Creatives hoping to work in film and television who want to build their own online content or expand their creative skills may want to consider becoming certified in video editing or video editing applications. These programs provide students with official industry-recognized accreditation that signals a student’s proficiency in video editing applications and techniques. Students who complete these programs will have official accreditation of their video editing skills and be prepared to start editing video content professionally. These certifications cover important video editing techniques and video editing software applications.
Noble Desktop: Video Editing Certificate
Key Information: This professional development, certificate-granting video editing course is available in-person or through live online instruction. The beginner-friendly course runs on multiple schedules, taking full-time students two months to complete and part-time students four months. Students enrolled in the course will receive one-on-one career mentorship and can retake the program within one year.
Noble Desktop offers a robust Video Editing Certificate program for students hoping to learn how to work with digital film and the tools that make digital editing possible. This course introduces students to basic editing techniques, film theory and the practice of using tools like Adobe Premiere Pro to optimize an editing workflow. Whether you are hoping to work on a professional film set or just edit your own videos for YouTube and TikTok, you’ll find that this course offers you the training that you’ll need. This beginner-friendly certificate program is a fantastic introduction to video editing. Students can use this course to build new creative and technical skills.
The course covers the foundational principles of video editing and its associated theories. Students will learn historically significant and time-tested editing techniques to help them create visually interesting, dynamic edits of their films. Students will learn the technical aspects of editing such as how to pair shots, maintain continuity and manage audio files and they will learn how tools like Premiere Pro can help make their job faster and easier. Students will also learn the contextual purpose of different editing techniques so that students can make informed decisions about the kinds of edits they make to a given piece. Finally, students will learn how to use complementary software applications such as Adobe After Effects, to create digitally animated effects and Adobe Audition to modify, insert, or sync up sound files. Students who complete this course will receive detailed training in all the tools and techniques needed to start editing professional-quality videos.
This career-focused course aims to prepare students for the kinds of practical editing work they will be expected to do on a film set, at an advertising studio, or on their own personal projects. Students can enroll in this course in-person or online, but either way, students will receive professional live instruction from video editing experts who can guide students through every step of the process. Instructors are available to answer questions and provide students with immediate feedback, and students can rest assured knowing that they have a support structure available to help them succeed in this course. In addition to this in-class support, students will also receive career-development assistance, including dedicated portfolio-building workshop time to help students prepare their job materials and one-on-one career mentoring sessions in which students can get tailored professional advice on their job search. Students will also have the opportunity to retake the course within one year, giving them even more chances to get hands-on practice working on video editing projects.
Noble Desktop: Video Editing & Motion Graphics Certificate
Key Information: This certificate-granting career program is available through in-person or online instruction. Students can enroll in a two-month or four-month part-time course. Students will receive career development support, including one-on-one mentoring sessions, and they can retake the course, free of charge, within one year.
Students seeking a more comprehensive digital editing education may want to consider enrolling in Noble Desktop’s Video Editing and Motion Graphics Certificate course. This program aims to train students in two major aspects of digital video post-production work: editing and special effects animation. Students will learn how to use industry-standard post-production software applications like Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects to create vibrant and memorable digital effects and edit those effects into a finished project. This course aims to provide students with the career-skills they need to succeed on any professional-quality video editing project, and the course includes training in all of the major techniques, theories, and applications that a professional Video Editor will be expected to know.
The course combines the content of Noble’s Video Editing Certificate program with its Motion Graphics Certificate program, offering students a well-rounded education in video post-production. Students will learn how to use Premiere Pro to edit video projects, and they will learn basic skills like how to use the application to merge two video files together and advanced skills like how to use the application’s dashboard to edit dozens of different files from multiple different cameras all at the same time. Students will also learn the theoretical and technical aspects of video editing that they need to know to decide what kinds of edits to utilize and where to place them. Then, students will work with Adobe After Effects to create evocative 3D animated effects and graphics that they can add to video files while editing them. Lessons cover simple projects like creating animated title cards or digitally removing the content of a phone screen to complex projects like working with chroma key replacement or designing digital costuming and props.
This course is offered in-person or online at Noble’s Manhattan campus in a live digital classroom. Either way, students will receive expert instruction in real-time from video editing and motion graphics experts who can guide students through post-production. Students can ask questions and receive immediate feedback on their work, which can be invaluable for new students looking to master these skills. Since this is a career-focused course, students will work on practical, real-world examples of post-production projects, and they will receive access to career development services, like demo reel-building workshops and one-on-one career mentoring sessions. Students also have the chance to retake the course within one year, giving them more hands-on, guided post-production experience.
Digital Workshop Center: Video Design Certificate
Key Information: This beginner-friendly video editing program allows students to learn video editing skills online. The program is expected to last approximately six months, depending on what courses a student enrolls in. DWC offers career-mentoring sessions, and students can apply for micro-internships through the program’s corporate partners.
Digital Workshop Center’s Video Design Certificate program offers students a chance to learn the basics of digital video editing and post-production. This course aims to provide students with robust training in tools like Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Photoshop. Students will learn the basic principles of design and practice applying those skills to video editing and motion graphics projects. Lessons cover diverse video editing techniques ranging from basics like video editing terminology to marketing and content branding strategies for students looking to use their video editing skills to sell a product or brand. The course also includes platform-specific lessons on how to create and edit videos for YouTube channels and social media webpages.
This is a career-focused training program, and DWC aims to provide students with the support they need to find work in video production. Students will work on hands-on exercises that mirror the kinds of work that professional Video Editors do, and they will learn the language and theories of video editing as a profession. Students will work on individual projects, including a guided final video project in which they work directly with a teaching mentor to produce a finished product that they can incorporate into their job materials. Students will also benefit from career coaching seminars and, thanks to a partnership with Dewey-Parker, students will be able to apply for micro-internships in which they work directly with real professional firms and get hands-on practical work experience.
Ledet Training: Adobe Premiere Bootcamp
Key Information: This live online 5-day training program combines introductory and advanced Premiere Pro lessons and introduces students to the basics of VR video production. The program aims to provide students with marketable video production skills.
An alternative method for students looking to become certified in video editing is to complete a certificate-granting program emphasizing specific video editing software applications such as Adobe Premiere Pro. These courses, like Ledet Training’s Adobe Premiere Bootcamp provide students with hands-on experience working with industry-standard post-production tools and can demonstrate to prospective employers that you understand the technical skills required to use these tools. While they may not emphasize technique and theory as much as a more comprehensive course, they will still offer top-quality training in the important functionalities of commonly used software applications.
This course, in particular, combines introductory and advanced Premiere Pro training to give students a robust understanding of the program's functions. Students will learn the basics of using Premiere Pro to cut and merge multiple video files, add transitions between shots and manage audio levels across multiple video files. Then, they will learn more advanced techniques such as how to mix and alter the sound in a scene, color correct and other subtle digital editing techniques and work with multiple different cameras on a single editing project. This program aims to provide students with a professional video editing education that will prepare them to use the tool professionally and personally.
Adobe: Adobe Certified Premiere Pro Professional
Key Information: This professional certification exam is provided through Adobe, allowing students to demonstrate their proficiency with Premiere Pro. The exam lasts fifty minutes and tests practical and technical knowledge of Premiere Pro and video editing techniques. This certification lasts for three years before it needs to be renewed.
Students with practical experience working with Premiere Pro, either on the job or from other training programs, can consider taking Adobe’s first-party professional certification exam to become an Adobe Certified Professional in Premiere Pro. This exam tests a student’s practical and technical knowledge of Adobe Premiere Pro, one of the most commonly used, commercially available video editing applications. The course covers the basics of working in the video production industry (such as key terminology and copyright laws) and platform-specific knowledge like adding effects to a video file or working with keyframes. The exam also covers practical concerns such as publishing and exporting video files. Adobe has designed the exam to test all aspects of a student’s Premiere Pro knowledge and training.
The certification exam lasts fifty minutes and is integrated with the program, so students can use their devices to complete it. Adobe recommends that students have at least one hundred and fifty hours of practice and experience with the program before they complete the exam. Adobe does provide students with study materials and sample exams though no formal skills training is involved in this exam. Certifications last for three years, at which point students must recertify by passing an updated exam version.
Boulder Digital Arts: Adobe Premiere Pro Video Editing Certificate Program
Key Information: This in-depth, week-long certificate program teaches students basic and advanced Premiere Pro techniques and video editing theories. This program is available in in-person or live online classrooms, though they are scheduled separately.
The Boulder Digital Arts school offers a beginner-friendly, accelerated Adobe Premiere Pro Video Editing Certificate Program for students looking to become certified in video editing skills. In this course, students will learn how to use Premiere Pro to make simple and elaborate modifications to video files and how the program can be paired with other Creative Cloud applications (like After Effects and Photoshop) to create more elaborate and complex editing programs. Students will learn to perform basic cuts, add transitions, modify sound files, and adjust film speed. By the end of the program, students will be working on multicam editing jobs, correcting color and gradients, and preparing final projects for publication.
This program is offered through in-person instruction at the school’s Boulder location or online via Zoom instruction. Students will receive live instruction and hand on experience working with Premiere Pro, including lessons in the technical aspects of video editing. Since this is a beginner-friendly program, no prior video editing experience is needed, but students must be comfortable working with computers and have access to Adobe Creative Cloud applications. This is an accelerated, full-time program intended to quickly get students up to speed on Premiere Pro and prepare them for professional video production work.
Apple: Certified Pro in Final Cut Pro X
Key Information: Apple offers a collection of Final Cut Pro certification exams for students looking for an associate or professional certification. These exams last under ninety minutes and test students' knowledge of the Final Cut Pro application and video editing techniques broadly. These certifications last two years and require students to retake the exam to continue their certification.
Apple is the publisher of Final Cut Pro, the other major commercially available video editing software application. They offer a collection of certification exams for students looking to become Apple Certified Professionals, including exams covering Final Cut Pro. Students can test their knowledge of introductory, intermediate and advanced Final Cut Pro skills and receive certification that demonstrates their proficiency with the program. The exams cover practical and technical skills, and students will be expected to understand how to utilize the program, navigate the interface and make conscious editing decisions using the tools offered through the application. Each exam covers different aspects of the application, and the most advanced version also covers professional development questions and industry-specific knowledge.
Each exam lasts under two hours and costs 150 dollars to schedule. These are online exams, and students can complete them using their own copies of Final Cut Pro. Included in the price of registering for an exam is a collection of study materials and sample exams. Beyond this, Apple also offers paid live Final Cut Pro instruction courses for students looking to complete the exam. Apple Certified Professional certifications last for two years before students must renew their certification by completing the most recent version of the exam.
New York Film Academy: Online Digital Editing Workshop
Key Information: The New York Film Academy offers full-time and part-time video editing training workshops. These courses last 15 weeks for part-time students and four weeks for full-time students. The course focuses on practical film and television video editing techniques and trends.
The New York Film Academy, one of the nation's most well-respected film training institutions, offers full-time and part-time Online Digital Editing Workshops for students looking to prepare themselves for a career in post-production. This program allows students to work with experienced professional instructors and receive hands-on training in video editing skills. Students will cover basic video editing techniques, theories of editing and practical skills that students will need to work with programs like Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects. Students who enroll in the program will be supplied with a license for Premiere Pro.
This program focuses on teaching students how video editing contributes to larger filmmaking projects and how learning video editing can prepare students for careers in digital filmmaking. The course focuses on how editing practices and techniques contribute to narrative and story-telling with the intent that this course is useful for anyone interested in working on creative film projects. The course focuses primarily on long-term film and television production, emphasizing industry-standard tools and industry-wide editing trends. No prior experience is required to enroll in this course.
UCLA Extension School: Film Editing Specialization
Key Information: The UCLA Extension School offers a film editing specialization track for students looking to work in film and television and hoping to receive professional-quality education in video editing. The program consists of three video editing classes that students can enroll in and complete at their own pace.
The UCLA online and in-person extension school offers various film certificate courses, including a Film Editing Specialization for students looking to learn video editing skills in a professional environment. This specialization consists of a handful of courses covering the technical art and craft of film editing and the common applications used by Video Editors, including Premiere Pro and After Effects. This program aims to provide students with an introductory understanding of professional video editing techniques and prepare them for a future career in the television and film industry. The program also aims to supplement the training students receive in other film and television courses, particularly film writers and directors looking to learn about the technical aspects of post-production.
This specialization track consists of two required courses in film editing theory, “The Art and Craft of Film Editing” and “Adobe After Effects for Filmmakers: An Introductory Workshop.” These courses will give students a detailed background in film editing theory and the technical aspects of post-production work. Then, students will choose between a course in Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, or Avid Media Composer to get hands-on experience working with a digital video editing application. Students can complete the program at their own pace, though each class runs on a fixed schedule. UCLA estimates that, in total, the program will take students about three semesters to complete and will cost a little more than $,000.
HeadTrix, Inc: Video Editing & Effects Certificate
Key Information: headTrix, Inc offers a six-class live online video editing certificate program that covers all of the major elements of video post-production. Each course takes about two full days to complete, and headTrix estimates that the course will include a total of 78 hours of in-class instruction.
headTrix, Inc offers an immersive Video Editing & Effects course for students seeking work as professional Video Editors. This accelerated program covers all of the major aspects of video post-production, including editing raw footage, compiling footage for release and designing and inserting digital effects. The course will teach students how to use Photoshop (with an emphasis on its use in post-production projects), After Effects and Premiere Pro. The course also includes supplemental classes in advanced Photoshop skills, Illustrator and Final Cut Pro (students will be able to choose their electives). The course aims to provide students with hands-on experience working with these applications in real-world scenarios that will prepare them for a career in professional video production.
Students are free to enroll in the six required courses at their own pace, and each course lasts approximately two days. headTrix estimates that students will receive about 78 hours of in-class instruction by the time they complete the certificate program. These courses provide students with hands-on experience using industry-standard tools and aim to prepare students for a future in video production. Courses are all available online, and when students complete the program, they will be awarded a certificate of completion that signals their professional skill development.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Difference Between a Certificate and a Certification?
Students should be aware that certificates and certifications are not the same, even though they are both perfectly valid ways for a student to become certified in video editing. Certificates and Certifications both demonstrate students’ proficiency in video editing techniques and applications, but they demonstrate that proficiency in distinct ways. Certifications are awarded to students who pass industry-recognized exams (often offered by first-party vendors) that test their competency and knowledge of video editing skills. These exams tend to be completed in a day, and they often test knowledge of specific applications, like Premiere Pro or Final Cut. Certifications tend to expire after a fixed period of time, requiring students to recertify (often by taking the most recent version of the exam).
Certificates are more akin to diplomas, and they are awarded to students once they complete an industry-recognized training program. These programs are designed to teach students the techniques and skills that certification exams would test them on, making them ideally suited for students needing hands-on video editing experience. They are often career-focused and aim to teach students practical lessons that will benefit them once they are on the job market. Certificates do not tend to expire, so students won’t have to recertify themselves after graduation. Certificate programs are also good places for students to practice their skills if they aim to pass a certification exam.
Which Accreditation Method Should I Follow?
The path a student should take to become certified will depend largely on how much prior experience they have with video editing tools and techniques. Students who have either on-the-job training in video editing or have taken college-level video editing classes are likely to have the skills they need to pass a certification exam. These students will benefit from the quick pace of the examination and the cost-effective way to demonstrate their existing skills. These exams are also ideal for students hoping to demonstrate their knowledge of specific video editing applications.
Students who want to work as professional Video Editors but don’t have existing training should consider enrolling in a certificate-granting program. The real advantage of this certification method is that even beginners and total novices can earn their certificates by learning the complex art of video editing. In these courses, students can learn advanced video editing techniques from expert instructors and gain skills that they can bring onto the job market. Students enrolled in these courses will also learn the skills they need to eventually become certified by passing a certification exam.
Will I Need to Become Certified?
For the most part, professional Video Editors won’t need to become certified to find work. While this isn’t true for all openings, most Video Editor job listings won’t have a hard requirement that applicants be certified. The major aspects of getting hired are an applicant's demo reel and interview, but certification is a good way to enhance an application. Having a certificate or certification demonstrates to prospective employers that you understand the important aspects of video editing and are prepared to start work immediately.
Which Certificate Program is Right for Me?
Students who enroll in a certificate-granting program will need to decide what kind of course best suits their needs. While every student will learn differently, there are some consistent affordances and limitations of different training modalities that students will want to consider when looking for a course. Students will have the option to learn in-person or online, and those who learn online will need to choose whether they learn from live instructors, through asynchronous course material or in a hybrid course.
Which is Better: In-Person or Online?
Many training providers have begun offering high-quality online versions of their in-person certification courses due to recent developments and improvements in online learning technologies. These classes are offered in a variety of different formats, but the shifts in the online learning environment have made many of these classes comparable to in-person instruction. Students should seriously consider whether they want to learn in-person or online since each option has meaningful advantages and disadvantages.
Many students still prefer in-person training since these courses let them work directly with their instructors in a classroom space designed to keep them focused on their lessons. This space also gives students a chance to work face-to-face with their classmates, which can provide them with valuable experience and feedback on their work, both of which are important for aspiring Video Editors. The drawback to these courses is that they are restricted to students who can physically commute to the training center, which can restrict the options available to students who don’t live near major cities.
Online courses allow students to learn from anywhere in the country, and they give students additional flexibility in terms of scheduling. Rather than building your schedule around a class you can attend (and commute to), you can find a course that fits your schedule, including part-time and on-demand classes. Students can also learn how to edit videos on their computers, which can be a boon for students who want to work on personal projects. The drawback to these classes is that students will need to be more self-motivated to stay on top of their work, and they will need to ensure that they aren’t becoming distracted by their environment.
Which is Better: Live, On-Demand, or Hybrid Instruction?
The other major concern for students enrolling in an online course is whether they want to enroll in a live online course, an asynchronous program or a hybrid class. Live online courses are taught in real-time by live instructors who can provide students with immediate feedback and assistance. They are akin to in-person classes delivered over telecommunication applications like Zoom. On-demand classes offer students a flexible learning schedule since these courses are composed of pre-recorded modules that students can engage with as their own schedules allow. Hybrid courses give students a mix of the two, though many hybrid classes are on-demand courses with limited live engagement.
On-demand courses tend to be best suited for students with very restrictive schedules and hoping to learn the basics of a tool or skill. These courses provide students with the materials they need to learn at their own pace, but this comes with a few major drawbacks. Notably, without direct access to a live instructor, it can become difficult to find the answer to problems or challenges encountered during lessons. Plus, since editing is a technical art, it is important for students to receive feedback on their work since subtle changes in the edit can significantly alter the finished product. In addition, even reputable on-demand training providers may be unable to keep up with changes in applications or theories, so students who enroll in on-demand courses must work to ensure that their course materials are not out-of-date.
Live online training is an ideal alternative for students who have the schedule for an in-person class but are unable or willing to travel. In these classes, students will work directly with their instructors in real-time and be able to receive personalized feedback and answers to their questions. In these courses, students can collaborate with their classmates and receive assistance and guidance on their work as they move through the program. While these courses do have significant scheduling requirements (though many are available full-time and part-time, giving students increased flexibility to find a course to suit their needs), anyone hoping to start a new career in video editing is likely to benefit greatly from a live online course.