10 Best Technical Communication Certificate Online Courses in 2023
Technical communication (TC) is the discipline of converting compound and elaborate data, stats, and information available at the technical end into employable beneficial content for illustrating processes, products, and services that are consumed at the user end.
Technical communication certificate online courses offer the requisite knowledge base and skills to become work-ready that helps the communicators to collaborate with Engineers, Subject matter experts, Technical leads, Quality analysts, Designers, Sales team, Customer support personnel to make sure the product documentation is in the loop with the end-user demands.
March through this article on Top 10 Online Technical Writing Course
Characteristics of Technical Communication Certificate Online Courses
Modern solutions to existing problems need to be presented in a manner that can be easily comprehended by the consumers. This forms the foremost reason why TC has to be simple, clear, precise, and spot-on.
It has a vital role to play as realistic, non-fictional, practical, scientific, technological, applied information is conveyed, which eventually is of indispensable assistance to them. Every bit of communication that guides a user through the journey of using a Product/Service/Trouble-shooting comes under the umbrella of TC.
TC uses several media platforms to disseminate information to the target audience. It is not creative writing and doesn’t specify literary references. Its sole purpose is to engage the audience looking for “For your information (FYI)” or instructive sources or materials. To master TC, one needs to know:
- Conventions– rules, regulations
- Situations– audience, purpose, context to communicate.
Here is a Guide on Technical Writing and Technical Writing Training. Walkthrough it to have a detailed analysis.
Need of Technical Communication Certificate Online Courses
- To make professional documentation for state officials on current affairs.
- Record and publish new technological inventions and developments in the field of Science and Technology.
- Distribute Technical content on social media and the web.
- To write:
- Quick references
- Products manuals
- Product specifications
- User guides
- How to use articles/blogs
- Online help
- Self-help books on troubleshooting/tech support for electronic devices
- FAQs
- Product reviews
- Product analysis
- To make technical reports and research reports.
- Safety issues and regulations that consumers ought to know while using a product or service.
- Reference information for consumers.
If you are a beginner, then these Top 5 Online Technical Writing Courses for Beginners is a must-read for you.
Check out these professional courses from IIM SKILLS
Responsibilities of Technical Communicators Post-Completion of Technical Communication Certificate Online Courses
Managerial function:
- To Identify and seek authors
- Assign documents to review
- Administer deadlines
- Map documents to reviewers for editing style or format,
- Supervise and manage the process of publication.
In Business, they assist in
- Creation of Business proposals and presentations to gather new clients
- Making a request for proposals
- Business reports.
- Fabricate Grant proposals
- Prepare technological reports.
- Operating Procedures for Industries
- To write for Trade magazines.
- Render backgrounds to employers to work on new concepts and ideas.
- Help employers in goal setting, understanding, evaluating, and accomplishing tasks.
Generate:
- Press releases
- Media releases
- Promotions
- Marketing collaterals for tech products.
- To develop Medical instructions to guide treatments, and reduce risks associated with incorrect usage of medical equipment and care.
- To conduct Usability studies to capture issues with a product or service and to make them more user-friendly.
Advantages of Technical Communication Certificate Online Courses
The student learns:
- To portray information in an unambiguous and straightforward method.
- To enable a business to reach the masses in a more tactical and efficient way.
- Easier ways to market consumer goods, and gain more prospects, thereby increasing business productivity and sales growth.
- To increase sales which gives a boost to the economy.
- To ensure more research and development in relevant fields.
- To protect consumer interests by utilizing informative documentation.
Technical Communication Certificate Online Courses in contrast to Technical Writing.
Both are similar. However, the terms are equivalent and not necessarily equal. All technical writers do the job of technical communicators, but not all technical communicators work as technical writers. TC is a broader term that includes additional designing skills which are not the concern of the technical writer. They share the common goal of creating transparent, organized, well-structured content that aids end-users to accomplish certain specific goals.
Technical Communication Certificate Online Courses Skillset
- Information design
- Instructional design
- Technical Writing/Editing
- User experience (UX) design
- Web design
- Document design
- Training design
- Marketing
Technical Communication Certificate Online Courses Career Options
- Technical Writers/Editor
- Technical Illustrator
- Technical Trainer
- Globalization & Localization Specialists
- Usability Specialist
- Technical Content Manager
- Content Strategist
- Documentation Specialist
- Communications Specialist
- Instructional Designer
- Information Designer
- Information Developer
- Information Architect
- Indexer
- Web Content Editor
- Web Designer
- User Experience (UX) Writer/ Analyst
- Usability Analyst
- Medical Writer
As you can see, you have a bucketful of opportunities to choose from but the first step is choosing a certification course and completing it to pursue your dream of being a Technical Communicator. Though there are multiple vendors of technical writing courses in India, hardly find anybody catering to the Technical communication certificate online courses. Therefore, I have made sure in this article to list out the topmost foreign vendors of this course.
Top 10 Technical Communication Certificate Online Courses Offered by Foreign Universities
1. Society for Technical Communication, Virginia, USA
A) TechComm Fundamentals Bootcamp – Asynchronous Course
The term asynchronous indicates that- each week’s session recording will be open to view on Monday morning that can be watched at a convenient time by the students. Homework/assignments that are due need to be submitted for review on the day & time mentioned by the instructor. Students have two live sessions that are optional for students to interact with the instructor if they have any queries in real time.
Each section of the theory includes:
- Practical exercises
- Real-world case studies
- Discussion
Eligible Audience
- New entrants to this field.
- Working professionals in this field have no formal training.
- Professionals returning to a writing career after a break.
Takeaways:
Identify/Correct common mistakes in writing.
Master the correct writing style for TC.
Recognize/treat red flags in the documentation.
Learn/apply theoretical aspects to TC work.
Building a Professional Portfolio.
Visual Design Skills.
TC documentation types- purpose and key elements.
B) Online CPTC Preparatory Class
Course offered by: Rochester Institute of Technology with The STC Rochester Spectrum Conference.
It comprises 8 sessions; the student is prepared for the CPTC Foundation exam.
The 9 Core Competency Areas for Technical Communicators to crack the above exam are:
- Project Planning
- Project Analysis
- Content Development
- Organizational Design
- Written Communication
- Visual Communication
- Reviewing and Editing
- Content Management
- Production and Delivery
The Foundation Certification– Focus is on knowledge and understanding of TC best practices. The student needs to pass a test to clear this first step to CPTC ladder.
The Practitioner Certification– mastery in the application of TC best practices and taking a leadership role and guiding others in their use. Practitioner candidates must have already cleared Foundation Certification. Further, student needs to pass a test to clear this level.
The Expert Certification– this will need a set of work products & interviews on TC expertise.
Contact:
Phone: +1 (703) 522-4114
Fax: +1 (703) 522-2075
Address: 3251 Old Lee Highway, Suite 406, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Online Courses Pricing: Registration fees: payment only in US dollars.
Course pricing depends on the length of the course.
For pricing details: https://www.stc.org/certification/
2. Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada
Online Technical Communication Certificate
This part-time course encompasses all the core technical communication skills that The Society for Technical Communication (STC) has recognized.
Comprises of the below-mentioned 11 core courses:
- Concepts & Practice of TC
- Technical Writing & Editing
- Research, Analysis & Information Design
- Design & Production of Technical Publications
- Indexing: An Essential Art & Science
- Microsoft Word Advanced for Technical Writers
- Fundamentals: Creating Online Documents
- Tools for Technical Communicators- Adobe InDesign
- Technical Writing- Advanced Workshop
- Documentation Project Management
- Final Project: TC Guided Practicum
Format: Part-time, online, self-paced course
Schedule: 4 to 12 weeks, 12 to 20hrs of instruction (per course)
Online Courses Access: At the student’s convenience via Canvas (online course management system)
Duration: 2yr program. However, 5 years is given to complete it.
If you are not ready for the TC Certificate? You can begin with a few courses
Except for the Final Project: Guided Practicum, a student can take individual TC courses instead of enrolling for the certificate course.
Every course that a student completes successfully will be counted towards the certificate course if he/she applies for it at a later date.
Evaluation and graduation
At the end of every course, after an online exam, a final letter grade (A to F or P or F) is assigned to the respective score. To obtain The Technical Communication Certificate, all courses are required to be completed and an overall grade of B- (70%) must be scored.
Course modules every week demands a student to
- Review content
- Read and research online
- Take part in the online discussion forum
- Complete individual/group assignments
Requirements: English language
The student needs to have an Advanced level of Spoken & Written English.
If English is not his/her first language, he/she must complete the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with the below-mentioned minimum score:
- Overall band score=6.5
- All bands >=6.0
- Writing band score=8.0
Contact:
Phone: 778-782-8000 (or toll-free 1-844-782-8877)
Email: [email protected]
Address: Simon Fraser University
2300 – 515 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, B.C.
Canada V6B 5K3
3. The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, USA
Certificate in technical communication
This certificate program includes five courses. Each course is 3 credits.
Students collaborate with working professionals by means of:
- Client projects
- Virtual and global teamwork
- Mentorships
- Emerging technologies
Students develop distinctive strengths in
- Digital
- Usability
- science/health/medical communication
Key features of the course:
Program faculty/instructors play important roles in national/local disciplinary communities
Scope to work with the Technical Communication Advisory Board. They give access to networking, mentoring, and internship opportunities.
Core courses
- Introduction to Graduate Studies in Scientific and Technical Communication
- Information Design: Theory and Practice
- Usability and Human Factors in Technical Communication
- Editing and Style for Technical Communicators
- Writing with Digital Technologies
Test scores
Letters of Recommendation (LoR) & GRE scores- not required.
Non-native English speakers: TOEFL, IELTS scores are required.
Delivery: Fully Online
Cost: $777.00 per credit (resident)
$1,189.00 per credit (non-resident)
Total Credits: 15
Credential: Graduate Certificate
Other professional degree options:
- Master of science in scientific and technical communication
- Master’s-level minor in scientific and technical communication
Contact
Phone: 612-624-3445
Email: [email protected]
Address: Department of Writing Studies
214 Nolte Center
315 Pillsbury Dr. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
4. Arizona state university, Tempe, USA
Online Technical Communication Graduate Certificate
This certificate excellently complements degrees in engineering and technical disciplines and benefits students immeasurably. Plus, it serves as a good start for new entrant technical communicators to temper their credentials.
Total classes: 6
Total credit hours: 18
Contact:
Phone: 480-884-1525
Email: [email protected]
Address: Tempe, AZ 85281, United States
5. The University of California Santa Cruz- Silicon Valley Extension, USA
Technical Writing And Communication
Course Content:
- Developing Technical Information from Plan to Completion
- Grammar and Style for Technical Communicators
- Technical Communication: An Introduction to the Profession
- Technical Writers’ Workshop
- Writing Successful Instructions, Procedures, and Policies
Contact:
Phone: (408) 861-3700
Email: [email protected]
Address: 3175 Bowers Ave, Santa Clara, CA
6. The University of California, San Diego extension, USA
Technical-Communication-Certificate Course Online
Apart from the above-mentioned certificate, various individual TC courses are also offered here.
Technical Communication Courses
- Introduction to Adobe Creative Cloud
- Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop
- Applied Design for Technical Communicators
- Basics of Technical Editing
- Critical Thinking for Communicators
- Designing Figures, Tables, & Graphs
- Information Design for Technical Communicators
- Project Management for Technical Communicators
- Technical Communication and Copyediting Information Session
- Technical Communication I
- Technical Communication II
- Tools for Technical Communicators
- User Interface Design
- Writing Online Documentation
- Science Writing I
Delivery Method:
- Live
- In-Person
- Online
- Hybrid
Contact:
Phone: International Student Services: (858) 534-6784
Email: [email protected]
Address: Student Services Center, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
7. New Jersey institute of technology, USA
A. Technical Communication Essentials Graduate Certificate
Courses included
- Advanced Professional & TC.
- Elements of Visual Design
- Professional & Technical Editing
- Management & Information Architecture
Credits: 12 in total (four 3-credit-course)
Objective: To endow students with knowledge & skills in:
- Technical writing and editing
- Documentation
- Content management
- Web-based training
B. Professional and Technical Communication (PTC) Graduate Certificates
The PTC program has 4 graduate certificates:
- Instructional Design, Evaluation, and Assessment (IDEA)
- Social Media Essentials (SME)
- Technical Communication Essentials (TCE)
- User Experience Essentials (UXE).
Each certificate program contains 4 courses.
Graduate certificates can be utilized to pursue a master’s degree by enrolling in the MSPTC program.
Format: Online & administered through Moodle (NJIT’s course management system).
Admissions Eligibility: An undergrad CGPA = or >2.8 on a 4.0 scale.
Contact:
Phone: (973) 596-3000
Email: [email protected]
Address: University Heights,
Newark, New Jersey, USA
8. Berkeley extension, California, USA
The Professional sequence in technical communication
Technical Communication I
Learnings:
- Information design/architecture
- Tools and concepts to produce
- Technical documentation- manuals, reports, feasibility studies, proposals, web content.
- Writing skills
- Building documents & presentations
Professional fields:
- Engineering
- Physical/Social sciences
- Industry
- Health care
- Academia
- Government
Technical Communication II
Continue to construct on the skills that the student developed in Technical Communication I
- Define a document’s audience, purpose, context
- Present optimized information
- Improved techniques of Technical Writing Style for a variety of print and online presentation document types
- Review technical communication tools and technology
- Review current Web content, formatting languages
Technical Communication III:
- Principles & Best practices of information design
- Fundamentals of graphic design theory
- The Human information processing system
- Understand & Build information graphics in technical writing: A 12-week workshop in data visualization.
Textbooks:
- Need to purchase a reader within the course.
- Most of the textbooks are available in eBook form.
Course Fee: $810.00
Format:
- Online, Fixed Date.
- One can enroll by the start date of the course and complete it by the mentioned end date.
- No live sessions but several opportunities to connect with one’s classmates & instructor.
Registration process
To register online for the Professional Sequence in Technical Communication, follow these steps:
- Submit an online registration form & complete your student account profile.
- Pay the fee (non-refundable) online. 3 to 5 days are needed for the changes to reflect in your student account.
Certificate/Award Request
There are 2 means of obtaining the award of completion:
- On completion of coursework, intimate UC Berkeley Extension regarding the same while requesting your Award of Completion. Send an email to [email protected]
- Once your records are reviewed/verified/approved (which takes about two to three weeks), AoC will be automatically mailed to you.
Student Assistance in the following ways are provided:
- Disabled Students
- Financial Assistance
- Community Impact Scholarship
Contact:
Phone: (510) 643-1110
Email: department office: [email protected]
Technical Communication: Email: [email protected]
Address: 1995 University Ave., Suite 200, Berkeley, CA 94704-7000
9. Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, USA
Technical Communication (Certificate) online
This program facilitates students with the core skills required for an entry-level TC position.
Credits: 12 credit hours (four courses * 3 credits).
Program Type: Certificate/Non-degree
Courses:
- Document Design
- User Experience Research/Evaluation
- Editing/Technical Editing
Select a minimum of one course from:
- Verbal Visual Communications
- Intercultural Communication
- Communicating Science
- Standards-Based Web Design
Contact:
Phone: 312.567.3020 or 312.567.3000
Toll-Free: 866.472.3448
Fax: 312.567.3138
Email: [email protected]
Address: 10 West 35th Street
Chicago, IL 60616
10. Seneca College, Toronto, Canada
Technical Communication (TEC)- Ontario college graduate certificate
Duration: one year (2 semesters)
Hands-on sessions for a career in:
- Technical
- Scientific
- Computer-related communication
Key feature:
- The Hands-on experience made available through work placement (optional) of the student as an employee under an employer who helps you meet your learning goals.
- Students satisfying all academic criteria may have the chance to complete an optional work term(s) in a formal working environment.
- The length of the work term(s) is similar to an academic semester.
- Need to pay additional fees.
- Full-time work hours.
- Paid/Unpaid.
Contact:
Phone: +1 416.491.5050
Email: [email protected]
Address: 1750 Finch Avenue East
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M2J 2X5
As you can see, learning has never been so easy, the remote access to resources makes it closer and all the more personal for every student. Technical communication certificate online Courses in foreign universities encompass all the compelling skills necessary to adapt to changing work environments, emerging technologies, and market demands. They mold you professionally to launch your career immediately upon completion of the program.
