Writing in the Sciences Certificate

Program Overview

Writing in the Sciences Certificate

Overview

The Writing in the Sciences Certificate is an undergraduate program designed to equip students with specialized skills in communicating complex scientific concepts clearly and effectively to diverse audiences.

Program Details

• Program Type: Certificate
• Format: On Campus, Online
• Estimated Time to Complete: 1-2 semesters
• Credit Hours: 15

Marketable Skills

• Clear scientific communication
• Research proposal writing
• Ethical communication skills
• Technical manual development
• Data translation expertise

Program Highlights

• Gain expertise from experienced faculty with diverse backgrounds in science communication.
• Develop skills in proposal writing, technical manuals, and research reporting.
• Access cutting-edge tools and resources to refine your scientific writing.
• Explore ethical challenges in science communication through interdisciplinary coursework.
• Join a top-ranked technical communication program with strong ties to STEM industries.
• Build a portfolio showcasing your ability to communicate complex ideas to varied audiences.

Career Outlook

Effective communication is critical in every STEM-related field. Professionals with strong writing skills are needed to create grant proposals, research reports, and technical documentation that drive innovation and inform policy. Graduates of the Writing in the Sciences certificate program are well-positioned for careers in academia, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and industries such as biotechnology and engineering.

Courses

• Introduction to Professional, Science, and Technical Writing (3 hrs) A process-oriented introduction to writing, especially for science, pre-engineering, and business students. Focuses on understanding the writing situation and provides students the opportunity to practice writing in response to professional, science, and technical situations.
• Ethics in Science (3 hrs) Survey of the philosophical relationships between ethics (including political and cultural values) and science (as a practice and form of inquiry). Topics include research ethics, experimentation on animals, biotechnology, information technology, gender in science, religion and science, and science policy.
• Proposal Writing (3 hrs) Provides a foundation in proposal writing. Focuses on each component of the proposal writing process: identifying appropriate revenue streams, developing fundable themes, writing specific work plans and budgets, and understanding the review process.
• Advanced Technical Communication (3 hrs) Practical application of technical communication style, conventions, genre, and technologies in industry, business, and the sciences.
• Writing Technical Procedures and Manuals (3 hrs) Application of the principles of technical style to the writing of technical procedures and manuals. Intensive practice in writing technical procedures and manuals.
• Writing in the Sciences (3 hrs) Intensive investigation of the genres of writing in the sciences. Applying appropriate structures for reporting general information and specific data for a variety of scientific contexts.