Non-Credit Certificate Program in Editing

Copyediting Skills to Stand Out and Expand Your Expertise

Our nationally recognized Editing certificate program offers you intensive editing skill building and practice, detailed individual instructional feedback, tools for editing electronically, and an understanding of running freelance services, securing quality clients, managing projects, and how to successfully collaborate with authors. Dig deep into techniques, guidelines, and editing-related topics. Become an expert in the essential guide in editing, The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), and build your network with experienced instructors and peers from a variety of industries.

Our editing certificate instructors have worked as freelancers, consultants, and in-house editorial and production managers at industry-leading publishing houses and have extensive experience working with The Chicago Manual of Style—including consulting on new editions. They are active practitioners with long-standing careers and understand the technical and professional demands of the publishing industry, which helps them foster in-demand career development. They also have a wealth of contacts and resources.

Join a distinguished editing community

Our welcoming and supportive community will challenge you, motivate you, and help you build connections with like-minded learners. You become part of an extensive network of editors, writers, and industry professionals. There are opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, and professional growth, helping you advance your career.

Perks of a UChicago certificate:

The CMOS Is Published Here

Learn the latest updates in The Chicago Manual of Style, published at UChicago since 1906. Be among the first to learn and apply the updated standards and become a go-to resource using the essential guide in the field.

Looking for the best Editing certificate?

The copyediting program curriculum builds both foundational and specialized skills, creating a robust portfolio that demonstrates real-world expertise. Whether you are looking to break into publishing or advance your existing editorial career, this program—backed by the authority of the CMOS and bolstered by direct connections to the UChicago Press—provides the professional foundation needed to become an in-demand editor in today’s publishing landscape.

By the end of the program, you will have learned to:

Editing certificate courses cover a wide array of technical skills and editing standards based on the CMOS. In addition to the focus on manuscript editing in core courses, you can take electives and learn about emerging technologies and marketing tools to specialize your development, including:

• Introduction to Acquisition Editing
• Introduction to Developmental Editing
• Developmental Editing for Fiction
• Essentials of Grammar for Professionals
• Copyright for Publishing Professionals

You can build upon your credentials in standalone courses that complement our Editing certificate program and provide tailored learning paths that meet the needs of the evolving job market.

These courses include:

The changing face of editing demands continuous skill development as artificial intelligence and analytics platforms reshape traditional workflows. Yet the core challenge is not simply learning new software; it is developing the judgment to blend quantitative insights with editorial instinct. Today’s editors must seek out ways to update their technical capabilities while integrating them with the deep understanding of language and narrative that drives the sort of meaningful content that brought them to the profession in the first place. Learn the skills you need to leave your mark in the field with our online Editing certificate program.

Open doors to exciting career paths

The need for editing skills in marketing continues to grow. Social media managers, for example, play a pivotal role in messaging that requires accuracy and attention to detail as they manage a business’s brand and content. The ability to edit content for proposals, advertisements, content marketing, blog writing, and reports keeps marketing messaging necessarily professional. By gaining advanced editing training and industry knowledge, participants of the program are well prepared to explore diverse professional jobs in copyediting, including:

• Copyeditor: Improve written content across print and digital platforms.
• Proofreader: Ensure accuracy and quality in publications, marketing materials, and other documents.
• Content Editor: Shape and refine content strategies for media, corporate, or academic organizations.
• Freelance Editor: Establish a flexible career offering editing services to a diverse range of clients.
• Technical Editor: Edit complex technical documents to ensure clarity, accuracy, and compliance with industry standards.
• Book Editor: Work with authors to develop manuscripts, ensuring that they are well organized, polished, and ready for publication.