Program Details
Technical and Professional Writing, C.S.C
Career Studies CertificateNorthern Virginia Community College
This 16-credit Technical and Professional Writing Career Studies Certificate is a writing credential focused on various workplace writing genres. Students will gain expertise in writing and editing technical reports, documenting processes, and in writing/responding to proposals. Students will also gain a solid foundation in the vocabulary of technical and proposal writing and professional communication. The Technical and Professional Writing CSC is credential comprised of five required courses. Completion Requirements: 16 total credits. All students must complete ENG 111 (or its equivalent) in the first semester of certificate study. Students must next complete a core of 13 credits of technical writing, editing and proposal writing courses. Credit for Prior Learning: Students in this program may be eligible for credit for prior learning and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Program Overview & Guidance

Program Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
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Considerations for Selecting Degree | |
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Program Requirements Beyond Specific Courses | |
Doing More With Your Degree | |
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Program Credit Requirements

The table below provides the requirements to complete this program if you are not following a Transfer Guide. If you have an account and have created a Portfolio, the table includes the "Applied Credits" column. This column shows how the credits you earned based on the experiences you entered may be applied to satisfy these requirements. You can find schools where you can take courses that will transfer and apply to this degree using the Where Can I Find An Equivalent Course feature in the Transfer Tools menu.
A formal determination of credits awarded for your prior learning and their applicability to the degree requirements can only be made by the institution. The formal determination and resulting map may reflect higher or lower number of credits to be completed to achieve this program.
What If I Have An Associate Degree Or Credit For Prior Learning?

Transfer Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
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Associate Transfer Degree Completion | Students who have graduated with at least an associate or bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited United States institution of higher education are considered to have fulfilled NOVA's SDV requirement. Any other course transfers are evaluated based on the student's transcript, https://www.nvcc.edu/cro/transfercredit/index.html |
Completion of Associate Degree Concurrent with High School | Students who have graduated with at least an associate or bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited United States institution of higher education are considered to have fulfilled NOVA's SDV requirement. Any other course transfers are evaluated based on the student's transcript. |
Credit for Prior Learning | NOVA strives to provide students with opportunities to receive credit for prior learning while still maintaining the integrity of our academic programs. Credit for prior learning (CPL) generally refers to the process of granting college credit for learning gained in nontraditional. ways; https://www.nvcc.edu/prior-learning/ |
Did You Know That... |
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College Level Information

College Fit Guidance | What You Need to Know |
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Is This College Right For Me? | Our classes feature up-to-date technology and course content to prepare you for a competitive job market; We also offer courses that will transfer to colleges all over Virginia and the nation. In fact, NOVA has guaranteed admission agreements with more than 40 colleges and universities for students who meet specific requirements. |
Transfer Student Catalog Year | Catalog year is determined by first semester of program placement. |
First Year Student Catalog Year | Catalog year is determined by first semester of program placement. |
Applying for Guaranteed Admissions | https://www.nvcc.edu/gaa/ |
Where Can This Degree Transfer

Institution | Title | Degree | Award Name | Award Level | Delivery Mode |
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Randolph-Macon College | English (BA) | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
Roanoke College | Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
James Madison University | Bachelor of Arts, Major in Writing Rhetoric and Technical Communication | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
James Madison University | Bachelor of Science, Major in Writing Rhetoric and Technical Communication | Bachelor | Bachelor of Science | 4-Year | In-Person |
Bridgewater College | Professional Writing Major - BA | Bachelor | Bachelor of Arts | 4-Year | In-Person |
Careers Where This Degree Applies

O*Net Code | Name | Description | Parent |
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27-3041.00 | Editors | Plan, coordinate, revise, or edit written material. May review proposals and drafts for possible publication. | Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occ |
25-1123.00 | English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary | Teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research. | Educational Instruction and Library Occupations |
27-3043.05 | Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers | Create original written works, such as scripts, essays, prose, poetry or song lyrics, for publication or performance. | Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occ |
27-3043.00 | Writers and Authors | Originate and prepare written material, such as scripts, stories, advertisements, and other material. | Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occ |
43-9081.00 | Proofreaders and Copy Markers | Read transcript or proof type setup to detect and mark for correction any grammatical, typographical, or compositional errors. Excludes workers whose primary duty is editing copy. Includes proofreaders of braille. | Office and Administrative Support Occupations |
25-1199.00 | Postsecondary Teachers, All Other | All postsecondary teachers not listed separately. | Educational Instruction and Library Occupations |
27-3042.00 | Technical Writers | Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work. | Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occ |
Cost To Complete
