Writing & Literature courses

Offered by UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies, Explicit Writing Instruction with the Science of Reading in Mind is a Writing & Literature course designed to enhance teaching practices through evidence-based strategies. Participants will gain insights…

The UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies offers this High School: Screenwriting course, a dynamic exploration of storytelling techniques within the Writing & Literature discipline. Designed for aspiring writers, students learn foundational screenwriting…

Explore the world of literature with the Osher Book Club offered by UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies. This Writing & Literature course invites participants to engage in thoughtful discussions and deepen their appreciation for diverse literary works.…

Offered by UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies, the Advanced English Grammar course delves into the intricacies of Writing & Literature, equipping students with advanced linguistic skills and a deeper understanding of grammatical structures. This…

Enhance your mastery of grammar and editing with UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies’ Grammar and Editing II course. Designed for Writing & Literature enthusiasts, this advanced program delves into nuanced language techniques, precision in editing, and…

The High School: Create a Children's Book course at UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies offers young writers an immersive introduction to Writing & Literature. Students aged will learn storytelling techniques, illustration fundamentals, and publishing…

Available through the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies, the Middle School: Screenwriting course offers an immersive exploration into the art of Writing & Literature. Designed for aspiring young writers, this program equips students with foundational…

"Offered by UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies, this Novel Writing I course immerses students in the art and craft of fiction writing within the Writing & Literature discipline. Through structured workshops and expert guidance, participants will…

The Novel Writing III course at UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies offers an advanced exploration of Writing & Literature, guiding students through the complexities of crafting compelling narratives. Designed for aspiring novelists, this course…

The UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies presents Scientific and Technical Writing for Non-native English Speakers, a specialized course in the Writing & Literature category. Designed for international professionals, this program enhances clarity,…

This course focuses on how to construct effective, accurate and attractive figures, tables and graphs. Course content includes basic statistics, principles of the visual display of quantitative information, critique of selected medical graphics, and exercises…

Introduction to Medical Writing and Editing is intended for people who are considering a career in medical communication and is designed to introduce students to the profession of medical writing and editing, including the knowledge and skills needed to…

This course will benefit students who are seeking to write and publish an article in a peer-reviewed journal. Using knowledge acquired throughout the medical writing program, students in this capstone course will choose their own topic to publish (could be…

Candidates for the Certificate in Literary Representation and Certificate in Editing and Publishing complete 100 hours of internship work for a pre-approved literary agency or publisher. Over the course of the internship, they gain a practical understanding…

In this advanced workshop, you choose a specific project (for example, linked sequences of poems, such as prose or sonnets or a deep examination of imagery and/or metaphor) upon which to focus throughout the duration of the term. Through the exploration of…

The writing of powerfully constructed scenes featuring compelling characters is the key to any screenplay or dramatic teleplay's success. This intensive workshop gets you writing and rewriting your own scenes, and arms you with a specific skill set that…

Let the wild rumpus begin! Do you dream of imaginary lands and mythical creatures? Learn how to inspire a child's imagination by giving them the tools necessary to explore the world around them. The well-written picture book entertains the child while…

Have you ever told yourself that someday you will write a children's book? Now's your chance! Join us as we demystify the writing process and examine the wide variety of books offered to children: picture books, easy readers, early chapter books, middle grade…

Designed for serious writers with at least 100 pages of a manuscript who seek to refine their manuscripts into completed memoirs, this advanced workshop is centered on sustaining progress and polishing existing work. Through intensive instructor and peer…

The process from written manuscript to published book is more complicated than most authors and newer publishing professionals expect. From what to look for in acquisitions to how to use metadata to your advantage to booking a successful author tour, this…

After all the work of getting through a first draft, little seems so barbaric as the slashing and burning of entire characters and scenes—but making such vulgar literary sacrifices can enable the writer to unearth the heart of conflict and character, find…

In this fast-paced, fun, and exhilarating novel writing course, you do the unthinkable: write a novel in ten weeks from start to finish. Tapping into the rich material inside your subconscious, you do mini exercises in class that form the plot, characters,…

Crime novel of all types—be they cozies, hard-boiled or thrillers—often appear on the bestseller lists. But mysteries are challenging novels to write due to their complex plots, the necessity of planting of clues and red herrings, and the unraveling of the…

Novice storytellers tend to associate the quality of a story with the quality of its prose. While a clear and concise style will facilitate understanding, the commercial success of “poorly written” books demonstrates that good storytelling, the kind of…

The Prose Poem is either a profound paradox or an absurdist joke—in your tiny handheld mirror is an even smaller figure repeating a question as if it were a riddle: “A poetry freed from the definition of poetry, and a prose free of the necessities of…

This course satisfies the final requirement for Certificate in Creative Writing candidates by providing a structured environment in which to engage in activities that help writers move from workshop feedback reliance toward self-directed writing and revision.…

Videogame players demand deep stories with rich characters, as hits such as Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War, and The Last of Us prove. Further, the rise of touch-screen devices of all sizes opens up exciting new innovations for storytelling techniques. In…

Literary agents are uniquely positioned in the publishing world to have their hands in many facets of the book process, from a book's inception through to finished copies and publicity. This course begins with an overview of the Agency Agreement, the contract…

An editor’s job includes not only improving the mechanics of writing but identifying places where content isn’t working or needs revision and development. This skill is also invaluable for writers, who can use it to shape their own work or to make extra money…

This course gives students an overview of copyediting processes involved in preparing a manuscript for editorial review or publication. Appropriate for writers of all genres and those seeking to develop professional skills in copyediting, students learn best…

Created for the beginning writer, this course explores the various genres within the category of children's picture books, including nonfiction, writing in rhyme, classics and concept books for young children. Writing exercises focus on improving fundamental…

For those with some previous training in poetry, this intermediate workshop focuses on creating work which emphasizes lyrical and innovative language, personal insight and individual voice. In addition, you refine your knowledge of a number of the craft's…

Editors who want to work outside of big publishing houses can find success in freelance editing. Freelance editors must learn to balance projects, find and bid on new work, and maintain client relationships over time. This course will provide students an…

To be successful, editors draw from a broad base of skills while taking the entire publishing process into account. They are avid, active readers in their own right who understand the way the publishing market works. Beyond that, they also understand the…

This workshop takes you beyond the picture book basics and teaches you to master the specific craft techniques used in creating successful picture books, including strong beginnings and endings, the power of the page turn, audience participation, engaging…

This course is for anyone who has a story from "real life" that needs to be told. Sometimes your story is about a person, place, thing or some concealed part of yourself; a remembered time or event; or even something that will happen as you give account to…

Travel writing has been imaginatively transporting readers for centuries and remains one of the most robust areas of publishing. This course guides you to elevate the mere travelogue or guidebook entry into a thoughtful, well-crafted piece of literature as…

Many aspiring novelists write with the hope that inspiration will come. The result is time wasted on a flabby novel with no clear shape and a sagging pace. On the other hand, story structure gives your novel a skeleton; it forms the bones of your story. And…

Designed for serious writers with at least 50 pages of their memoir, this workshop offers a structured writing environment to generate new material and ongoing critique. Issues of structure, theme and honing the author's unique voice are emphasized. You will…

A memoir is a book-length narrative that is told from the writer's point of view and captures a meaningful slice of the writer's life. If you have a story to tell and would like to figure out how best to tell it, this course helps you get started. In-class…

What is a poem and how does it differ from prose? What sources can you, the beginning poet, look to for ideas and inspiration? How can you encourage a raw unfinished poem to become a thing of power and beauty? This course provides a series of enjoyable and…

Designed for the serious writer committed to participating in a structured writing regimen as well as engaging in ongoing critiques and craft discussions, this course guides you to examine key issues in your work, create an involving storyline out of your…

From big-budget superheroes to critically acclaimed dramas, many of pop culture’s most entertaining stories originated from comic books and graphic novels. Through their unique marriage of words and pictures, comics can be a magical yet accessible form of…

Grammar Lab is a prerequisite for this ten-week online Copyediting I course. As a copyeditor (or copy editor), you will be expected to proofread text for errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling and check for readability, style, and agreement with…

In Copyediting II you will practice judicious and defensible editing so you can master how to thrive as a copyeditor (or copy editor) in the modern-day workplace. This class will acquaint you with a medium edit, one of the three levels of copyediting covered…

Are you ready for your first major editing assignments? In this course, you will carry out heavy edits on all elements of a manuscript and a digital assignment. You will also work on a deadline and communicate directly with fictious authors of both pieces…

This ten-week online Grammar Lab course is skillfully designed to meet the needs of all students. It is beneficial for those with little grammar experience and advantageous for those with a strong grammar background seeking expert status. Whether you are…

10 Weeks | Online Course Overview : This advanced writing course is designed to build upon the foundational skills acquired in Science Writing I. I n this course, students will embark on a science communication project of their choice—such as a long-form…

The ability to edit your own written work is a skill that's highly valued by employers and publishers. This class focuses on strengthening your writing for the web using journalistic techniques. Whether you want to create blog content, feature articles, or…

There is a common misconception that scientific research is inaccessible, overly technical or even uninteresting. It’s time to change the narrative. This class equips emerging science communicators from any background with the skills to effectively share…