovator in providing lifelong learning solutions to the San Diego community and abroad. Its online courses are ideal for students and professionals with busy schedules. It offers a copyediting certificate program that provides a solid grounding in the tools and techniques of copyediting and prepares students for an entry-level copyediting position. Topics covered include performing a light, medium, or heavy edit on nonfiction copy and using style guides. The program is designed to be completed online in 12 to 15 months of part-time study. [ San Diego, CA | online ]
University of Chicago Graham School of General Studies
The Graham school offers certificate programs providing professional credentials in editing and in medical writing and editing. [ Chicago, IL ]
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
The school's master of biomedical writing is the only master of science degree in the field in the United States. Elective courses cover specialized topics in continuing medical education, entrepreneurship, regulatory writing, and Western traditions in biomedical communication. Because the program is taught online, it is especially convenient for working professionals. [ online ]
University of Washington Extension
The University of Washington Extension Certificate Program in Editing offers students a chance to gain the basic skills to edit manuscripts for the publishing industry (books, magazines, and online). Copyediting, the art of proposing editorial changes, the editorial process, and the relationship between editors and writers are emphasized. The Extension also offers a Certificate Program in Technical Writing and Editing. [ Seattle, WA ]