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Algonquin College

Ottawa , southern Ontario ,Canada

Diploma in Professional Writing

With a focus on organizational and creative writing, the two-year Professional Writing Ontario College Diploma program teaches you the skills and flexibility to work as a writer in a variety of fields. You learn writing skills for electronic and print media from nationally recognized writers, authors, and communications experts.

Acquire the necessary skills to write independently and collaboratively in freelance and organizational settings. With attention to detail, learn to research, write, edit and proofread.

Many writers balance freelancing with other employment, so the program focuses on the development of creative skills along with knowledge of the existing market for fiction and creative non-fiction in Canada. You gain highly marketable communications, writing, and editing skills that are useful in many industries in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors.

During the program, local freelancers lead workshops and may mentor you in the field. You participate in a work environment for a seven-week field placement where you have the opportunity to apply your writing skills while building connections with potential clients and employers.

Campus Information

Ottawa

A college campus should be designed around student needs. It should include the facilities — from public busing to affordable, healthy food services — that make student life efficient, worry-free, and productive. Students have varied interests and needs. That’s why the Ottawa campus of Algonquin accommodates a diverse range of requirements. A college campus should be setup to encourage discussion, with students enriching each other’s experience, providing friendship, support and offering a special way to learn.

Intakes

  • Sep

Application Processing Time in Days: 45

Application Process

LOA
30 Days

Minimum English Language Requirements

English Level Description IELTS (1.0 -9.0) TOEFL IBT (0-120) TOEFL CBT (0-300) PTE (10-90)
Expert 9 120 297-300 86-90
Very Good 8.5 115-119 280-293 83-86
Very Good 8 110-114 270-280 79-83
Good 7.5 102-109 253-267 73-79
Good 7 94-101 240-253 65-73
Competent 6.5 79-93 213-233 58-65
Competent 6 60-78 170-210 50-58
Modest 5.5 46-59 133-210 43-50
Modest 5 35-45 107-133 36-43
Limited 4 32-34 97-103 30-36
Extremely Limited < 4 < 31 < 93 < 30

Job Opportunity Potential

Graduates may be employed at a junior level as communications officers, copy editors, researchers, proofreaders and web content writers. They also have the skills to be hired on contract or as a freelancer to write magazine-type articles, booklets, brochures, training materials and manuals.

PSW Opportunity

  • 3* Year PSW Opportunity Minimum 2 years of study.

Admission Requirement / Eligibility Criteria

College Eligibility

  • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent. Applicants with an OSSD showing senior English and/or Mathematics courses at the Basic Level, or with Workplace or Open courses, will be tested to determine their eligibility for admission; OR
  • Academic and Career Entrance (ACE) Certificate; OR
  • General Educational Development (GED) certificate; OR
  • Mature Student status (19 years of age or older and without a high school diploma at the start of the program). Eligibility may be determined by academic achievement testing for which a fee of $50 (subject to change) will be charged.

Program Eligibility

  • English, Grade 12 (ENG4C or equivalent)with a grade of 70% or higher.
  • Direct entry into the second year:
  • Applicants with a degree in a field that demands a high level of writing (e.g. English literature, Creative Writing, History, Journalism, Political Science), may enter directly to the second year of the program. Holders of other degree types may be asked to complete an eligibility test. During the Fall semester, direct-entry students receive three hours of coaching per week to review material from Level One and Level Two. Applicants should contact the coordinator directly for more information.
  • Applicants with international transcripts must provide proof of the subject specific requirements noted above and may be required to provide proof of language proficiency. Domestic applicants with international transcripts must be evaluated through the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) or World Education Services (WES).
  • IELTS-International English Language Testing Service (Academic) Overall band of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each band; OR TOEFL-Internet-based (iBT)-overall 88, with a minimum of 22 in each component: Reading 22; Listening 22; Speaking 22; Writing 22.

Should the number of qualified applicants exceed the number of available places, applicants will be selected on the basis of their proficiency in English.

Bangladesh

Higher Secondary Certificate – With an average of 60% and no core subject below 55%

Or: General Certificate of Education (0 Level). Require a minimum of five academic subjects, of which one is English with a grade of C

English Proficiency requirements are as follows for consideration:

  •  A minimum TOEFL score of 80 (internet-based with no single test score below 20)
  •  Or IELTS with an overall minimum score of 6.0 (with no single test score below 5.5)
  •  Or CAEL (Canadian Academic English Language Assessment) with an overall band score of 60

India

One of the following:

  • CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) or ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education) – Higher Secondary Certificate – With an average of 60% and no grade below 55%
  •  Or Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat State Boards – Higher Secondary Certificate – With an average of 65% and no grade below 60%
  •  Or all other State Boards – Higher Secondary transcripts – With an average of 60% and no grade below 55%

English Proficiency requirements are as follows for consideration:

  •     1. Academic IELTS with an overall minimum score of 6.0 (with no single test score below 6.0)

Nepal

High School Transcripts

English Proficiency requirements are as follows for consideration:

  •  A minimum TOEFL score of 80 (internet-based with no single test score below 20)
  •  Or IELTS with an overall minimum score of 6.0 (with no single test score below 5.5)
  •  Or CAEL (Canadian Academic English Language Assessment) with an overall band score of 60

Sri Lanka

One of the following:

  •  Sri Lanka General Certificate of Education at Ordinary Level Examination Level results or
  •  General Certificate of Education (G.C.E.) At Ordinary Level (showing at least five subjects passed) or
  •  National Diploma (Agriculture, Technology)

All of the above must be completed with a minimum grade representing 65 percent or higher in required program subjects

English Proficiency requirements are as follows for consideration:

  • A minimum TOEFL score of 80 (internet-based with no single test score below 20)
  • Or IELTS with an overall minimum score of 6.0 (with no single test score below 5.5)
  • Or CAEL (Canadian Academic English Language Assessment) with an overall band score of 60