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Write it
The BCIT Associate Certificate in Technical Writing is an excellent launch pad into an exciting career or second career. An increasing number of industries are recognizing the vital part that clear writing, good structure and logical, audience-specific organization play in their instruction and procedure manuals, their training materials, their quality assurance procedures, their proposals and grant applications, and all other business-generating and information-storing documentation. Technical writers, who make a living imparting these
qualities to documents, enhance productivity, reduce errors, improve safety, and increase customer satisfaction.
Technical writers are therefore increasingly becoming an integral part of company engineering, research and production teams, ensuring the flow of clear, timely, and accurate information on which business and production depend. With growing globalization and increasing conduct of business and exchange of information via cyberspace, clear communication and effective editing are more important than ever; technical writing is a field that will continue to grow in scope and demand.
If you enjoy writing, have a logical mind, like to tease order out of complex situations, and have a knack for problem solving and putting yourself in the readers' shoes, tech writing may be for you. It's a rewarding, well compensated career, ideal for team-oriented people with a linguistic knack, good communication skills, and a desire to contribute to the success of an organization.
The Program
BCIT's Associate Certificate in Technical Writing is a part-time, evening program, offered by our Communication Department. It consists of 11 courses of either 18-hour or 36-hour duration, with each course meeting for one three-hour session per week. Those taking one course per term (three hours per week) can finish in 7 terms or just over 2 years. Those taking two courses per term (two three-hour classes per week) can finish in 4 terms or just over one year. You have up to seven years to complete the program.
All instructors are industry experts still active in the field and vetted for their teaching ability, not just the excellence and currency of their knowledge.
program entry
Entrance requirements
English Prerequisite:
Students must have a minimum of one of the following:
Students who wish to confirm their English level are strongly advised to take COMM 0015. Students do not need to submit transcripts for entrance to this Program. BUT, in the case of formal or informal grade appeals or reviews, they will be asked to show proof of their English prerequisites.
NOTE: The elective course, COMM 1106, offers additional language support and is strongly recommended for any students scoring below "C+" on English 12 TO TAKE BEFORE ENTERING THE PROGRAM (does not count towards Program credits). As well, students must meet the prerequisites of the program's individual courses. Students will find these prerequisites by clicking on the course links in the program matrix below.
BC provincial exams
For programs beginning in August 2007 or later which require Grade 12 Math and Science courses, BCIT will not require the applicant to write the provincial exam. Provincial exam marks will still be required for English 12, Communications 12, and Technical and Professional Communications 12.
Program approval
To determine if the courses you intend to take will be applied towards a credential you must apply for Program Approval.
Program approval enables you to declare a program of study and outline the courses you plan to complete to meet program requirements. Program approval also provides the opportunity to apply for transfer credit. Upon approval, a confirmation letter will be mailed to you outlining your program of study.
To apply for program approval, please submit the Part-time Studies Application for Program Approval [PDF, 566 KB]. This form is also available at Student Information and Enrolment Services. Please allow approximately six to eight weeks for processing.
courses
Learning Activities
Courses follow the BCIT model, which balances theory and practice. Class time is divided between mini lectures and student exercises. The mini lectures will provide you with the theoretical framework. The exercises that follow will provide you with the opportunity to apply the theory you have learned. The exercises emphasize writing and editing, but also cover a wide range of topics including profiling audiences, designing information schema, and using software applications.
Out-of-class time is divided between required readings and assignments. As the courses are short and intensive, the reading assignments are often considerable. The assignments are designed to allow you to apply further the theory you have learned.
Class Locations
Courses are taught at both the Downtown and Burnaby campuses. Courses that require the use of application software are taught in state-of-the-art computer labs. Others courses are taught in regular classrooms.
To get the most from the program you need to read voraciously, practice what you learn, and continually hone your skills. The courses require your full commitment.
Industry Project
Once you have completed all required course work you will participate in an industry-sponsored project under faculty supervision. This will allow you to apply your skills in a real-world setting, and provide you with a portfolio piece and industry contacts and references.
Program matrix
1. Required Courses*:
Credits
COMM 1007
Technical Writing Style
COMM 1007 familiarizes students with the principles of clear, concise writing in a technical environment for specific discourse communities. Students write and edit extensively in this course and are given extensive feedback on their style and tone. Prerequisite: Students must have one of the following: 1) English 12 "C+" or equivalent http://www.bcit.ca/files/pdf/englishrequirements.pdf ; or 2) COMM 0015/COMM 0045 score of 70 or better. Students who wish to confirm their English level are strongly advised to take COMM 0015. Students do not need to submit transcripts for entrance to this course. BUT, in the case of formal or informal grade appeals or reviews they will be asked to show proof of their English prerequisites.
COMM 1008 familiarizes students with the role of professional editors in the contemporary workplace and introduces the principles, symbols and methods of copyediting and substantive editing. Students will spend a significant percentage of class time practicing their editing skills and fine tuning their understanding of grammar and mechanics. The course will help to prepare students for a typical competency test required by many employers for professional writing positions. Prerequisite: Students must have one of the following: 1) English 12 "C+" or equivalent http://www.bcit.ca/files/pdf/englishrequirements.pdf ; or 2) COMM 0015/COMM 0045 score of 70 or better. Students who wish to confirm their English level are strongly advised to take COMM 0015. Students do not need to submit transcripts for entrance to this course. BUT, in the case of formal or informal grade appeals or reviews they will be asked to show proof of their English prerequisites.
Technical Writing: Definitions, Instructions and Process Descriptions
This course introduces students to three types of technical writing found singly or in combination in most, if not all, technical documentation: definitions, instructions and process descriptions. Prerequisite: Students must have one of the following: 1) English 12 "C+" or equivalent http://www.bcit.ca/files/pdf/englishrequirements.pdf ; or 2) COMM 0015/COMM 0045 score of 70 or better. Students who wish to confirm their English level are strongly advised to take COMM 0015. Students do not need to submit transcripts for entrance to this course. BUT, in the case of formal or informal grade appeals or reviews they will be asked to show proof of their English Prerequisites.
This course introduces students to the diverse aspects of managing documentation projects. It teaches the planning skills necessary to develop document outlines, budgets, and schedules, and how to combine this information into document plans, proposals, and contracts. It introduces the project execution skills needed at each stage of the documentation process, and teaches how to track and report project progress. It addresses issues surrounding multi-person documentation teams, such as managing personnel, dividing and delegating work, and establishing effective writing and editing processes. This course also teaches global management skills, including document control, copyright, meetings and presentations. Note: This is not a writing course. Prerequisite: Before taking this course, students must have completed their technical elective (COMP 1850 or COMP 2007 or COMP 2369). Students must also have one of the following English prerequisites, as well as intermediate word processing skills (MS Word 2007 for Windows): 1) English 12 "C+" or equivalent http://www.bcit.ca/files/pdf/englishrequirements.pdf ; or 2) COMM 0015 score of 70 or better. Students who wish to confirm their English level are strongly advised to take COMM 0015. Students do not need to submit transcripts for entrance to this course. BUT, in the case of formal or informal grade appeals or reviews they will be asked to show proof of their English prerequisite.
This course introduces students to the principles of technical illustration that make documents effective and attractive and teaches methods for producing vector and bitmap drawings used in technical documentation. Class time is spent working on assignments using Corel Graphics software. Prerequisite:Before taking this course, students must have completed their technical elective (COMP 1850 or COMP 2007 or COMP 2369). Students must also have one of the following English prerequisites, as well as intermediate word processing skills (MS Word 2007 for Windows): 1) English 12 "C+" or equivalent http://www.bcit.ca/files/pdf/englishrequirements.pdf ; or 2) COMM 0015 score of 70 or better. Students who wish to confirm their English level are strongly advised to take COMM 0015. Students do not need to submit transcripts for entrance to this course. BUT, in the case of formal or informal grade appeals or reviews they will be asked to show proof of their English prerequisite.
Information is not read the same way online as in print. This course teaches students how to express ideas on the Web, how to anticipate the needs of the reader and how to organize and structure information so that it is quickly grasped and navigable, achieving the purpose for which it was developed. Prerequisite: Before taking this course, students must have completed their technical elective (COMP 1850 or COMP 2007 or COMP 2369). Students must also have one of the following English prerequisites, as well as intermediate word processing skills (MS Word 2007 for Windows): 1) English 12 "C+" or equivalent http://www.bcit.ca/files/pdf/englishrequirements.pdf ; or 2) COMM 0015 score of 70 or better. Students who wish to confirm their English level are strongly advised to take COMM 0015. Students do not need to submit transcripts for entrance to this course. BUT, in the case of formal or informal grade appeals or reviews they will be asked to show proof of their English prerequisite.
This hands-on course combines concepts and practice as students work through all stages of designing and writing a quality Help system, including analyzing user needs, designing information and visual schemas, writing, indexing, and testing. Students will have the opportunity to learn about industry-standard authoring tools and publishing formats, and discuss the future trend of online Help. Prerequisite:Before taking this course, students must have completed their technical elective (COMP 1850 or COMP 2007 or COMP 2369). Students must also have one of the following English prerequisites, as well as intermediate word processing skills (MS Word 2007 for Windows) include the ability to insert cross-references, assign paragraph styles, and create a table of contents and index.): 1) English 12 "C+" or equivalent http://www.bcit.ca/files/pdf/englishrequirements.pdf ; or 2) COMM 0015 score of 70 or better. Students who wish to confirm their English level are strongly advised to take COMM 0015. Students do not need to submit transcripts for entrance to this course. BUT, in the case of formal or informal grade appeals or reviews they will be asked to show proof of their English prerequisite.
Clear, well-structured, reader-focused manuals make software, or any other product, comprehensible and usable. They enhance sales and reduce expensive calls to support lines, thereby increasing customer satisfaction and profitability. This course introduces students to the creation of manuals from purpose and audience analysis to usability testing and final edit. Prerequisite:Before taking this course, students must have completed their technical elective (COMP 1850 or COMP 2007 or COMP 2369). Students must also have one of the following English prerequisites, as well as intermediate word processing skills (MS Word 2007 for Windows): 1) English 12 "C+" or equivalent http://www.bcit.ca/files/pdf/englishrequirements.pdf ; or 2) COMM 0015 score of 70 or better. Students who wish to confirm their English level are strongly advised to take COMM 0015. Students do not need to submit transcripts for entrance to this course. BUT, in the case of formal or informal grade appeals or reviews they will be asked to show proof of their English prerequisite.
Single-sourcing and content management are sweeping technical writing. Yet, they are generally misunderstood. This course introduces the principles of content management, information modeling and single-sourcing and discusses their advantages and demands. The course walks students through the process of creating a single-sourced project from planning to completion, using an industry standard single-sourcing tool. Prerequisite: Before taking this course, students must have completed their technical elective (COMP 1850 or COMP 2007 or COMP 2369). Students must also have one of the following English prerequisites, as well as intermediate word processing skills (MS Word 2007 for Windows) include the ability to insert cross-references, assign paragraph styles, and create a table of contents and index.): 1) English 12 "C+" or equivalent http://www.bcit.ca/files/pdf/englishrequirements.pdf ; or 2) COMM 0015 score of 70 or better. Students who wish to confirm their English level are strongly advised to take COMM 0015. Students do not need to submit transcripts for entrance to this course. BUT, in the case of formal or informal grade appeals or reviews they will be asked to show proof of their English prerequisite.
This course partners students with industry sponsored projects, under teacher supervision, to provide students with a portfolio piece, real-world experience, and with industry contacts and references. Prerequisites: Students must attain a minimum grade of 70% in each of the following courses: COMM 1007, COMM 1008, COMM 1009, COMM 1013, COMM 1040, COMM 1110, COMM 1260, COMM 2206, COMM 2207*, and one eligible COMP elective (*may be taken concurrently).
*Although most courses can be taken in any order, students should take introductory courses first: COMM 1007, COMM 1008, COMM 1009, and COMM 1110. Courses above the introductory level are generally more intensive and may introduce highly technical concepts and software.
2. Complete a minimum of 3.0 credits of the following**:
Credits
COMP 1850
Introduction to Web Development and Design
This course introduces the fundamental principles and techniques for designing and developing effective Web sites. Topics include: hand-coding pages with HTML; styling text and content with CSS; adding dynamic features with client-side scripting techniques; and managing files and Web sites using FTP software. Students will also be introduced to information architecture and interface design, as well as basic interactivity using HTML forms. This course is the foundation for more advanced web courses. Prerequisite: COMP 1002, or equivalent knowledge of MS Windows and PC file management.
Become a proficient user of MS Office 2007. Learn how to use MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, in this hands-on course. An expert BCIT instructor will lead the class with lectures, lab exercises and assignments. Students will create, manage and integrate documents, spreadsheets, presentations and email. Topics include: the new MS Office 2007 user interface with the Office Button, Quick Access Toolbar, the Ribbon and contextual tabs. Upon completion, participants will have mastered time-saving tips, techniques and learned shortcuts for the daily use in each of these business software applications. Prerequisite: COMP 1002 or equivalent knowledge of MS Windows and File Management.
Become a power user of Microsoft Word 2007, from the basics through to intermediate and advanced topics. Understand how to get the most out of the new MS Word 2007 environment. Learn the new Ribbon user interface with the contextual tabs and Quick Access Toolbar. Topics include: font, paragraph and document formatting; headers and footers; setting tabs; styles; table of contents, indexes, cross-references; inserting and formatting tables; collaboration tools such as comments and track changes; document templates and electronic form templates; mail merge; object linking and embedding. This instructor lead, hands-on course provides lectures, lab exercises and assignments that are designed to provide students with practical skills. Participants progress from a beginner to an expert in just 12 lessons and learn master techniques and shortcuts needed to create and manage all types of documents. Prerequisite: COMP 1002 or equivalent knowledge of MS Windows and File Management.
Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if
they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's
Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.
program details
You will learn the skills necessary to succeed as a technical writer. As the curriculum is designed by industry professionals, the skills you learn will be current with industry standards and trends.
Core Writing Skills
Technical writers need to have good language skills and a clear understanding of how to reach their audience. Building on your already firm grasp of English grammar and usage, you will learn how to:
identify and target discourse communities
analyze and profile audiences and their needs
write clearly and concisely
write with the appropriate style and tone
edit for content, grammar and syntax
Writing for Technical Subjects
Writing technical documentation requires both discipline and creativity. Discipline means observing rules and conventions that act as guidelines. Creativity means choosing the best way to convey information while staying within the guidelines. You will learn how to:
write definitions, instructions, and process descriptions
design and create software manuals
design information architecture for web sites
create web content
design and create online Help systems
design and create single-sourced content
recognize translation issues
Document Management Skills
Technical writers need to manage documents efficiently. You will learn how to:
build document templates and apply formatting
create and apply style guides
develop document outlines, budgets, and schedules
create document plans, proposals, and contracts
apply document controls
Graphics, Illustrating and Formatting
Technical writers use more than words to communicate— there is also a strong visual component. In fact, some technical writers eventually specialize as technical illustrators. You will learn how to:
create and edit vector drawings
create and edit bitmap drawings
format documents to enhance communication
format documents for visual appeal
Software Applications
Technical writers are application software experts. Before entering the program you should have at least a basic level of competency using MSWord. Applications that you will learn include:
MSWord
Intro to Web Development (optional)
CorelDRAW
Help authoring tools
Program Completion
You can complete the entire program and use it as a platform from which to launch a new career. To obtain the certificate, you must complete ten required courses and one elective.
Program Duration
If you take one course per week, you can finish the program in seven terms. If you take two courses per week, you can finish the program in four terms. You have up to seven years to complete the program.
Course Length
Each course is either six or twelve weeks long with one class per week. Each class is three hours long.
Grading
The passing grade is 50%; however, to receive the Certificate, students must achieve a minimum grade of 70% for each course.
graduating & jobs
Job Opportunities
With Vancouver being a hi-tech hub, British Columbia continues to be one of the best places in Canada to work as a technical writer. This is especially true because technical writers are also in increasing demand in:
health care
electronics
engineering
software
heavy industry and utilities
education
resource extraction
government
finance, and other employment sectors.
Anywhere people depend on substantial amounts of information, whether conveyed in print or electronically, technical writers are busy making sure that that information is clear, coherent, complete, accurate, and unambiguous. It's a value-adding process that carries a lot of responsibility, but also presents an exciting opportunity to keep learning, growing, and advancing.
Apply for graduation
Upon successful completion of all program requirements, complete an Application for BCIT Credential [PDF, 561 KB] and submit to Student Information and Enrolment Services.
Allow approximately six to eight weeks for processing.
All financial obligations to the Institute must be met prior to issuance of any credential.
faculty, advisors & staff
Our instructors are industry experts, all of whom are active in various fields of technical writing. They are selected for their professional excellence, for being up-to-date on industry standards and trends, and for having strong teaching ability.
Check out our instructor profiles:
Ivana Djeric is the Product Documentation Manager at McKesson Medical Imaging Group in Richmond, BC. She has worked in technical communications for 9 years and her experiences range from working as the lone technical writer in a small firm, to working as part of a large writing team in a Fortune 500 company. Her current focuses are content management, and single-sourcing for information technology projects. Ivana also writes fiction and her second novel will be published this summer in Belgrade. She holds a graduate degree in journalism from Carleton University in Ottawa. Ivana teaches and develops course materials for: Comm 2207 - Single-Sourcing for Technical Writers
Jason Hall has over 15 years of technical writing and training experience and brings excellence to all his documentation endeavours. He has prepared industry-relevant user manuals and training materials for a great variety of industries from law enforcement to inventory management to health care software products. Past clients include SAP, Best Buy, WorkSafeBC and Health Canada. Jason is comfortable with the full documentation development cycle including interviewing subject matter experts, creating documentation needs analyses, and converting product specs into accessible end-use documentation. His strong software skills allow him to develop templates, style sheets, and even provide a polished finish to documents with effective and well designed graphic components. Jason teaches and develops course materials for: COMM 1007 - Technical Writing Style COMM 1008 - Technical Editing and Grammar COMM 1110 - Writing for the Web
Ben Hechter is an information developer with over 10 years experience at Nortel Networks, as both technical writer and instructional designer. He now runs his own information development company, objectives.ca. His specialties include technical training and documentation synergy, telecommunications applications, database schemas and reports, and emerging technologies. He has a B.A. in English and is working towards an M.A. in Education. Ben teaches and develops course materials for: COMM 2206 - Writing and Testing Software Manuals COMP 1287 - Adobe FrameMaker
Andre Lanz is a professional engineer and the president of his own technical documentation company. Over the past 10 years, Andre has researched, written, and illustrated over 10,000 pages of original technical documentation—predominantly for the high-tech industry. His documents have included product support manuals, training materials, and proposals. His professional experience includes project management, business administration, corporate financing, research and development, systems engineering, product development, quality control, and customer support. Andre teaches and develops course materials for: COMM 1013 - Documentation Project Management
Walter Lanz is a technical writer with 14 years of experience specializing in engineering development and trades curriculum. Walter currently works in the fuel cell sector preparing patent applications. He has also written several consumer books, including the best-selling Along the Dempster: An Outdoor Guide to Canada’s Northernmost Highway. Walter teaches and develops course materials for: COMM 1040— Technical Documentation Graphics
Glenn Millar is a skilled communicator with more than 25 years experience in education and technical communication. After starting his career as a journalist, Glenn joined BCIT in 1983 where he specializes in developing learning materials. He is the author of more than a hundred freelance articles and holds a B.A. in History and English, a BCIT Certificate in Marketing, and a Master of Distance Education. Glenn teaches and develops course materials for: COMM 1007—Technical Writing Style COMM 1008—Technical Editing and Grammar
Matthew (Matt) Rockall is a technical writer with particular expertise in developing on-line content and training systems. He is an active member of the Society for Technical Communications (STC) and is committed to developing the field of technical communication. Matt is also interested in acting and does volunteer publicity planning for the Opening Nite Theatre Society. Recently he published an article on the Works of Wilbur Smith for Solander, the Historical Novel Society Magazine. He holds a Post-Diploma Certificate in Technical Writing from Algonquin College in Ottawa. Matt teaches and develops course materials for: COMM 1110—Writing for the Web
Ted Rutledge has been a professional writer for more than 25 years. His career specializations include all levels of corporate communications, writing, editing, journalism, and publishing. His experiences working in broad range of industries around the world have honed his skills as both a writer and an instructor. Ted holds a B.A in English, a Masters in Business Administration, and a certificate in journalism. Ted teaches and develops course materials for: COMM 1007—Technical Writing Style COMM 1008—Technical Editing and Grammar
Advisory committee
The following are the members of industry advisory committee for the Technical Writing program. Numerous other experts in the field were surveyed and consulted on the program content:
Anne Odell, Consulting Technical Writer and Past President
Society of Technical Communicators
Ivana Djeric, Documentation Manager
McKesson Medical Imaging Corporation
Sharon Figueira, Technical Documentation Group Team Lead
Creo Systems, Inc.
Andre Lanz, Program Manager
General Hydrogen Corporation
Susan Nishi, Technical Writer
Xantrex Technologies
Terry Fuller, Instructional Development Consultant
BCIT Learning Resources Unit
Thorsten Ewald, Instructor
BCIT Communication Department
contact us
For more information about this program, or if you have any questions, please contact:
“I was ready for a change and wanted to start a career I could build a future on. I enjoyed my time at BCIT and found the Technical Writing program was very helpful in building my knowledge and confidence in my ability to do the job I was being trained to do.” After finishing the program, Alistair moved to Amsterdam and landed an English technical writing position in just six days, apparently the only such job in the city at the time.
Alistair Henry
Testimonial
"I entered BCIT because I was looking for a way to combine my technical skills with my goal of becoming a writer. In the Technical Writing program, I have learned new skills such as project management, document editing, and user analysis. I have also become a better writer, and I am now comfortable writing in a number of different styles including persuasively, which is critical in my new position as a proposal writer for a Fortune 500 medical services company."
Michael Anderson
Testimonial
"I was exceptionally pleased with the thoroughness and accuracy of the research, precision of the text, and superb organization and sequencing of the content as delivered by our BCIT Technical Writing intern. In fact, the work was so outstanding, I have shared it with some of our other CBC locations."
John Mang
A Brilliant Career
A Consumer Reports Money Advisor Newsletter suggests that technical writing is a "brilliant second career." For those interested in technical writing careers, the newsletter also says "You should be a clear, concise writer with some background in the industry in which you plan to work."
