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Proofreading & Editing Diploma Course

Do you have an eagle eye for detail? Are you the go-to person for spotting typos and correcting grammar? Whether you dream of becoming a professional proofreader, enhancing your writing, or launching a freelance business, the Proofreading and Editing Diploma Course with certification is the perfect way to learn.

Course overview:

Certified

Accredited

10 Modules

Study Group Access

Earn reward points

What Will You Learn?

The Proofreading and Editing Course is a self-paced, 10-module programme designed to give you a strong foundation in both copyediting and proofreading—whether you're looking to support your own writing, work with clients, or start a new freelance career. Packed with practical tips, templates, and guidance, it’s ideal for anyone who wants to learn how to edit writing or learn proofreading online.

You’ll start by learning the key differences between proofreading and copyediting, where each role fits into the editorial process, and how they’re used across different industries like journalism and publishing.

Build Your Editing and Proofreading Skillset

This accredited copyediting course covers everything you need to start confidently editing and proofreading:

How to copyedit tables, captions, footnotes, and figures.
What a style guide and style sheet are, and how to create your own.
The essentials of marking up text, including BSI symbols.
Practical tips for staying focused and reducing fatigue.
Why fact-checking matters, and how to do it effectively.

You’ll also explore how to identify and fix common spelling and grammar mistakes. You'll understand why they happen and apply ten essential spelling rules, with clear examples and exceptions.

Strengthen Language, Flow and Clarity

Once you've grasped the basics, the course will teach you how to edit writing for clarity and tone. You’ll learn how to:

Spot common grammar issues like dangling modifiers and sentence fragments.
Refine word choice, eliminate redundancy, and vary sentence structure.
Understand the use of verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs in context.

This section will help you move beyond surface-level corrections and begin editing for fluency, style, and reader engagement.

Understand the Final Proof and Production Stage

Before a document is published, the final proof is your last chance to catch errors and inconsistencies. This module teaches you how to review a final manuscript, from interior content to front and back covers, and what to prioritise before sign-off.

Learn to Copyedit and Launch a Freelance Career

The final module takes you through working as a freelance proofreader or copy editor. If you want to turn your new skills into a business, you'll learn how to:

Write a business plan.
Set up as a sole trader.
Understand your tax obligations.
Market yourself and find your niche clients.

This section is ideal if you're interested in flexible, independent work or launching a side hustle.

By the End of the Course, You’ll Be Able To:

Learn to copyedit confidently and professionally.
Understand the full editorial process and where your skills fit in.
Identify and correct common errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation.
Use standard proofreading symbols and style sheets.
Create clearer, more polished documents for yourself or others.
Build your freelance profile and start taking on paid editing or proofreading work.

Whether you're aiming for certification or just want to brush up your skills, this proofreading course gives you everything you need to get started.

If you want to learn how to proofread professionally and progress to a career as a proofreader or copy editor, this course will provide you with the knowledge and guidance to get started. This course is a great starting point for:

Aspiring proofreaders and copy editors who want to learn the fundamentals and start freelancing.
Writers and bloggers looking to improve the quality and polish of their own work.
Professionals who need to produce or review written content in their job.
Students who want to sharpen their grammar and proofreading skills.
Virtual assistants and admin staff hoping to offer editing as an additional service.
Anyone looking to learn how to proofread or learn to copyedit in a structured, practical way.
Editors looking to formalise their skills with a proofreading certification.

Introduction
Part 1: Definition of Editing
Module Exercise
Part 2: Different Editing Formats
Answers to Module Exercise
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 1 Assessment

Part 1: Role of the Copy Editor
Part 2: Copy Editing Skills List
Part 3: What is the Role of a Proofreader?
Part 4: Proofreading Skills List
Part 5: When do Copy Editing and Proofreading Occur?
Part 6: Online Proofreading Tools
Part 7: Summary
Module Exercises
Answers to Module Exercises
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 2 Assessment

Part 1: Editing Tables
Part 2: Figures
Part 3: Checking Factual Information
Module Exercises
Part 4: Summary
Answers to Module Exercises
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 3 Assessment

Part 1: What is a Style Guide and Why is it Important?
Part 2: Types of Style Guides
Part 3: Creating Your Own Style Sheet
Part 4: Example of a Style Sheet
Module Exercises
Part 5: Summary
Answers to Module Exercises
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 4 Assessment

Part 1: Standards in Proofing
Part 2: Key Steps
Module Exercises
Answers to Module Exercises
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 5 Assessment

Part 1: Why We Make Spelling Mistakes
Module Exercises
Part 2: Primary Spelling Rules
Answers to Module Exercises
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 6 Assessment

Part 1: Errors
Part 2: Punctuation Errors
Module Exercises
Answers to Module Exercises
Part 3: Summary
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 7 Assessment

Part 1: How to Edit for Fluency
Part 2: How to Edit for Flow
Part 3: Precision in Word Choice
Module Exercises
Answers to Module Exercises
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 8 Assessment

Part 1: What is a Print Proof?
Part 2: Proofing a Book Cover
Module Exercises
Answers to Module Exercises
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 9 Assessment

Part 1: Editing or Proofreading or Both?
Part 2: Creating a Business Plan
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Conclusion
Module 10 Assessment

The Proofreading & Editing Diploma Course will take you up to 150 hours to complete, working from home. There is no time limit for completing this course, it can be studied in your own time at your own pace. This is a Level 3 course and will give you 150 CPD (Continued Professional Development) points.

Upon completion of your course assessments, you receive 2 certificates. A certificate from the Centre of Excellence and a CPD certificate displaying the number of CPD points earned from the course.

This course is endorsed by the Quality Licence Scheme. Therefore, upon successful completion of this course, learners can also receive a certificate of achievement from Quality Licence Scheme and a Learner Unit Summary, which lists the details of all the units the learner has completed as part of the course. (This certificate is optional and costs an additional £25).

The Quality Licence Scheme is part of the Skills and Education Group, a charitable organisation that unites education and skills-orientated organisations that share similar values and objectives. With more than 100 years of collective experience, the Skills and Education Group’s strategic partnerships create opportunities to inform, influence and represent the wider education and skills sector.

The Skills and Education Group also includes two nationally recognised awarding organisations; Skills and Education Group Awards and Skills and Education Group Access. Through their awarding organisations they have developed a reputation for providing high-quality qualifications and assessments for the education and skills sector. They are committed to helping employers, organisations and learners cultivate the relevant skills for learning, skills for employment, and skills for life.

Their knowledge and experience of working within the awarding sector enables them to work with training providers, through the Quality Licence Scheme, to help them develop high-quality courses and/or training programmes for the non-regulated market.

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FAQs

There is no time limit for completing your course it can be studied in your own time at your own pace.

All of our courses vary in length but most of our courses will take you between 50 - 250 hours to complete. The length of this course can be found in the Accreditations section above.

Once purchased your course is located in your Learning Centre on our website. Please log in using the same email address that you used when you purchased your course.

You can purchase a printed copy of your course materials at the checkout or from within your Learning Centre at any time after purchasing your course.

This course covers a range of topics related to proofreading, editing, and publishing. It includes lessons on grammar, punctuation, spelling, style, formatting, and more, as well as practical exercises and guidance for starting a freelance proofreading business.

Yes! This is a Level 3 Diploma in Proofreading & Editing and will give you 150 CPD (Continued Professional Development) points. Upon completion of your course assessments, you’ll receive 2 certificates: a certificate from the Centre of Excellence and a CPD certificate displaying the number of CPD points earned from the course.

Yes! This course is also available as an audio course.

We offer a great selection of writing courses, ranging from Screenplay Writing, to Travel Blogging and Poetry Writing.

Proofreading is the process of reviewing written material to identify and correct errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, formatting, and style. Writers, publishers and businesses use proofreaders and editors to help catch errors and improve the quality of their written content. It is an essential step to ensure that written content is accurate, professional, and effective.

One of the best ways to get into Proofreading and Editing is to start building your skills via resources like this Diploma Course, or any other training courses. You can also gain experience by offering your services to local businesses or organisations, or by applying for freelance proofreading and editing jobs. Networking and building a professional online presence can also help you to establish yourself as a proofreader or editor.