What kind of supervised project will I complete on the Advanced Diploma in Humanities Research?

A 10,000-to-12,000-word research piece on a topic you agree with your supervisor in the first term. Past projects have ranged from archival studies of London publishing houses to interview-based research on diaspora communities.

Do I need a humanities background to enrol in the Advanced Diploma in Humanities Research?

Some humanities exposure helps but is not required. Applicants with a strong personal statement and a clear research interest are considered alongside Diploma-level humanities graduates.

Can I take the Advanced Diploma in Humanities Research online?

Yes. The online route mirrors on-campus seminars with live tutor sessions, recorded methodology workshops, and structured archive-skills training using digital collections. Distance learners follow the same outcomes with milestone-based deadlines.

Does the Advanced Diploma in Humanities Research prepare me for a Master's?

Yes. The research-methods and writing modules are mapped to the entry requirements for UK humanities Master's programmes. Many graduates progress directly to an MA or to the final year of a humanities Bachelor's degree.

How is the Advanced Diploma in Humanities Research assessed?

Coursework, a research portfolio, a methodology paper and the final supervised project, with an oral defence at year end. Assessment is spread across the year to reflect real research practice rather than a single high-stakes exam.

Advanced Diploma in Humanities Research | LSJHML London | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Advanced Diploma in Humanities Research at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a twelve-to-fifteen-month UK qualification for graduates and senior practitioners who want a rigorous grounding in humanities research methods — qualitative analysis, archival practice, hermeneutics, comparative method — before moving into a Bachelor's top-up year, a Master's degree, or a research-driven role in publishing, policy or the cultural sector.

The course is built around the British Academy's research-methods guidance and current RSA-aligned thinking on the public humanities. You will design and execute a supervised research project across the academic year, defend your methodology, and produce a piece of work a postgraduate admissions tutor will recognise as serious.

Key Features

Supervised research project across the academic year on a topic you negotiate with your tutor.
Archival practice workshops using the British Library, the National Archives at Kew, and digitised humanities databases.
Qualitative methods training — interview design, coding, thematic analysis, reflexivity.
Critical theory tutorials across the major twentieth-century traditions a humanities researcher needs to recognise.
Publishing-for-the-humanities module covering journals, monographs, public-humanities writing.
Direct top-up into the final year of a UK BA in a humanities discipline at LSJHML or a partner university.

What You Will Learn

The Advanced Diploma in Humanities Research is structured around the working life of a humanities researcher — question, sources, method, argument, publication. You graduate able to formulate a researchable question, plan and execute the fieldwork or archive work it requires, and defend the result.

Research design — formulating a question, scoping, ethics review, planning.
Archival research — UK national collections, university special collections, digital repositories.
Qualitative interview methods — design, recruitment, consent, analysis.
Discourse and textual analysis — close reading, intertextuality, comparative method.
Critical theory — major twentieth-century frameworks and their humanities applications.
Public humanities — writing for non-academic audiences, the RSA tradition.
Academic writing — the journal article, the chapter, the book review.
Research ethics — informed consent, anonymisation, working with vulnerable communities.

Who This Advanced Diploma Is For

Diploma-level humanities graduates ready to commit to a research-driven specialism.
Working professionals in museums, archives, publishing or the third sector who want a structured research credential.
Aspiring Master's applicants who want a strong methodological foundation before postgraduate study.
Career-changers from teaching, journalism or policy moving into the humanities-research sector.

Career Pathways

Graduates of the Advanced Diploma in Humanities Research move into research-adjacent roles in publishing, the heritage and cultural sector, policy think tanks, and academic support functions. Typical roles include:

Humanities Researcher (think tank, NGO, university research centre)
Cultural Programme Coordinator (museum, festival, arts organisation)
Policy Analyst (public sector, third sector)
Lecturer (further education, supplementary teaching)
Editorial Researcher (academic publishing, longform journalism)
Archive Officer (national or institutional archive)

The Advanced Diploma articulates directly into the final year of a relevant UK Bachelor's degree, or supports application to an MA in History, English, Cultural Studies or Modern Languages.

Entry Requirements

A UK Diploma (Level 4) or equivalent in a related subject, OR completion of secondary school plus one year of relevant work experience.
IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement, CV and a short writing sample.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with three years of relevant work experience.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.