PROFESSIONAL WRITING & JOURNALISM CERTIFICATE
Become a Certified Professional Writer – Without Quitting Your Day Job
A complete, self-paced training program in grammar, journalism, digital publishing, SEO, and freelance business skills. 201 lessons across 13 skill levels, with a certificate of completion when you finish.
Part of the Total Apex Media network — home to Total Apex Sports and Total Apex Entertainment.
Why Writers Choose Total Apex University
Total Apex University was built by Total Apex Media, a team of writers with more than 50 years of combined experience. The program was designed personally by Dusty, founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, to teach people how to write professionally and build a real career — without the cost of a traditional journalism degree.
Practical, Hands-On Skills
Learn grammar, news writing, AP Style, and digital publishing through real exercises, not just theory.
Self-Paced, Lifetime Access
Work through all 13 levels on your own schedule. Pay once and keep access forever – no subscriptions.
Certificate of Completion
Pass all 6 end-of-level exams and earn a branded Total Apex University certificate to showcase your skills.
50+ Years Combined Experience
Built by a team of writers with decades of real, professional experience — not instructional designers who’ve never written for a living.
A Real Publishing Pathway
Graduates have the opportunity to write for Total Apex Media — a genuine next step, not just a certificate on a shelf.
One Price, No Subscription Traps
$99 once. Lifetime access to all 13 levels. No recurring fees and no surprise renewal charges.
Your Path to Certification: 13 Levels, 201 Lessons
Each level builds on the last and ends with a comprehensive exam you must pass (70% or higher) before moving on.
Level 1: Writing Foundations
Master the building blocks of strong writing: grammar, sentence structure, parts of speech, and the fundamentals every writer needs.
43 lessons + final exam
Level 2: The Craft of Writing
Develop your voice and style. Learn paragraph structure, clarity, and the techniques that separate good writing from great writing.
22 lessons + final exam
Level 3: Journalism Fundamentals
Learn how real news gets written: AP Style, reporting basics, interviewing, and journalistic ethics.
22 lessons + final exam
Level 4: Digital Publishing & SEO Mastery
Understand how content performs online. Learn SEO, keyword strategy, content strategy, and digital publishing best practices.
30 lessons + final exam
Level 5: Getting Paid – The Business of Freelance Journalism
Turn your skills into income. Learn how to pitch editors, price your work, invoice clients, and build a freelance career.
10 lessons + final exam
Level 6: Capstone – Real Publication
Put it all together with a capstone project designed to mirror a real publication assignment from start to finish.
4 lessons + final exam
Level 7: Journalism Fundamentals & Professional Writing
Build real-world journalism skills: reporting, interviewing, AP Style, ethics, and the editing and proofreading standards every professional writer needs.
12 lessons
Level 8: Digital, Visual & Broadcast Journalism
Expand into digital-first storytelling: visual journalism, broadcast writing, multimedia, and publishing across modern digital platforms.
12 lessons
Level 9: Advanced SEO & WordPress Publishing
Go deeper on search optimization and hands-on WordPress publishing skills used to get real articles live and discovered.
9 lessons
Level 10: Specialized Journalism Beats
Apply your skills across specialized beats – sports, entertainment, politics, business, science and tech, lifestyle, health, and education.
8 lessons
Level 11: Journalism Technology, AI & Data
Explore the tools shaping modern journalism: AI research assistance, data journalism and visualization, and newsroom automation.
5 lessons
Level 12: Media Business & Editorial Leadership
Understand the business side of media and what it takes to lead an editorial team, from revenue models to managing a newsroom.
11 lessons
Level 13: Careers & Newsroom Practicum
Put every skill to the test with real-world practicum work, a newsroom internship, and the career tools to land your first byline.
5 lessons
Everything You Need, One Payment
How It Works
Enroll
Get instant access for a one-time payment of $99 – no subscriptions.
Learn at Your Pace
Work through all 13 levels, lessons, and quizzes on any schedule that works for you.
Get Certified
Pass all 6 comprehensive exams and earn your Total Apex University Certificate of Completion.
Your Path Doesn’t End at the Certificate
Most writing courses hand you a certificate and wish you luck. We built Total Apex University to do more than that.
A Real Place to Publish
Graduates can submit writing samples for a shot at a byline on a site in the Total Apex Media network — a real outlet, not a hypothetical one.
A Portfolio You Can Point To
Every lesson, quiz, and the capstone project builds toward real, usable writing samples — not just a line on a resume.
Skills That Transfer Anywhere
Grammar, journalism, SEO, and freelance business skills apply whether you write for us, for yourself, or for someone else entirely.
Write for Total Apex Media
Once you’ve completed the course, email a short note and a few writing samples to totalapexsports@gmail.com to be considered for writing opportunities across the Total Apex Media network. It’s not a guarantee — it’s a real door we’re opening for the writers who finish what they start.
Ready to Start Your Writing Career?
Join Total Apex University today for a one-time payment of $99 and get lifetime access to the full Professional Writing & Journalism Certificate program.