Freelance journalism course (Level 3 Diploma)

Our freelance journalism course trains you to write compelling news and articles for both print and online publications, on a range of topics. This practical course is an ideal place for beginners to start. It covers all of the journalism basics and teaches you to work as a professional freelance journalist.

Our learners get articles published most days. Many of them have gone on to become successful freelancers and make a good living from writing. Freelance journalism is a great opportunity to turn a pastime or interest into a lucrative part-time job or full-time career.

Key features:

• Certification: ABC & Certa Awards certificate of achievement.
• Endorsed by: ABC & Certa Awards Quality Licence Scheme.
• Accredited by: ABCC | EADL | IADL.
• Government registered?: Yes. UKRLP number: 10008168.
• Available to: UK and international learners.
• Tutor support: Unlimited support from an expert.
• Tutor marked assignments: 15 practical, tutor marked assignments.

This comprehensive online course is ideal for:

• Beginners.
• People who want to start a freelance business.
• People who want to break into the journalism industry.
• Existing freelance journalists who want an endorsed award to attract more clients.
• People who want to develop and refresh their existing journalism skills.

Multimedia and print publications worldwide have a constant need for original, interesting and topical content. Many rely on freelancers to deliver that content.

Our freelance journalism course will show you how to develop saleable ideas, identify suitable markets and approach assigning editors. It will also show you how to:

• Use your own skills, experiences, qualifications and opinions to produce article ideas.
• Source information, conduct research and carry out effective interviews.
• Write news, articles and features for digital and print publications.
• Apply media law and ethics.
• Sell your work and get paid.

You will also learn essential journalism skills, including finding sources, record-keeping, feature writing and covering live events.
See a full list of course subjects

You will study in our Online Learning Area, which is accessible from a computer or a mobile app. This means the course is flexible, and gives you the chance to tackle practical, real-world journalism tasks at home, at work or on the go.

We offer unlimited tutor support on all of our courses. On this course, you will work with Julian Brouwer, who is a freelance journalist, writer, subeditor and proofreader. He will help you every step of the way.

He will also give you personal feedback on every assignment, answer your questions and provide expert careers guidance, so you get the very best out of the course.

Another successful learner, Clive Maclennan, told us: “Communication was first class and very quick – sometimes within the hour. The tutorial support was second to none.”

With the right training, you could become a regular contributor of:

• In-depth features for consumer and business magazines.
• Blog posts and online articles.
• News stories and features for local newspapers.
• Reviews, columns, letters and fillers.

If you enjoy writing, then becoming a certified freelance journalist is a great way to earn good money and express your passion.

FREELANCE JOURNALISM COURSE SUBJECTS

Lesson 01: Introduction to freelance journalism

• Examine what a freelance journalist does, and where you fit in.
• Analyse printed and online magazines, so you can produce relevant content.

Lesson 02: Copy presentation and terminology

• Submit content to printed and multimedia platforms in recognised formats.
• Learn industry jargon to communicate clearly with editors, publishers and other journalists.

Lesson 03: Notebook discipline and record keeping

• Store and retain journalism data safely, ethically and legally.

Lesson 04: Contacts book

• Record your freelance contacts’ information safely, legally and efficiently.

Lesson 05: Sources and output

• Use your skills, knowledge, contacts and experience to produce content to sell.
• Find original ideas for content using the internet and social media searches, and advanced data scraping techniques.
• Prepare your stories and features for publication in print, online and on social media, and digital platforms.

Lesson 06: Using a style guide

• Ensure your freelance articles and features are presented consistently.

Lesson 07: Who publishes what

• Define different types of news.
• Understand different types of magazines, what they publish and who to.

Lesson 08: Interviewing

• Interview contacts in person, online, by phone and using video and audio equipment.
• Prepare to interview VIPs and celebrities.

Lesson 09: Newswriting techniques

• Write articles that are suitable for print, the web and social media.
• Attract the reader’s attention by writing compelling starts to your articles.
• Maintain the reader’s interest in your articles from start to finish.

Lesson 10: Independent Press Standards Organisation: regulatory code

• Adhere to the media’s regulatory framework in your freelance journalism activities.

Lesson 11: Feature writing

• Write all kinds of features: analysis, backgrounders, profiles, how-tos, and human interest, and adapt your content to fit different magazine formulas.

Lesson 12: Press releases, reports and handouts

• Use press releases to produce original articles.
• Analyse and interpret reports and documents and use them to generate article ideas.

Lesson 13: Events, meetings and press conferences

• Use live blogging and traditional reporting skills to cover meetings and other events.

Lesson 14: Media law basics

• Keep your content safe from libel, copyright, confidence, data protection and privacy actions, and learn other laws affecting digital journalists.

Lesson 15: Selling your work

• Pitch your articles to the printed and online media: who to approach, how and when, so you can negotiate the best deals.
  
  

FREELANCE JOURNALISM COURSE CERTIFICATION

This freelance journalism course has been independently endorsed under the ABC Awards and Certa Awards Quality Licence Scheme. So at the end of this course successful learners will receive a Certificate of Achievement from ABC Awards and Certa Awards and a Learner Unit Summary (which lists the Units the learner has completed as part of the course).

In addition, you will receive the accredited CMP level 3 diploma in freelance journalism, which is recognised in the UK and beyond. It proves you are a certified journalist.

These awards will equip you to establish yourself as a successful freelance journalist, and demonstrate your credibility to potential clients.

FREELANCE JOURNALISM COURSE TUTOR

As a freelance journalism course learner, you will work 1-2-1 with Julian Brouwer who is a professional and experienced journalist.

He worked for a group of newspapers including The Daily Express and a host of other London-based publications.

Julian still works as a journalist, and runs a successful news agency Manhattan News, which supplies US-based news and features to national papers in the UK. He used to have his own column in the Daily Express.

He is often praised by our freelance journalism course learners, for his good-humoured and encouraging manner.

HELP WHEN YOU FINISH

We have a proven track record in helping people find work and establish themselves as successful freelance journalists.

We give advice on which agencies to join, how to market yourself correctly, and we also help you to devise a step by step plan to help you find clients.

• Beginners.
• People who want to start a freelance business.
• People who want to break into the journalism industry.
• Existing freelance journalists who want an endorsed award to attract more clients.
• People who want to develop and refresh their existing journalism skills.

None.

Freelance journalist / freelance writer