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EDIT330

Structural Editing

Structural editing is the process of assessing and organizing or reorganizing material to improve its flow, logic, and readability.

In this course, we discuss various editorial issues and solutions, and work through practical examples to build your understanding of what structural editing is and how to successfully conduct a structural edit.

When you have finished this course, you will have developed your structural editing skills. Topics we cover in this course include considering the audience's needs; identifying and addressing structural problems; reorganizing, reworking, and rewriting material; working with visual elements; and communicating with writers. Though this course is based on a general understanding of structural editing as it relates to content, there are some sections that provide more information on structural editing for fiction.

The final assignment for this course is due one week after the course ends.

Overview

Location: Online
Format: Self-paced within deadlines set by instructor
Duration: 5 weeks
Tuition: $555
Can be applied to:
Editing Certificate

Upcoming Offerings

Register for a course at any time, with the option to apply to a program later.

Start Date
Schedule
Location
Instructor
Cost
Seats Available
Action
Start DateWed, Jan 22, 2025
Schedule
  • Wed, Jan 22 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Jan 29 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Feb 5 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Feb 12 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Feb 19 (self-paced all week)
LocationOnline
Cost$555.00
Seats Available23
Action
Start DateWed, Mar 12, 2025
Schedule
  • Wed, Mar 12 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Mar 19 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Mar 26 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Apr 2 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Apr 9 (self-paced all week)
LocationOnline
Cost$555.00
Seats Available21
Action
Start DateWed, May 7, 2025
Schedule
  • Wed, May 7 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, May 14 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, May 21 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, May 28 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Jun 4 (self-paced all week)
LocationOnline
Instructor-
Cost$555.00
Seats Available24
Action
Start DateWed, Sep 17, 2025
Schedule
  • Wed, Sep 17 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Sep 24 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Oct 1 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Oct 8 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Oct 15 (self-paced all week)
LocationOnline
Instructor-
Cost$595.00
Seats Available25
Action
Start DateWed, Nov 5, 2025
Schedule
  • Wed, Nov 5 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Nov 12 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Nov 19 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Nov 26 (self-paced all week)
  • Wed, Dec 3 (self-paced all week)
LocationOnline
Instructor-
Cost$595.00
Seats Available25
Action

What you will learn

At the end of the course, you will be able to do the following:

  • Identify structural issues in manuscripts
  • Write sentence summaries of paragraphs
  • Conduct a structural edit of a manuscript
  • Write and edit effective headings and transitions
  • Communicate effectively with a writer

How you will learn and be evaluated

Prepare to spend 6–10 hours per week on coursework, including:

  • Readings
  • Discussions
  • Practice exercises
  • Assignments

You will be evaluated on:

  • Assignments
  • Participation in discussions

Learning Materials

No textbook is required. We will provide all course materials online.

Recommended reading:

The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition. University of Chicago Press, 2017. ISBN 978-0226287058

Note: Courses use the  from the Chicago/Turabian (17th ed.) citation guide.

Once you begin the course you’ll be sent ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV library access information for this text. Alternatively, you may wish to access a 30-day .

Technical Requirements

For online courses, you will need a computer with audio and microphone that is connected to the internet. Canvas is the online system that will be used for the course. For more information and online support, visit Online Learning.

You will need access to the following:

  • Microsoft Word (2010 or newer) and being comfortable with  function
  • A printer
  • A scanner or camera to create a digital copy of editing examples to be submitted for one of the assignments
  • High-speed internet access

English Language Requirements

To succeed in this course, you will need an advanced level of written and spoken English. If you are unsure whether your English language skills are sufficient, we recommend you complete the  (IELTS) with the following minimums:

  • Overall band score minimum 6.5
  • No band below 6.0
  • Writing band score minimum 8.0

Please note we can’t refund your registration fees after the course start date if you find your English language skills are not adequate.

If you have questions or concerns about your English language proficiency, we encourage you to contact your local .