Is the Diploma in Journalism Communication a journalism qualification or a comms qualification?

Both. The Diploma in Journalism Communication is built around the crossover — newsroom craft taught alongside press office and strategic-comms practice. Graduates are credible on either side of the journalist-comms relationship.

Will the Diploma in Journalism Communication get me a press office job?

It supports a stronger application. UK press-office recruitment values clear writing, news literacy and ethical judgement — all of which the Diploma in Journalism Communication builds. Several students each year move directly into press office roles after the Diploma.

Can the Diploma in Journalism Communication be studied online?

Yes. The online route mirrors the on-campus seminars with live writing workshops and structured paired-piece assessments. Distance learners work to self-paced deadlines with regular tutor checkpoints.

Does the Diploma in Journalism Communication cover media law?

Yes — from both newsroom and comms perspectives. Defamation, contempt, election period and data protection are core; the focus is on the working law a junior journalist or comms officer needs to publish safely under deadline.

Diploma in Journalism Communication | LSJHML London | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Diploma in Journalism Communication at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a nine-to-twelve-month UK qualification for students working at the crossover between newsroom craft and strategic communications. You will learn how journalists work and how communications functions feed them, build the writing and verification fundamentals both fields share, and graduate with a portfolio that demonstrates both sides of the relationship.

This is a Diploma for people whose job — or future job — sits between the press office and the news desk. By the end you can write a release that an editor will read, brief a comms director on what a reporter actually needs, and switch register between the two without losing credibility on either side.

Key Features

UK Level 4 qualification bridging journalism and communication — nine to twelve months full-time.
Newsroom craft modules — news writing, interviewing, verification.
Press office craft modules — release writing, media handling, briefing notes.
Crossover skills — translating between the two, building credibility with the other side.
Media law and ethics taught from both newsroom and press-office perspectives.
Final portfolio — paired pieces (a release and the article it could lead to, a media line and the response it answers).

What You Will Learn

The Diploma in Journalism Communication is structured around the working interface between newsrooms and comms teams — what each side is doing, why, and how to operate credibly on either. You finish able to write to professional standard in both registers and to understand the workflows the other side relies on.

News writing — inverted pyramid, hard news, intro discipline.
Interviewing — short and long form, attribution standards, source handling.
Press release writing — angle, structure, attributable quote, embargo etiquette.
Media handling — building lists, pitching, follow-up, the broadcaster vs. print distinction.
Verification — fact-checking, source corroboration, accuracy logs.
Media law — defamation, contempt, election period, data protection.
Editorial standards — Editors' Code, IPSO; comms-side equivalents in CIPR and PRCA codes.
Crisis communications — escalation, holding lines, post-event review from both sides.

Who This Diploma Is For

Applicants targeting press office, in-house comms or PR agency roles who want newsroom literacy.
Junior journalists wanting to understand the comms side of their relationship with sources.
Career changers from administration or customer service moving into press or content roles.
International students looking for a UK Diploma bridging journalism and strategic communications.

Career Pathways

The Diploma in Journalism Communication is built for the working reality that journalism and communications careers increasingly overlap. Graduates move into roles across press offices, comms teams and entry-level newsroom positions. Typical first or next roles include:

Press Officer (charity, public body, regulator)
Communications Officer (corporate, third sector)
Junior PR Account Executive (PR consultancy)
Media Relations Officer (membership body, professional association)
Junior News Reporter (regional press, online title)
Editorial Assistant (publisher, broadcaster)

Graduates top up to a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Communication or Strategic Communication 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.
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.