What level of English do I need to enrol on the Certificate in Business English?

CEFR B1 or above (intermediate). A short placement test at application stage maps your starting level. Below B1, the Certificate in English Language Studies or Certificate in Academic English is a better starting point.

Will the Certificate in Business English prepare me for Cambridge BEC?

Yes — at Preliminary level by default, with stronger learners progressing toward Vantage. The Cambridge BEC certification is taken separately at registered test centres.

Is the Certificate in Business English UK-focused or international?

Both. The teaching examples lean on UK corporate conventions because LSJHML is a UK institution, but cultural-convention modules cover international variation explicitly. Most graduates use the qualification in international rather than UK-only roles.

Does the Certificate in Business English include presentation practice?

Yes — multiple structured short presentations across the course, with peer and tutor feedback. Online students record and submit presentations for the same feedback process.

Can I take the Certificate in Business English fully online?

Yes. The online route runs live small-group classes (typically twice a week), recorded review material and structured written feedback on your work.

Certificate in Business English in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Certificate in Business English at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a short, focused UK qualification in the English a working professional needs in international business — meeting language, negotiation vocabulary, formal correspondence, presentation skills and the cultural conventions of UK and international corporate communication.

This Certificate is for non-native English speakers already at B1 or above who want to operate more effectively in English-medium workplaces. You finish able to chair a meeting, negotiate confidently in English, write professional correspondence and deliver a structured short presentation.

Key Features

Meeting language module — chairing, contributing, agreeing, disagreeing diplomatically.
Negotiation vocabulary — opening positions, concessions, bridging language, closing.
Formal correspondence — email, letter, internal memo and external client communication conventions.
Presentation skills — structured short presentations with peer and tutor feedback.
Cultural conventions — UK and international corporate communication norms.
Three study modes — on-campus, fully online, or distance learning.

What You Will Learn

The Certificate in Business English is built around the working tasks an English-medium professional carries out every week — meetings, negotiations, written correspondence, presentations.

Meeting language — chairing, contributing, disagreement conventions.
Negotiation vocabulary at intermediate level.
Formal email and letter conventions — register, structure, common pitfalls.
Presentation structure and delivery in English.
Telephone and video-call English at professional register.
Reading professional documents — reports, proposals, business news.
Cultural conventions — small talk, directness, hierarchy across UK and international contexts.
Cambridge BEC Preliminary preparation as an optional revision strand.

Who This Course Is For

Non-native English speakers in international business roles wanting to operate more confidently in English.
International professionals relocating to the UK or English-medium offices.
Heritage English speakers needing formal professional-register fluency.
Students preparing for Cambridge BEC certification.

Career Pathways

The Certificate in Business English supports a wide range of international professional roles. Typical applications include:

International Account Manager (English-medium working environments)
Bilingual Sales Coordinator
International Project Coordinator
Customer Success Manager (international clients)
International Communications Assistant
Continued Study (Diploma in Business English, Cambridge BEC certification)

The Certificate articulates into the Diploma in Business English at LSJHML for students continuing.

Entry Requirements

Minimum age 16.
Secondary school qualification (GCSE/O-Level or international equivalent).
CEFR B1 or above in English (placement test offered).
No prior business 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.