Is the Certificate in Storytelling Studies a fiction writing course?

It is broader. The craft modules apply to fiction, non-fiction, journalism, documentary, podcast and brand storytelling. Students choose two formats to write in across the course, so you finish with a small portfolio across the formats that matter most to you.

Will the Certificate in Storytelling Studies help me get published?

It gives you the craft foundation and the start of a portfolio. Getting published is its own discipline — the Diploma in Creative Writing covers submissions, agents and the publishing market in more depth. The Certificate is the first credible step.

Can I take the Certificate in Storytelling Studies online?

Yes. The online route mirrors on-campus delivery with live workshops, recorded craft seminars and supervised writing work. Distance learners follow structured deadlines and submit their two-format portfolio via the LSJHML platform.

Do I need to be a fluent English writer to enrol on the Certificate in Storytelling Studies?

You need IELTS 5.5 or equivalent. The craft itself can be learned at any level, but the writing studio assumes you can draft and revise in English at intermediate fluency or above.

What is the next step after the Certificate in Storytelling Studies?

Credit counts toward LSJHML's Diploma in Creative Writing or Diploma in Storytelling. Many students continue directly to build out their portfolio and craft toward a publication- or production-ready standard.

Certificate in Storytelling Studies | LSJHML London | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Certificate in Storytelling Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a short, practical UK course on narrative as craft — how stories are built, why some land and others slide off, and how to apply the craft to writing, journalism, brand work and documentary production. Over three to six months you will work through the major story-structure traditions, write your own short narratives in two formats, and develop the editorial eye to read a story for what it is doing rather than just what it is about.

This Certificate is for people who want to take storytelling seriously as a craft rather than as a marketing slogan. You finish able to structure, draft, revise and pitch short narrative pieces, and to talk about story decisions with the vocabulary the industry actually uses.

Key Features

UK-recognised entry-level credential in storytelling and narrative practice.
Story-structure module covering the major narrative traditions — Aristotelian, mythic, modernist, contemporary.
Two-format writing studio — short prose plus one of audio script, video script or longform article.
Story-editing clinic — give and receive editorial notes under supervision.
Brand and documentary applications covered alongside literary and journalism work.
Three study modes — on-campus, online and distance learning with structured deadlines.

What You Will Learn

The Certificate in Storytelling Studies is structured around the practical decisions storytellers make — what story to tell, from whose point of view, in what shape, with what stakes — and the analytical literacy to defend those choices.

Story structure — the three-act tradition, hero's journey, modernist disruption, Kishōtenketsu, contemporary fragmentation.
Character — protagonist construction, antagonist, supporting cast, want versus need.
Point of view — first, second, third (limited and omniscient), unreliable narration.
Voice — diction, syntax, register, the difference between writer's voice and character voice.
Scene and sequel — pacing, conflict, decision, consequence.
Dialogue craft — subtext, attribution, what characters do and don't say.
Story editing — structural notes, line notes, the conversation between writer and editor.
Applied storytelling — narrative in brand work, documentary, longform journalism, podcasts.

Who This Course Is For

Aspiring fiction, non-fiction and screen writers wanting recognised foundational training.
Brand and content writers moving from copy into longer-form narrative work.
Junior documentary researchers and producers building narrative literacy.
Students considering a longer programme in creative writing, journalism or documentary who want to test the field first.

Career Pathways

The Certificate in Storytelling Studies is a foundation credential. Graduates typically use it to support an application for a junior writing or editorial role, or as CPD alongside an existing creative practice. Typical first or next destinations include:

Junior Copywriter (brand agency, in-house content team)
Editorial Assistant (publisher, longform digital title)
Story Researcher (documentary production, podcast network)
Brand Storyteller (in-house corporate, charity)
Junior Producer (audio storytelling, podcast network)
Freelance Short-form Writer (specialist title, longform digital)

Credit from this Certificate counts toward LSJHML's Diploma in Creative Writing and Diploma in Storytelling for students who continue.

Entry Requirements

Minimum age 16.
Secondary school qualification (GCSE/O-Level or international equivalent).
IELTS 5.5 (or equivalent) for non-native English speakers.
A short writing sample submitted with application (300–500 words).

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.