Editing Certificate Programs — Are They Worthwhile?

By Jen Grogan, Guild Administrator

Back in November of 2020, the blog committee surveyed Guild members to learn more about their opinions of editing certificate programs. We had a general sense, before we started, that a fair portion of Guild members had completed an editing certificate, but what we really wanted to know was: How worthwhile did editors wind up finding those programs after they’d completed them?

Chart showing respondents who have completed an editing certificate program (71%), have not taken one (26%), started a program but did not finish it (2%) and a final “other” category.

As it turned out, 71% of the members who responded to our survey had completed an editing certificate program, and about 88% of those had specifically completed the Editing Certificate program at the University of Washington, while another 5% had completed the Certificate in Copyediting from UC San Diego, and 8% had taken another program (the UC Berkeley Extension Professional Sequence in Editing, Portland State University's masters in Writing: Book Publishing, Certificate in Professional Editing from WWU, or Board certification through BELS). Those programs varied in length between just a single test and two years to complete.

The average level of satisfaction that respondents reported with their program at the time of completion was 86%, but that number hides a lot of variation—some were 100% satisfied with their program, and the rate ran as low as 43% in one case. Satisfaction went up over time, though—the average looking back on the program now was 89%, with the lowest retrospective satisfaction stated as 56%.

Specific descriptions of what was beneficial from the programs were even more telling. One editor said they “received practical advice and tips on freelancing and networking that [they] drew on repeatedly,” and many respondents remarked on the confidence that their certificate program gave them. They talked about gaps in knowledge that were filled in, skill refreshed, and zombie rules vanquished. Another common thread was networking, as many reported that they made professional contacts in their certificate program (either with instructors or other students) that have led them to jobs and other projects.

Chart showing stated reasons for not taking a certificate program, with cost at 22%, lack of time at 11%, lack of programs applicable to the respondent’s type of editing at 7%, and the majority having some other reason stated in comments.

These programs aren’t perfect, though. The cost, of course, can be prohibitive for some—22% of respondents who had not completed an editing certificate said cost was the reason, 11% named lack of time, and 7% lack of programs that focus on their particular area of editing (a theme that came up several times, as some editors who had taken a certificate program noted that they wished theirs had covered more types of editing, and/or focused less on fiction book editing). Many editors, though (about 59%), said that they hadn’t pursued a certificate because they felt they got the training they needed on the job or through a degree program such as journalism. This idea was countered by the dominant view of editors who took a program and found it useful, particularly those who felt it gave them a chance to refresh skills, learn new types of work like developmental editing, broaden professional networks, and unlearn rules that have been changed or abandoned by current style guides.

Even for those who were happy with the program they went through, there was a lot left to be desired. Suggestions for improvement included more focus on business management, advice or leads on how to launch a website, facilitating networking between students after the course, advice on negotiation, résumés and finding work, and more. Several respondents commented that they wished their certificate course had included more information on proofreading and developmental editing for book-length manuscripts, and there was a general interest in longer, more intense, more detailed programs with additional opportunities for internships, mentoring, and practicums, including practice with editing tests of the sort that employers require and a chance to build portfolios of the kind some clients request. Some who had taken online courses commented on the feeling of being a guinea pig for technical issues and a lack of meeting up in person with instructors and other students. Many of those who took accelerated programs (five months, for example) regretted not getting more in-depth study, with one editor stating “keep the [. . .] option, but fully adapt (not reduce!) the curriculum content and schedule to the shortened time frame.” Another respondent said, “If I had to do it all over again, I would take the in-person version of the program (weekly in-person class), rather than the hybrid version (online, with in-person classes once per month).”

Giant Pencil posing with a friend’s certificate. As far as we are aware, none of the mentioned certificate programs accept pencils as students, no matter their size.

Several members also mentioned wanting a refresher or more advanced courses for those who completed a certificate years ago. While most of the survey results are not something the Guild could help with (sadly, we can’t run our own editing certificate program yet!), there is opportunity for the Guild to assist volunteers in organizing regular refresher groups and more in-depth study groups. 

Overall, the majority of members who took an editing certificate program found it to be valuable for building skills, knowledge, and a professional network, and would recommend a program for both beginning and experienced editors. Although some editors get enough training via on-the-job experience or advanced educational programs in related subjects like journalism, the responses that we saw were more than enough for us to feel like, for those who are not coming from a higher-ed program focused on publishing or who were lucky enough to get significant mentoring and training from an in-house career, certificate programs are a worthwhile and useful way to get into the editing profession. We also feel confident in saying, based on these results, that if you have the opportunity to take an in-person and longer-term course, you’ll get more out of that than an online or accelerated program. It’s also worth noting that many of these programs (certainly the UW Certificate Program, which the majority of our respondents completed) offer scholarships to help offset the cost. So if you feel you would benefit from a certificate program, don’t let the idea of the cost keep you from looking into one!

Lastly, we love the idea of setting up refresher groups for members, and we’d be glad to help one or more started! If you would be interested in facilitating or organizing a virtual meetup with Guild members covering in-depth editorial topics or genres, please contact us at info@edsguild.org.