Is the Diploma in Humanities Research a single-subject course?

No. It is deliberately interdisciplinary, covering history, literature, philosophy and cultural studies methods together. Students wanting a single-subject foundation should consider the Diploma in History, the Diploma in English Literature or a discipline-specific Diploma.

Will I work with archives during the Diploma in Humanities Research?

Yes. The course includes structured London archive and library practice with sessions at major collections. Distance learners use digitised collections and the major UK digital archives, with a short on-campus or online residential for in-person archive practice.

How long is the research project on the Diploma in Humanities Research?

Four to five thousand words, supervised across the second half of the year. You agree the question with your tutor in the first term and submit a structured piece of source-led research in the final term.

Can I study the Diploma in Humanities Research online?

Yes. The online route mirrors the seminar pattern with live cohort calls, asynchronous source discussion and supervised research-project tutorials. Distance learners set their own pace within structured deadlines.

Is the Diploma in Humanities Research a route into postgraduate study?

It is a credible foundation. Most students progress to a BA in a humanities subject before continuing to a Master's. The Diploma demonstrates research literacy and supports BA applications, particularly for mature applicants without a recent A-Level record.

Diploma in Humanities Research in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Diploma in Humanities Research at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a nine-to-twelve-month UK qualification for editorial researchers, junior policy analysts, programme coordinators and aspiring academics who need rigorous interdisciplinary research training in the humanities. You will work across history, literature, philosophy and cultural studies, learn the source-criticism and archive practice each tradition uses, and complete a 4,000-to-5,000 word research project on a question of your choice.

The Diploma in Humanities Research is built for people whose work depends on getting humanities-style questions right — the editorial researcher running down a cultural reference, the cultural programmer building a season around a contested anniversary, the policy analyst asked to write context for a heritage debate. You leave able to do the reading, interrogate the sources and write up clearly.

Key Features

Interdisciplinary methods seminar across history, literature, philosophy and cultural studies traditions.
London archive and library practice with sessions at the British Library, the National Archives and major London collections.
Source criticism module — primary and secondary sources, manuscript and printed texts, digital corpora.
Research project — 4,000–5,000 words on a humanities question of your choice, supervised across the year.
Three study modes — on-campus in central London, online with cohort calls, or distance learning with structured deadlines.
Industry-led masterclasses with working humanities researchers in publishing, broadcasting, policy and cultural institutions.

What You Will Learn

The Diploma in Humanities Research is structured around three strands — methods, sources and writing-up. You graduate able to read a primary source in context, deploy the secondary literature without overclaiming, and write up a piece of original interdisciplinary research to undergraduate honours standard.

Historical methods — primary source criticism, chronology, contextualisation.
Literary methods — close reading, textual scholarship, reception studies.
Philosophical methods — argument reconstruction, conceptual analysis, the role of intuition.
Cultural studies methods — semiotic analysis, ideology critique, material culture reading.
Archive practice — finding aids, manuscript handling, digital archive use.
Bibliographic competence — citation conventions (Chicago, MHRA), reference management.
Research design — research question, scope, source base, structure.
Academic writing — paragraph discipline, evidence integration, scholarly voice.
Public-facing humanities writing — exhibition text, programme essay, longform article.

Who This Diploma Is For

Editorial researchers in publishing, broadcasting and longform journalism who need structured humanities research training.
Junior policy analysts and programme coordinators in cultural-sector and heritage organisations.
Aspiring academics building toward a Bachelor's degree in a humanities subject.
Career-changers from teaching, translation or the third sector moving into humanities-adjacent professional work.

Career Pathways

Humanities research underpins much editorial, cultural and policy work in the UK. Diploma graduates typically use the credential to support a move into research-supporting roles or as a stepping stone to BA-level humanities study. Typical destinations include:

Humanities Researcher (publishing, broadcaster, longform editorial)
Cultural Programme Coordinator (arts venue, heritage charity, festival)
Policy Analyst (cultural-sector policy, heritage commissioning, equalities)
Lecturer (further-education college, adult-education provider)
Editorial Researcher (longform podcast, current-affairs programme)
Archive Assistant (research library, specialist archive)

The Diploma is the natural prerequisite for the Advanced Diploma in Humanities or progression into a BA in a humanities subject at LSJHML or a partner university.

Entry Requirements

Completion of secondary school (A-Levels, BTEC, or international equivalent).
IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement and a short writing sample.
Mature applicants (21+) may apply with two years of relevant work experience.

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.