What kit do I need for the online route of the Certificate in Broadcast Journalism?

A laptop, a USB microphone (a basic Blue Snowball or Samson Q2U is enough), a phone capable of HD video and a stable internet connection. Editing software access is included. Kit-upgrade recommendations are in the joining pack.

Will I be on camera during the Certificate in Broadcast Journalism?

Yes — and recorded for tutor and peer feedback. Students who are camera-averse at the start of the course typically grow into it; tutors structure early exercises to build confidence.

How is the Certificate in Broadcast Journalism different from the Advanced Diploma in Broadcast Journalism?

The Certificate is a short practical introduction with a small showreel. The Advanced Diploma is a twelve-to-fifteen-month senior-track qualification with weekly live newsdays and a full broadcast portfolio. Most students complete the Certificate before deciding whether to commit to the Diploma or Advanced Diploma.

Does the Certificate in Broadcast Journalism cover Ofcom rules?

Yes — the foundations. You will leave understanding the Ofcom Broadcasting Code's key requirements (accuracy, impartiality, harm and offence, elections) at a working level. The Diploma covers the same ground in more depth.

Can I complete the Certificate in Broadcast Journalism part-time?

Yes. Distance and part-time routes typically take six to nine months and are designed around working students. Live newsdays run in the evening for the online cohort.

Certificate in Broadcast Journalism in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Certificate in Broadcast Journalism at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-to-six-month UK introduction to broadcast craft for new reporters and producers. You will write news scripts for the ear, voice them under tutor direction, complete short television and radio packages, and develop the basic studio competence broadcast newsrooms expect of an entry-level recruit.

This Certificate is the practical introduction to broadcast — short enough to test the field, substantial enough to build real on-air confidence and produce a small showreel.

Key Features

Writing-for-the-ear module — script structure, sentence length, vocabulary, attribution for spoken delivery.
Voice training — clarity, pace, breath, microphone discipline.
Basic studio operation — audio desk, autocue, single-camera technique.
Short package production — two TV packages and two radio packages by course end.
Showreel preparation — package selection, narration, branding.
Three study modes — on-campus in central London, fully online with remote studio exercises, or distance learning with kit-supplied package production.

What You Will Learn

The Certificate in Broadcast Journalism is built around the daily skills a broadcast newsroom assistant or junior reporter is expected to demonstrate from day one.

News script writing for spoken delivery — print prose vs broadcast prose.
Voice for broadcast — articulation, pace, breath, microphone use.
Field reporting basics — location sound, B-roll, vox-pops.
Studio operation at entry level — audio desk, autocue, single-camera setups.
Package construction — script, voiceover, editing, music-bed ethics.
Interviewing for broadcast — short-form for bulletins, longer-form for features.
Broadcast standards basics — Ofcom Code essentials, election impartiality.
Showreel-grade self-editing — what to put on tape for an application.

Who This Course Is For

New reporters wanting to test broadcast before committing to a Diploma or full degree.
Print and digital journalists adding broadcast craft to their portfolio.
Podcasters formalising their craft into industry-standard broadcast practice.
Press officers and corporate-affairs staff who appear on broadcast or pitch to broadcasters.

Career Pathways

The Certificate is a foundation broadcast credential — it gets new reporters into entry-level broadcast roles and supports the case for further study. Typical applications include:

Broadcast Assistant (regional radio, hospital radio, community broadcaster)
Production Runner (TV news, current-affairs production)
Podcast Producer Assistant (independent podcast network)
Press Office / Spokesperson Trainee (organisations doing significant broadcast work)
Continued Study (Diploma in Broadcast Journalism, Diploma in Journalism)
Freelance Voice-over and Narration (alongside other reporting work)

The Certificate articulates into the Diploma in Broadcast Journalism at LSJHML for students continuing.

Entry Requirements

Minimum age 16.
Secondary school qualification (GCSE/O-Level or international equivalent).
IELTS 5.5 (or equivalent) for non-native English speakers.
No prior broadcast experience required.

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.