CERTIFICATE Use this course to earn a certificate in Copy Editing.

DETAILS

Remember sixth grade English class? We don't either.

Get a grammar refresher and learn the rules that matter and those you can break. This course will help you navigate best grammar and style practices to produce clear, concise and engaging copy for editorial, business, or creative writing.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Understand the various parts of speech
• Make sure your subjects, verbs, and objects agree
• Ensure that punctuation serves the sentence
• Craft a perfect sentence
• Define of exactly what style is and why it differs from style guide to style guide

By the end of class, you will have:
Training in the fundamentals of grammar to improve your current and future writing projects.

CERTIFICATE Use this course to earn a certificate in Public Relations.

DETAILS

In this course, you'll learn how to create successful events from conception to completion. You'll discover how to think, plan, problem solve, and produce like a professional event planner.

Through weekly assignments, you'll write essential event documents including production reports and timelines, proposals for strategic collaborations and partnerships, and new business presentations. This class will follow the process of planning an event from beginning to end.

In this class you'll learn how to:

• Create production documents including production reports, timelines, budgets, and event recaps
• Develop invitations, advertisements, calendar listings, and media alerts 
• Create and manage an event budget
• Write effective sponsorship decks
• Think creatively to build strategic collaborations

By the end of class, you will have:
The skills to create successful events for a brand, business, or client.

DETAILS

• Lessons: Learn new skills through video-based lessons
• Discussions: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

CERTIFICATE Use this course to earn a certificate in Social Media Marketing.

DETAILS

This class, designed for marketers, bloggers, community managers, and anyone wanting to learn the ins and outs of social media measurement, will show you how to set up tools to measure your social media activity and make sense of the data you collect.

You'll learn how to sift through web analytics, Facebook Insights, and Twitter mentions in order to develop a comprehensive reporting and tracking system. We'll look at free and paid tools so no matter what your budget, you will have a strategy to measure results.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Know which metrics matter to your brand
• Use web analytics to measure social media efforts
• Make use of the latest tools for measuring Twitter and Facebook
• Use shortcuts to measure and monitor your online activity
• Develop a social media measurement report

By the end of class, you will have:
A social media measurement report of your online activity and a comprehensive strategy to monitor and measure your social media efforts.

Admission Requirements:
Students should have access to web analytics and at least one social media presence.

The online classroom has several components:

• Lessons: Learn new skills through video-based lessons
• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

CERTIFICATE Use this course to earn a certificate in Copy Editing, Digital Journalism, and Ad Copywriting.

DETAILS

Thanks to Facebook, Twitter, and blogs, almost anyone can publish content online. The trick is getting people to read what you write -- and pay you for doing it.

This course will show you how to write, edit, and produce engaging online content.

We'll discuss how to thrive in a high-tech medium with the editorial skills you already have. We’ll highlight the main differences between writing and editing for the Web versus print. We'll also talk about the trends in online journalism and what they mean for professional writers and editors.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Understand the basics of usability including rules to follow when creating your site
• Navigate your blog presence
• Use message boards, social networks, and online communities to find sources
• Come up with interactive elements for your Web content
• Understand emerging trends, including online video, social networking, and microblogging

By the end of class, you will have:
The skills to write engaging Web content that connects with readers and expands your audience. Students will also have the opportunity to get a clip published on About.com.

CERTIFICATE Use this course to earn a certificate in Digital Marketing. 

DETAILS

With the proliferation of smart mobile devices, marketers have more access to consumers than ever.

In this course, you'll learn how to conceive, implement, and manage a mobile marketing strategy. We'll examine the growth of the mobile marketplace, from text messages to apps to the rise of HTML5 as the next web standard. We'll also cover how to use analytics to determine where to focus your mobile efforts to maximize engagement with your branded content.
 
In this class, you will learn how to:

• Optimize content and email marketing efforts for mobile devices
• Use analytics to determine where to focus mobile efforts
• Understand the anatomy of a mobile landing page
• Know when to use text message (SMS) and multimedia message (MMS) campaigns
• Audit a multi-faceted mobile strategy

By the end of class, you will have:
A thorough understanding of mobile marketing and a campaign strategy.

DETAILS

Great public speakers aren't born; they're trained.

In the first part of this course, we'll focus on nuts-and-bolts tips and techniques for becoming a more confident and competent public speaker. In the second part, students will be assessed on their abilities to apply the learning to specific presentations and coached to address areas of improvement.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Captivate and engage an audience
• Use "Power Periods" and oral techniques to project competence
• Walk, gesture, and position your body to convey strength
• Interact with displays, notes, and PowerPoint presentations
• Come up with customized ways to improve your own personal public speaking style

By the end of class, you will have:
The skills to speak confidently and with authority to engage any audience.

DETAILS

• Lessons: Learn new skills through video-based lessons
• Discussions: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

Working copy editors know there are exceptions to almost every rule, but do you know what they are? This class aims to examine the finer points of copy editing, with an emphasis on trickier grammar and punctuation examples. We will also discuss issues in the marketplace including freelance v. staff considerations, titles, duties, and the murky waters of office politics. This class is for junior copy editors, writers, editors, or anyone with some background in copy editing who wishes to discuss the realities of working in this profession.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Understand finer points of grammar, including rules on danglers, collective nouns, and misplaced modifiers
• Apply advanced punctuation rules, including proper comma and hyphen usage
• Create and update your own in-house style guide
• Be aware of issues in the marketplace: copy editing online, navigating office politics, job titles and responsibilities of the advanced copy editor, and when you've overstepped your bounds 
• Use resources for the advanced copy editor

By the end of class, you will have:
Advanced skills to update in-house style guides and get work as a copy editor.

Admission Requirements:
At least one year copyediting experience, or the equivalent. Apply with a note to explain your interest in this topic and a brief work history with details about your copyediting experience.

The online classroom has several components:

• Lessons: Learn new skills through written lessons
• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

Note: We recommend using Adobe Dreamweaver to complete assignments. You can download a free 30-day trial at adobe.com. Email us with questions.

• Lessons: Learn new skills through video-based lessons
• Discussions: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

This class will teach you how to create and edit entire pages in Adobe InDesign, the industry-standard page layout program for magazines, newspapers, and print content publishers.

Through lessons and assignments, you'll gain hands-on experience and practice. Weekly discussions include live video presentations and demos through our webcast platform. After this class, you'll be able to confidently add "skilled in Adobe InDesign" to your resume.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Use the toolbar and palettes
• Create and edit style sheets
• Import images, add colors, and change colors
• Change and edit the built-in spell check
• Customize your hyphenations

By the end of class, you will have:
Knowledge of Adobe InDesign for editing projects.

DETAILS

In this intensive course, join fellow editors, writers, and bloggers to learn how to implement SEO writing techniques immediately to ensure your content reaches your intended audience. We'll cover how to improve your organic page ranking to drive traffic to your website, the anatomy of a search engine, and link-building techniques to maximize the visibility of your content.

Students will conduct keyword research to analyze their audience and develop a search strategy for increasing page views.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Identify your audience and conduct keyword research accordingly
• Use Google Trends and the Google Keyword Tool to understand keyword densities
• Use social networking sites to distribute your work and build your authority for search engine ranking
• Apply techniques for effective tagging
• Navigate through the ever-changing landscape of Search to maintain visibility

By the end of class, you will have:
The skills to use keyword research and analysis to drive traffic to your blog or website.

Requirements:
Students must bring their own Mac or PC laptop to class.

CERTIFICATE Use this course to earn a certificate in Digital Journalism.

DETAILS

You’ve mastered writing and editing for publications. But can you crop and resize photos, navigate a content management system, or understand what makes a great user experience?

Thanks to improvements in computer software and content management systems, you don’t have to be a web developer or tech person to create dynamic digital content. Through assignments and discussions, you will learn how to think past the written word and create content that is multi-dimensional and editorially relevant, uses the web to its full potential, create stories that have social media campaigns built in, and increases your value as an employee.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Navigate and create content in a basic Content Management System, such as WordPress
• Crop, resize, and optimize photos, create graphics, and enhance static text through basic HTML/CSS
• Understand what makes a user-friendly website and how to create UGC contests that maximize and enhance your social presence
• Know which web technologies to follow and which to ignore
• Measure effectiveness and revenue potential through traffic and user engagement analytics

By the end of class, you will have:
A thorough understanding of how to conceptualize, articulate, and execute digital content that enhances your site’s editorial mission and is technologically sound.

The online classroom has several components:

• Lessons: Learn new skills through video-based lessons
• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

Note: We recommend using Adobe Dreamweaver to complete assignments. You can download a free 30-day trial at adobe.com. Email us with questions.

DETAILS

To land a job as a TV reporter, you need a demo reel. Period. 

In this course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of television reporting while you manage tight deadlines, draft news scripts, and deliver news content. You'll prepare two taped appearances to add to your demo reel -- shot by a professional news camera operator. We’ll review piece-structuring techniques, how to deliver live coverage, and how to set up and conduct an on-camera interview. 

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Draft a TV news script that’s informative and entertaining
• Write and speak for a television audience
• Deliver a news stand-up
• Set up feature pieces
• Understand the editing process and translate your needs to editors

By the end of class, you will have:
Two taped appearances.

Students who have taken this class have landed reporting jobs at:
CBS Interactive, Fox Business Channel, Fox Philadelphia, and News 12.

DETAILS

We live in the golden age of young adult literature, with young people buying books at the fastest rate in decades. Think Hunger Games, Twilight, or Harry Potter. YA novels are now respected as important money-makers at publishing houses, and they win honors such as the Printz, Newbery, and National Book Awards.

The goal of this class is to finish your YA or middle grade novel in 12 weeks.

In this class, you will learn:

• How to write a proposal that doesn't end up in the slush pile
• What topics are teen cliches, and how to stay away from them
• Whether or not you need an agent and, if so, how to get one
• How to write for teens without being condescending
• How to evaluate your story arc for a teen audience

By the end of class, you will have:
A complete first draft of your YA or middle grade novel.

Students who have taken this class have published with:
Simon & Schuster, Razorbill, Viking, Random House, Simon Pulse, and Grosset & Dunlap, and sold 4-book deals to Penguin and 2-book deals to HarperCollins.

DETAILS

You've taken your young adult manuscript as far as you can, but there's another level to reach before securing a book deal. This workshop is for writers who are seeking to do the serious revision that will bring a good idea to its fullest realization.

In this intensive workshop -- limited to 12 students -- you'll hone your story arc, character development, setting, voice, point of view, level of diction, and every element of your manuscript. Each week you will receive detailed feedback from the instructor and your classmates as you work toward polishing your YA or middle grade manuscript for submission to agents and book publishers. You'll learn how to navigate the publishing world to be in the best position to get published.

By the end of class, you will have:
Up to 80 polished pages of your young adult novel and steps for submitting it to literary agents.
 
This class is purely workshop-based and does not contain written lectures.

Admission Requirements:
This class is for students working toward a polished manuscript. Apply with a note to explain your interest in this topic and goals for the course. Please include a two-page writing sample.

The online classroom has several components:

• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions

DETAILS

There’s a world of publishing opportunities available to food writers in print, websites, blogs, and review sites. The key is knowing where to look for assignments and how to make the most of opportunities.

In this intensive class, we’ll review online and print publications where you can pitch your work –- and how to land assignments that will get attention from foodies. You’ll learn the anatomy of a successful food piece, how to conceive of story ideas, and how to create a portfolio. We’ll discuss steps to build authority in the food writing community, including creating a food blog or website, and how doing so can leverage your personal brand.

Students will leave class with the confidence to kick-start their food writing career and a complete portfolio of articles.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Create a portfolio to showcase your work and build name recognition
• Read a food magazine or website with a critical eye
• Draft a pitch that gets an editor’s attention
• Adapt your writing to different platforms
• Position yourself as an authority

By the end of class, you will have:
A complete portfolio including a news product, interview, profile of a food personality, restaurant roundup, travel piece, and food blog entry.

Students who have taken this class have been published in:
The NY Daily News, The Boston Globe, Time Out NY, the Village Voice, Relish, Vegetarian Times, Clean Eating, Edible Queens, and more.

DETAILS

Nonfiction books -- a market easier to break into than fiction -- are the backbone of publishing. Whether self-help, travel, health, memoir, business, current affairs, or any other number of categories, there's no shortage of readers for nonfiction that teaches, transforms, and captivates readers interested in a particular subject.

In this class, you'll learn how to convey your idea in a winning book proposal and why taking the time to do so will make or break your chances of getting it noticed and sold. You'll also learn what is appropriate for writers who have an idea for a book, but would like to know the complete and correct execution of this vital marketing product.

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Identify whether your idea is a good one
• Think through the essential ingredients of a book proposal
• Format the proposal
• Write your proposal letter
• Understand the nuts and bolts of the nonfiction publishing industry

By the end of class, you will have:
A marketable nonfiction book proposal package ready to send out to agents, including a query letter and sample chapter.

Students who have taken this class have published with:
Simon and Schuster, Perseus/Running Press, and Simon Spotlight.

CERTIFICATE Use this course to earn a certificate in Digital Journalism and Social Media Marketing.

DETAILS

A blog can help you stand out, whether you're an author building your marketing platform, a freelance writer creating an online portfolio of clips, or a business owner growing your customer base.

Learn how to design, promote, and maintain a blog to build your authority as a writer, forge connections with an audience, or drive sales for your brand. 

In this class, you will learn how to:

• Choose a blogging platform that's right for you
• Design, organize, and archive your blog using categories, tags, and photos
• Use effective tagging, SEO writing, and comment management to develop an audience
• Integrate social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Digg, Stumbleupon)
• Build connections with your blogging community with link sharing

By the end of class, you will have:
A blog complete with a mission statement, profile page, a basic knowledge of HTML, and 8-10 blog posts.

• Lessons: Learn new skills through video-based lessons
• Discussion: Join a weekly live, interactive discussion via IM and video
• Assignments: Complete homework and receive instructor feedback
• Forums: Exchange resources, meet peers, and ask your instructor questions