Will I do real interviews on the Certificate in Journalism Interviewing Skills?

Yes — at least eight recorded interviews across the course, with structured tutor feedback. Most students arrange interviewees from their own networks; the course can also pair students with willing volunteers when needed.

Does the Certificate in Journalism Interviewing Skills cover trauma-informed interviewing?

Yes. The eye-witness module covers trauma-informed practice in depth — contributor consent, exit signals, post-interview duty of care. The standards are aligned with current UK industry guidance.

Will the Certificate in Journalism Interviewing Skills help with podcast interviewing?

Yes — directly. The interview-type workshops cover long-form preparation and sustained attention, which are exactly what longform podcast interviewing requires.

How is this different from a generic communication-skills course?

Generic communication courses teach communication; this Certificate teaches interviewing as a journalism craft — preparation, on/off-the-record discipline, attribution conventions, the working ethics of source relationships. Different aim, different methods.

Certificate in Journalism Interviewing Skills | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Certificate in Journalism Interviewing Skills at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a short, intensive UK qualification focused on a single craft: interviewing. Across three to six months you will prepare for, conduct and write up interviews across the journalistic range — vox pops, eye-witness, expert, profile, hostile, evasive — and develop the on/off-the-record discipline that distinguishes a working reporter.

This Certificate is for reporters and producers whose interviews aren't getting them the answers they need. By the end you will be a deliberate interviewer rather than a hopeful one.

Key Features

Preparation discipline — research, structure, the question hierarchy.
Interview-type workshop series — vox pop, eye-witness, expert, profile, hostile.
On/off-the-record protocols — attribution conventions, source-handling ethics.
Recording and transcription discipline — equipment, consent, accuracy standards.
Recorded practice — at least eight recorded interviews with structured tutor feedback.
Three study modes — on-campus, fully online with simulated remote interviews, or distance learning.

What You Will Learn

The Certificate in Journalism Interviewing Skills is built around the craft of asking the right question, in the right way, at the right time — and listening to the answer rather than waiting to ask the next one.

Interview preparation — research, the question hierarchy, exit strategy.
Open vs closed questions and when each works.
The vox pop — short, repeatable, useful.
The eye-witness interview — trauma awareness, accuracy testing.
The expert interview — credentialing, follow-up, attribution.
The profile interview — long-form preparation, sustained attention.
The hostile interview — direct questioning, evasion handling, the bridging technique.
On/off-the-record protocols and source-handling ethics.

Who This Course Is For

Junior reporters wanting to sharpen their interview craft.
Press officers and corporate-affairs staff handling media interviews.
Public-affairs professionals interviewing stakeholders for research.
Podcasters wanting interview craft above hobby level.

Career Pathways

Interview craft is a craft-strengthening credential rather than a stand-alone career path. Typical applications include:

Junior News Reporter (with sharpened interview craft)
Researcher (broadcast, longform podcast, current-affairs production)
Press Office Senior Officer (NGO, charity, public-sector body)
Podcast Host or Producer
Investigative Researcher (NGO, think tank)
Continued Study (Diploma in Journalism, Diploma in Investigative Journalism)

The Certificate articulates into the Diploma in 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 interviewing 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.