Does the BA Professional Writing cover creative writing?

Some — particularly in the copywriting and brand-voice modules, where creative thinking is central. The BA's primary focus is professional writing for paying contexts, however. Students who want a creative-writing-led degree should look at the BA Creative Writing instead.

Will AI tools make professional writers obsolete?

No — but they change the work. The BA Professional Writing addresses AI directly across the curriculum, covering AI-assisted drafting, the editorial and ethical questions raised, and the parts of professional writing (judgement, client relationship, complex stakeholder management) AI doesn't perform. The intent is to train writers who use AI well, not who are replaced by it.

Is the industry placement on the BA Professional Writing paid?

Sometimes — it depends on the placement provider. We work to place students with organisations offering paid placements where possible. All placements are structured, supervised and contribute credit toward the degree regardless of whether they're paid.

Can I do the BA Professional Writing part-time?

Yes. The course can be taken over four to five years part-time. The online and distance routes are specifically designed for working writers; the part-time route on campus is structured around two evenings per week and weekend workshops.

What does the year-three portfolio on the BA Professional Writing look like?

30,000 words across genres — typically including a long-form copywriting piece, a technical writing project, a complete bid response (real or simulated), a content strategy document and a longform corporate communication. The portfolio is reviewed by an industry panel at graduation and becomes the basis for your job-seeking work after the degree.

BA Professional Writing in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA Professional Writing at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree for students who want to make a living writing — as copywriters, technical writers, bid writers, content strategists, internal-comms writers and corporate editors. The degree covers the range of professional writing genres in depth, with sustained portfolio work and an industry placement that gets your writing in front of paying clients before you graduate.

This is a degree about clear, structured, purposeful writing — the kind organisations pay for and that AI hasn't yet replaced. You will read briefs, write to length and tone, work to deadlines, and graduate with a 30,000-word portfolio across the core professional-writing genres.

Key Features

UK honours degree — three years full-time, with online and distance routes for students writing professionally already.
Genre-specific modules — copywriting, technical writing, bid writing, content strategy, corporate communications, plain-language and accessible writing.
Style and grammar foundation — sustained training in clear English, register, structure and the discipline of writing to brief.
Industry placement in year two — agency, in-house writing team or supervised freelance placement.
Year-three portfolio — 30,000 words of professional writing across genres, presented to an industry panel at graduation.
Working-writer guest series — copywriters, technical writers, bid leaders and content strategists from across the UK industry teaching live sessions across the year.

What You Will Learn

The BA Professional Writing is structured around the working practice of a professional writer — receiving a brief, scoping a job, drafting under deadline, revising to client feedback, and shipping. You finish with the genre-specific competence the major professional writing markets recruit for and the portfolio to prove it.

Clear-English writing — structure, syntax, register, the working of plain-language editing.
Copywriting — campaign concept, long and short copy, body copy, microcopy, brand-voice writing.
Technical writing — user documentation, API documentation, technical reference, knowledge-base writing.
Bid writing — bid response structure, evaluation-criteria-aligned writing, bid graphics integration.
Content strategy — content audit, taxonomy, governance, editorial calendar, measurement.
Corporate writing — internal comms, executive communications, report and white-paper writing.
Plain-language and accessibility — readability, Crystal Mark standards, inclusive language, accessible web writing.
Professional practice — client management, contracts, rates, freelancing economics, agency life.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers who want to write for a living rather than as art — without ruling out the creative side of their practice.
Career-changers from journalism, teaching, law or the public sector moving into corporate writing roles.
Bilingual writers wanting a UK degree that strengthens their English-language professional writing alongside other-language work.
Working freelance writers ready to formalise their practice and earn a recognised UK degree.

Career Pathways

Professional writing is one of the few writing fields where structured demand remains high — across agencies, in-house teams, public-sector communications and the freelance market. BA Professional Writing graduates typically progress into entry-level professional writing roles or into freelance practice with a portfolio that supports paying work from year one. Typical first roles include:

Junior Copywriter (creative agency, in-house brand team)
Technical Writer (software company, regulated industry, in-house documentation team)
Bid Writer (consulting firm, professional services, public-sector supplier)
Content Designer (digital agency, in-house product team, GDS-style public sector role)
Internal Communications Writer (corporate, third sector, NHS trust)
Freelance Copywriter / Editor (clients across sectors)

The BA prepares graduates for MA-level study in publishing, communications or strategic communication, and for the professional credentials offered by industry bodies including the Professional Copywriters' Network and the Association of Bid & Proposal Management Professionals.

Entry Requirements

Three A-Levels at BBC or above (or international equivalent — IB 28 points, BTEC DMM, or accepted national qualification).
GCSE English Language at grade 5 or equivalent English proficiency test.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short writing sample (1,000–1,500 words, any form) submitted with your application.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with a portfolio and short interview.

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.