technical writing course montreal

Technical Writing Extension Certificate

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8 required courses (140 hours)

Online | Learn more

Complete in 1 year, or up to 3 years

Course and program fees

Technical writing involves writing about a specific subject that requires explanation, direction or instruction in publications such as reports, manuals and standard operating procedure guides.

Gain practical knowledge and experience to enhance your skill set in technical writing, whether you are looking to earn a credential for professional development or embark on a new career. Using technical information, create clear, concise, correct and cohesive communications in print and online for target audiences.

Combine the skills of effective communication with practical experience using the latest tools and technology. Explore common types of technical communication, such as manuals, guides and design specifications. Learn how you can apply a systematic approach to creating technical documents from complex information. Gain writing skills for a variety of formats and hone your writing process. Identify and apply appropriate styles of writing for specific technical communications purposes, such as reports, procedural manuals and online documents.

Develop intermediate skills to create professional-looking documents, including how to use features and templates to create and format documents with more complex layouts. Examine key components of structuring policies and procedures. Build your editing skills with hands-on exercises. Explore characteristics of digital media and how they relate to information and site architecture, and examine the steps to developing a robust site structure.

To be successful in this program, a Grade 12 level of proficiency in written and spoken English — and intermediate skills in Microsoft Word and Windows — are strongly recommended.

The Technical Writing program is a recognized member of the Society of Technical Communication (STC). Students! Learn more about STC events .

Highlights and benefits

Earn a recognized credential | Enhance your career prospects

Enhance your life | Develop your personal and professional skills

Real-world knowledge | Learn from experienced industry professionals

Gain hands-on experience | Demonstrate workplace competencies to potential employers

Online delivery | Enjoy the flexibility of online learning and complete this program from anywhere

   Information session

Interested in learning more about our Technical Writing Extension Certificate ? Speak with program staff and instructors, and have your questions answered. Join us for a free virtual information session on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, Noon - 1:00 p.m.

Learn more about professional writing in business

Interested in becoming more organized and effective in your business communication?

Consider our Writing and Editing for Business Certificate of Completion to help you communicate effectively in writing and correspondence in the workplace.

Course schedule

Course schedule by semester.

BL : Blended (Online & Classroom) CL : Classroom FT : Fast Track ON : Online IDS : Independent Study P : Practicum

It is strongly recommended that the first three courses are taken in the order indicated above. The remaining courses can be completed in any order.

This schedule is subject to change. Courses start on various dates within each semester. Fall schedule and registration is available in June; Winter schedule and registration is available in November; and Spring/Summer schedule and registration is available in March.

Program questions?

403.440.6861  or  1.888.392.3655 [email protected]

Additional Details

Required courses.

8 Course(s)

• XTBW 10004 Foundations of Technical Communication
• XWOP 10011 MS Word for Tech Writers and Editors
• XTBW 10022 Creating Publications
• XTBW 10017 Preparing Policies and Procedures
• XTBW 10023 Editing for Technical Writers
• XTBW 10025 Information Architecture
• XTBW 10032 Project Management for Tech Writers
• XTBW 10033 Creating Training Manuals and User Guides

Funding opportunities

This program qualifies for the Canada-Alberta Job Grant and other funding opportunities. Learn more .

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Have a question about our programs or need help with course registration? Call or email us:

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Technical Writing Course

• Duration: 4 days
• Language: English
• 23 NASBA CPE Credits (live, in-class training only)
• 23 PMI PDUs
• Level: Foundation

The Technical Writing Course is designed to help individuals improve their writing skills in the technical field, including technical communication. The course covers techniques for planning, writing, and editing technical documents and emphasizes identifying the target audience, selecting appropriate document formats, and using visuals and graphics effectively.

Participants will learn how to convey complex subject matter clearly and accurately and create informative content that their readers will understand and use. The course is available in both in-person and online delivery methods and includes an end-of-course exam to test knowledge.

Technical Writing Course Delivery Methods

Technical writing course information.

In this course, you will learn how to:

• Write effective technical documents, manuals, and white papers.
• Assess your audience and develop documents to meet their needs.
• Explain information clearly and accurately.
• Use diagrams, tables, charts, and other graphical tools effectively.
• Create informative content that your readers will understand and use.
• Test your knowledge in the included end-of-course exam.
• Leverage continued support with after-course one-on-one instructor coaching and computing sandbox.

Training Prerequisites

Technical Writing Course Outline

Module 1: introduction to technical writing.

In this module, you will learn how to: 

• Effectively communicate technical information 
• Manage common writing problems 

Module 2: The Writing Process

• Eliminate misconceptions that stall technical writing, such as writer’s block 
• Drive your document design with scenarios 
• Align your goals with the readers’ goals 
• Identify implied knowledge 

Module 3: Ensuring Clarity and Readability

In this module, you will learn how to:

• Differentiate between the three levels of information: operational, tactical, and strategic
• Determine information needs with the Observe, Orient, Decide, Act (OODA) loop
• Create sentences with clarity and build clarity through sentence focus
• Solve common grammar problems in technical writing 
• Evaluate readability using the Given/New technique
• Ensure consistency with a style guide 

Module 4: The Mechanics of Writing

• Select the appropriate words to connect with your audience and convey your message
• Edit for conciseness, accuracy, and quality 

Module 5: Structuring Information for Better Understanding

• Organize data to support readers' scenarios
• Determine when to use a list to highlight points
• Use tables for highly structured data
• Build cohesive documents with the Given/New approach
• Apply useful headings to support skimming 

Module 6: Designing Your Document

• Relate document structure to the audience with audience-driven document design
• Develop reference manuals and write white papers
• Differentiate between post-positive and pragmatic documents and implement the appropriate document format
• Structure introductions, conclusions, and other document sections

Module 7: Developing the Look of Your Document

• Design the appearance of your page, including fonts, alignment, and white space
• Convey information with graphics, photos, and drawings 
• Live Instructor
• 4-day instructor-led training course

After-course coaching available

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• Take this course and gain unlimited access to more than 300 virtual instructor-led courses
• Future-proof your career with more than 100 sought-after certifications in the market
• Build real skills through hands-on learning in more than 180 virtual labs
• Grow your skills and capabilities with more than one course at a time and save

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• Guaranteed to Run - you can rest assured that the class will not be cancelled. Jan 16 - 19 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM EST Ottawa or Virtual
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Technical Writing Course FAQs

What will i learn in the technical writing course.

In this course, you will learn how to improve your writing skills in the technical field, specifically in technical communication. You will learn how to write effective technical documents, manuals, and white papers, and tailor them to meet the needs of your target audience.

The course provides an online course option and covers techniques for using diagrams, tables, charts, and negative space to create informative content. The course also includes case studies and an end-of-course exam to test your knowledge.

Can I learn the Introduction to Technical Writing Training online?

Yes! We know your busy work schedule may prevent you from getting to one of our classrooms which is why we offer convenient online training to meet your needs wherever you want, including online training.

Can I earn Professional Development Units for the Introduction to Technical Writing Training course?

Yes, you can receive PDUs from the Technical Writing Training course.

To find out how many PDUs you can receive, check out the PMI Q&A List ›

How can the Technical Writing Course help technical writers?

The Technical Writing Course provides a solution to a problem often faced by technical writers: conveying complicated information to a target audience. Through this course, you will learn how to communicate technical information clearly and accurately, improving your technical writing skills.

Can the Technical Writing Course be of value to businesses looking to improve their writing skills?

Yes! The course focuses on writing in the technical field, providing valuable techniques for writing effective technical documents, manuals, and white papers. This can be a valuable solution for businesses looking to improve their technical communication with potential customers.

How can the Technical Writing Course help those looking to write a white paper?

The Technical Writing Course covers a range of topics related to writing effective technical documents, including white papers. You will learn how to write white papers that clearly and accurately explain technical subject matter to your target audience.

Can the Technical Writing Course be helpful for those writing about specific products or services?

Yes! The course is designed to improve technical writing skills, including the ability to communicate technical information related to specific products or services. This can be useful for anyone who needs to convey technical information to potential customers.

Can the Technical Writing Course be useful for those in non-technical fields looking to improve their business writing skills?

While the course provides valuable tools for organizing information, communicating effectively with a target audience, and conveying complex subject matter, we would recommend Learning Tree course 219, Introduction to Business and Report Writing Training , for non-technical business writing.

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• SFU Continuing Studies

Technical Communication Certificate

Continuing studies, on this page.

Apply your writing and editing skills to a successful career in the growing technical communication field. Our online certificate program will provide you with the tools and techniques you need to translate complex information into easily understood documents, following professional standards.

Courses:  11 Format:  Part-time Location:  Online Next info session: Tue, 9 Jan 2024 12:00 PM PST RSVP

Why this program?

• Gain the core competencies identified by the Society for Technical Communication
• Learn from established technical communicators working in the field
• Take fully online courses on a flexible schedule
• Start with individual courses and apply to the program at any time
• Graduate with a certificate that confers SFU alumni status along with its  benefits

Program details

Program completion

2–5 years (from start date of first course) To graduate, complete all courses with a minimum average grade of B- (70%).

Course duration

4–12 weeks (12–20 instructional hours)

Course work

6–10 hours/week

Self-paced within set deadlines

Required courses in recommended order (but take in any order, except TCOM410, which should be completed last):

• Introduction to Technical Communication   (TCOM110)
• Technical Writing and Editing   (TCOM120)
• Research, Analysis and Information Design   (TCOM210)
• Design and Production of Technical Publications   (TCOM220)
• Indexing: An Essential Art and Science   (TCOM230)
• Microsoft Word for Technical Writers: Advanced   (TCOM240)
• Fundamentals of Creating Online Documents   (TCOM260)
• Tools for Technical Communicators   (TCOM270)
• Technical Writing: Advanced Workshop   (TCOM310)
• Documentation Project Management   (TCOM320)
• Final Project: Technical Communication Guided Practicum   (TCOM410)

Learning materials

See individual courses for textbook details

$475–$630/course, not including textbooks $75 program application fee

Application info

No application deadline. Take individual courses and apply to the program at any time.

Do you live in B.C.?   If you’re eligible for the StrongerBC future skills grant, sign up for our email list  to receive updates on potential fall 2024 funding. 

Application requirements

• Grade 12 or equivalent
• Mature students who do not meet this requirement may qualify with at least 5 years of appropriate experience
• Advanced   English Language Requirements

See Application details for more info.

Upcoming courses

Register for individual courses at any time, with the option to apply to the program later.

Enroll in the certificate program to:

• Track your progress in your student account
• Access potential tax credits
• Be eligible to graduate when you finish

Do you live in B.C.?

If you’re eligible for the StrongerBC future skills grant, sign up for our email list to receive updates on potential 2024 funding.

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To stay informed about this program, please fill out the form below.

Yes, sign me up for the technical communication email list.

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Reserve your spot to explore the program and chat live with program staff.

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Need advice on building your communication or publishing career? Book a private phone or online meeting with one of our experienced professionals in the field. 

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Student stories

Kathryn Haslemore started her own freelance business after completing SFU Continuing Studies’ Technical Communication Certificate. Read more

Starting a family can mean big changes—and sometimes even the need for a new career. Read more

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Certificate in Technical Writing

The certificate in Technical Writing will provide you with best practices for creating clear, compelling technical documents.  Our interactive online courses will help you build the specific skills you need to write for your particular readers in your work environment. 

What You Will Learn?

• Analyze your audience using three different methods
• Create a straightforward document structure for a brief document
• Describe technology so that readers can visualize it
• Develop a process for effectively editing your own writing
• Analyze your document stakeholders
• Develop a document persuasion strategy
• Create compelling recommendation reports
• Craft winning proposals

Who Should Take This Certificate?

• business analysts
• software engineers
• network administrators
• project managers
• anyone who uses writing to share technical information.

How Will You Benefit?

The Certificate in Technical Writing can help you

• communicate more clearly and easily with supervisors, clients, and colleagues
• gain control over grammar and punctuation so you can be confident that you’re expressing yourself correctly and clearly.

Course Fees & Scheduling

The fee for the certificate is $1,980 ($495 per course)

One Required Course:

• TWRT0012 Technical Writing Essentials

Electives (choose three):

• Grammar Tune-up
• Persuasive Writing
• Project Management Documents
• Writing Clear Technical Reports
• Writing Emails that Get Results

Certificate Requirements

The certificate is awarded after successful completion of four courses. There is a student evaluation at the end of each course. Each course includes a final assessment (such as a test or writing assignment) so you can demonstrate the progress you’ve made. All requirements must be met within four years.

Do you have prior learning or experience relevant to this certificate?

It may be possible to receive advanced standing in this certificate based on your prior learning from work or life experience. We provide two types of recognition of prior learning:

Prior Certified Learning: Assessment of prior coursework or training through a professional training provider, for the purpose of advanced standing. Examples of certified learning may include university or college coursework, military training, accredited certificates, workplace training programs, etc.

Prior Experiential Learning: Assessment of previous work and life learning that may be equivalent to learning outcomes of university courses/programs, for the purpose of advanced standing. Relevant prior learning may come from work or volunteer experience, participation on committees or boards, independent study, etc.

To discuss how to use your prior learning to apply for advanced standing, please contact [email protected] .

Additional Details

Required course.

1 Course(s)

Online Self-Paced

Winter 2024

Elective courses (3)

3 Course(s)

Spring/Summer 2024

Not Currently Available

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Technical Writer

• Learn highly prized skills that enable you to work in either the public or private sector, and in a freelance, part-time or full-time capacity
• Enjoy a combination of real-world learning, group projects, and collaborative learning activities
• Graduates find careers as writers, editoris, documentation specialists, information architects, content developers, technical editors, instructional designers and communication officers

Apply your computer programming talent to launch a career creating games of strategy and skill.

Program Information

Program availability, availability, competitive.

Winter 2024

Spring 2024

Program Summary

College Approved Certificate

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The Technical Writer Ontario College Graduate Certificate program provides you with the skills and training needed for a career in technical communication. Throughout this one-year program, you create different types of workplace documents to help users enjoy all features of a product, service, or information. In particular, you learn to:... (read more)

Read this before applying:

This program is undergoing changes for the 20/21 academic year. If you began this program prior to Fall 2020, please refer to the Academic Planner or Archived Program Information to confirm the courses required for your Program of Study version.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Twr2000 technical writing i.

Technical communicators must craft documents that inform, instruct and persuade. Students learn how to communicate technical information by profiling audiences and structuring documents to meet the needs of busy readers at work. In addition to communicating technical information in written form, students communicate orally through the delivery of presentations. Through writing assignments and activities, students develop their abilities to work individually and collaboratively.

TWR2009 Emerging Trends in Technical Communication

Significant changes in the workplace are the result of new and advanced technologies. Students are introduced to emerging trends in the field of technical communication, and are shown possible career options in a number of different sectors of local industry.

TWR2010 Designing VIsual Information

Technical communicators must ensure that written content is supported by visual elements. Students learn the principles of designing effective visual information including the textual, spatial and graphic elements that support the rhetorical situation. Through analysis and assignments, students learn to maximize communication impact through the assessment and redesign of online and print elements.

TWR2014 Information Planning and Management

Content is generated by organizations to support their products, services and processes. Students take a unified content strategy approach as they produce project plans, content specifications, estimates, and proposals. Through their involvement in collaborative projects, students practise skills in planning, designing, managing, and controlling online and print content, with an emphasis on their relationship to other team members in information development.

TWR2017 Editing I

Technical communicators often act as editors. Students formalize their abilities to edit written work at the copyediting and proofreading levels in a variety of media. Students develop an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of an editor. Emphasis is on reviewing and applying the basic rules of grammar, mechanics, spelling, punctuation and usage to passages and documents for improvements in clarity, conciseness and precision.

Co-requisites: TWR2000

TWR2003 Online Help Authoring

Technical communicators must be proficient at creating online help systems. Students are provided with a strong foundation with a leading help authoring tool that can publish content to multiple channels. Through guided learning and laboratory activities, students learn how to improve the quality, visual appeal, presentation and functionality of help systems.

Pre-requisites: TWR2000 AND TWR2010

TWR2004 Technical Writing II

Technical communicators must get information from subject matter experts and translate their knowledge into useable documentation. Students research a product, information or service in order to refine their communication skills. Through collaboration with clients, users, experts and/or other group members, students develop task-oriented documents.

TWR2011 Usability and Ux

User experience (UX) plays a critical role in making our physical and digital lives frictionless and enjoyable. Students integrate principles of information architecture, content strategy, and visual design with components of usability and interaction design to understand UX design fundamentals. Through task analysis, user interface prototype design, and website usability analysis, students learn to characterize, describe and improve UX.

TWR2012 Web-Based Tools and Technologies

Technical communicators must be aware of the latest tools in order to be effective in the workplace. Students learn current tools and technologies used in industry to create web-based content. Through assigned readings, projects, and computer-based instruction, students design and edit websites, produce social media content, create screencast videos, and develop coding skills.

Pre-requisites: TWR2000 AND TWR2019

TWR2018 Editing II

Advanced editing skills are required by technical communicators. Students enhance their abilities to edit written work at the copyediting and comprehensive levels in a variety of media. Through the use of assigned readings, exercises and collaborative assignments, they refine their abilities to apply advanced rules of grammar and usage, style and organization to documents, such as technical reports for improvements in clarity, conciseness, precision, correctness, accuracy and readability.

Pre-requisites: TWR2000 AND TWR2017

TWR2201 Instructional Design and the Technical Communicator

The job of a technical communicator often involves creating training materials. Students learn how to analyze, design, develop, implement and evaluate instructional material that can be used to train adult learners. Through a variety of learning activities, students learn to conduct training sessions, embrace emerging technologies and build a career portfolio.

Pre-requisites: TWR2009

WKT2000 Project

Students participate in an unpaid work placement after they have completed their course work. This opportunity allows them to apply their skills to actual writing projects in an on-the-job setting.

Pre-requisites: TWR2000 AND TWR2003 AND TWR2004 AND TWR2009 AND TWR2010 AND TWR2011 AND TWR2012 AND TWR2014 AND TWR2017 AND TWR2018 AND TWR2019 AND TWR2201

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Tuition & fees, 2023/2024 academic year, admissions requirements, program eligibility, application information, additional information, program resources, additional resources.

For additional information, please contact AC Online at [email protected] or 613-727-4723 ext. 3330.

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• Do you possess advanced written and oral communication abilities? Yes No
• Do you enjoy designing, developing, writing and refining online and print material? Yes No
• Do you possess interpersonal skills for collaboration with colleagues? Yes No
• Do you enjoy researching, collecting, analyzing and organizing technical information? Yes No

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Creative Writing

Creative Writing Workshop

Have you been sitting at home, writing on your own? Are you itching to get some feedback and hone your style?

This creative writing workshop will introduce key writing skills, exercises and supportive critical feedback to help new writers gain confidence in their style and voice while fine-tuning and editing their work-in-progress. You will also develop your abilities to edit the work of others and provide thoughtful constructive feedback. Class time will include discussions, exercises and critiquing. We aim to cultivate a supportive atmosphere where participation is encouraged and easy.

Whether you write poetry or short fiction or creative non-fiction, this course will provide grounding in the basics as well as an opportunity to develop refined and engaging work. We will also explore process and publishing to move you forward with your writing.

Prerequisite :None

Duration :30 hours

Methodology : Class time will be divided into discussions, writing exercises and the critiquing and editing of participants’ work, so active participation is essential. Selected readings will form some of our discussion time (short stories, poetry, formal essays on writing). All participants will be required to write at least one piece of fiction or two to three poems, and have them critiqued by their peers, by the end of the course.

Content: Discussion topics will include: • The creative process • Developing ideas and discussing what works for other writers • Writing habits and how to become aware of them • Some aspects of short fiction (ex. setting, time, character, point of view, plot, voice, etc.) • Some aspects of poetry (ex. formal poetry, free-verse, line and line break, breath, etc.) • Writing opportunities (how to get work published, query letters, etc.)

Note: the class will be encouraged to attend a public reading/book launch.

Course Price: $235.00

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Last Modified: December 7, 2023

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