University of Texas Continuing Ed Courses

A few months ago I stumbled upon the Knight Center for Journalism at the University of Texas. It’s a program that offers free courses to professionals who want to gain a few skills along the way. I was hesitant at first, saying I was too busy or didn’t want to pay the money, but then I realized how many courses the program offered. We’re talking hundreds, both in English y Español.

A few weeks passed and eventually I DID find the time. I settled on an online class called "Writing Tight and Editing Tighter,” instructed by veteran New York Times columnists John O’Neil and Jacques Steinberg. Despite the pressure of taking a class again after being away from school for a while, I actually didn’t find the course that stressful. Since it was all online, I was able to work on done at my own time.

We covered things like planning stories with word counts in mind, using outlines to stay focused, and working alongside editors. We also learned to think editorially, understanding why editors make the cuts they do and how to give better feedback to other writers.

I just finished the course and I’m already signed up for another one. The practical focus sold me - these aren't theoretical writing classes, they're skills I started using at work immediately. If you're in journalism or any kind of content work, check out their courses.

https://journalismcourses.org/