• Prepare for a career in editing
• Enhance your professional writing and editing skills
• Earn a recognized credential

• Complete the 6 required courses (100 hours)
• Can be completed within 3 semesters up to a maximum of 3 years

For course materials visit the Cougars Campus Store and search by Term and Department (XCOM). Some materials may be purchased independently,

Required Courses

Editing Fundamentals
Discover the fundamentals of professional editing and the skills and standards common to all editors. Learn why editing matters and how editing skills can be developed and refined. Be introduced to different kinds of editing (copy editing, style editing and structural editing).

Recommended Preparation:  Grammar and Punctuation Essentials

No textbook required.

Subject (for registration): Communications

Copyediting and Proofreading
In this course, you will explore copyediting and proofreading—onscreen and on paper, learn how to use and create house style guides and style sheets and recognize the importance of copyright, citations and references. Using examples from a variety of non-fiction material, you will have the opportunity to develop your copyediting and proofreading skills.

Recommended Preparation:  Grammar and Punctuation Essentials and Editing Fundamentals

Required Textbooks and Resources: The Copyeditors Handbook and Workbook Set, Einshohn, 2019. Purchase here. Also available at the Cougars Campus Store. Search by Term and Department (XCOM).

Subject (for registration): Communications

Grammar and Punctuation Essentials
Brush up on basic writing skills. Review parts of speech, grammar and common grammatical mistakes. Explore sentence parts including words, phrases and clauses. Understand punctuation and common punctuation mistakes such as capitalization, abbreviations and numbers. Discuss commonly misused and misspelled words.

Required textbook: Practical Grammar: A Canadian Writer's Resource (3rd ed.). Ruvinsky, M. (2014). Oxford University Press Canada. Rental Option from Vital Source available to registered students. Also available at the Cougars Campus Store. Search by Term and Department (XCOM)

Subject (for registration):  Communications

Structural Editing
In this course, you will learn how to consider an entire document from the reader’s perspective and make decisions about organization (information architecture) and visual design (visual and physical features). Using practical examples, from print and online documents, you will tackle various comprehensive editing problems and find solutions.

Recommended Preparation:  Grammar and Punctuation Essentials and Editing Fundamentals

Required Textbook: Structural Editing: Meeting Professional Editorial Standards. Editors' Association of Canada. Register here.

Subject (for registration): Communications

Stylistic Editing
In this course, you will learn how to consider an entire document from the reader’s perspective and make decisions about style (choices about words, their forms and their arrangement in sentences). Using practical examples, from print and online documents, you will tackle various stylistic editing problems and find solutions.

Recommended Preparation:  Grammar and Punctuation Essentials and Editing Fundamentals

Required Textbook:  Lessons in Clarity and Grace (13th edition). Williams, J. M. and  Colomb, G. G. (2021) Pearson Education. Available independently or at the Cougars Campus Store and search by Term and Department (XCOM).

Subject (for registration): Communications

Editing Portfolio
Once you have completed all the other courses in this certificate, create a portfolio of work samples that demonstrate your ability to carry out copyediting, proofreading and comprehensive editing with proficiency and ease. Bring to class a range of documents that you want to include in your portfolio.

Recommended Preparation:  All other Professional Editing courses

Required Textbook: Stylistic Editing: Meeting Professional Editorial Standards, Part 3. Editors' Association of Canada. Register here.

Subject (for registration): Communications

Michelle Lomberg

Michelle is a managing editor working in educational publishing and writer with over 25 years' experience. Her portfolio includes substantive editing, copy editing, and proofreading of K-12 and higher-education resources, trade books and marketing materials, and she is the author of 19 educational books for young readers. She has worked for clients across Canada.

Michelle holds a bachelor's degree with first-class honours in English and a master's degree in environmental design. In addition, she holds a certificate in curriculum development and instructional design, and is certified by the Editors' Association of Canada in structural and stylistic editing. She has been teaching in the Professional Editing Certificate program since 2015.

Richard Erlendson   

Dr. Richard Erlendson has the distinction of serving as a long-time professor in both the Faculty of Business and Communication Studies and the Faculty of Continuing Education and Extension at MRU. In both faculties, he has taught professional writing, editing, reporting, design, publishing and visual communication. He is a career journalist and photojournalist, and has received the Canadian Word Award for magazine writing. Richard is also a recipient of the Distinguished Faculty Award at MRU. He holds both a masters and doctorate from the University of Alberta with undergrad degrees in journalism and education.