CPTC Prerequisites

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Certification is available to all practitioners who meet the eligibility requirements. STC membership is not required for eligibility.

To be eligible for certification, you must have a combination of either directly related or relevant education and full-time equivalent (FTE) experience in the field. The more you have of one, the less you need of the other:

  • Degree in a directly related field (listed below) plus at least three years of FTE experience as a technical communicator, OR
  • Degree in a relevant field (listed below) plus at least four years of FTE experience as a technical communicator, OR
  • High school diploma (or the global equivalent) plus at least five years of FTE experience as a technical communicator

Note: Applicants must attest to their degree and experience. Statements made on your application are subject to verification.

Degree level:

  • United States—Bachelor’s or above
  • Canada—Associate’s in technical communication, otherwise bachelor’s or above

Directly related fields (eligible with three years' experience):

  • Technical Communication
  • Information Design
  • Science Journalism
  • Professional Communication
  • Instructional (educational) Technology
  • Instructional Systems
  • Human-Computer Interaction (usability)

Relevant fields (eligible with four years' experience):

  • English
  • Adult Education
  • Journalism (other than Science Journalism)
  • Public Relations
  • Organizational Communications
  • Computer Science (with a human-computer interaction or usability emphasis)

If you hold a degree not listed above that you think should be considered a directly related or relevant field, contact the STC Certification Commission staff at cert@stc.org.