The Learning Institute

Diploma in Copywriting

NCFE Level 4 Accredited

The course is carefully designed to show you how to become a professional copywriter. It's structured to give you the right information when you need it. There is comprehensive documentation and specialist support material.

Your assignments will be marked by one of our experienced tutors. It means your work is checked in a friendly and confidential atmosphere before being exposed to the outside world. And you can do the course by e-mail.

The 'Diploma in Copywriting' course is a complete learning package. It is crammed full of information, tips and exercises. Everything is beautifully packaged to provide you with your own permanent reference library which you can consult long after completing the course.

Constructed by copywriting experts, the course distills years of experience, covering every kind of market and all types of publicity.

How long does the course take?
You can complete the course in around nine months, depending on your other commitments. Some students do it faster, while others take longer. That's one advantage of distance learning. You can learn at your own speed, not at your teacher's.

And there's no time limit on the course. So if you need to be away for six months, you can do so without worrying.

Course Content
1. SETTING UP AS A COPYWRITER
What copywriters do
Where you will work as a copywriter
The tools you will need
Your business name
Your writing style
Useful reading
Assessing your strengths and weaknesses

2. WRITING FOR BUSINESS
How to get started
How much you should write
A selection of language devices that you should use, and those that you should avoid
Helpful linking and introductory words
Using good punctuation

3. PERFECT PRESS RELEASES
How to construct the perfect press release
The best topics for a press release
Whom to send the release to
How to manage the business of issuing press releases
What an advertorial is

4. WRITING DIRECT MAIL
Advice on how to writing a letter to send with your direct mail
Writing a powerful opening
How to achieve the ideal style and format
Boosting your response rate
Mistakes to avoid in direct mail
Printing your direct mail

5. PUNCHY PRESS ADS
Getting a creative brief
Producing concepts
He three elements of the ad
How to advertise a service
How to advertise Business-to-Business
Writing small ads

6. WRITING BROCHURE COPY
What format do you need?
Technical literature
15 ways to make your brochure more interesting
Special types of leaflets
Mistakes to avoid

7. NEWSWORTHY NEWSLETTERS
Why does the firm want to produce the newsletter?
What budget will it have?
Who will it be aimed at?
What size or format will it be?
Where will the information come from?
How will it be distributed?
What will be its title?
Contents
How to write the articles
The different types of article

8. BROADCASTING YOUR TALENT: WRITING TV AND RADIO COMMERCIALS
Writing radio commercials
How you should style your commercial
Mistakes to avoid in radio
Writing for TV
Strengths and weaknesses of TV
The cost of making TV commercials
Preparing to write
Understanding the jargon
Writing a simple commercial
Tips for a better commercial
Methods of approach

9. MARKETING YOURSELF
Sources of work
Advertisers and advertising agencies
Designers and printers
How to look for work
7 ways to look for clients
Getting experience
Your first meeting
Understanding your client’s needs

10. USING THE WEB
Getting started
Designing your website
How to write web pages
Using the Internet as a communication tool
When you’re online

11. THE ADVANCED COPYWRITER
More on finding clients
How to improve your own sales letter
How to keep clients happy
Using job bags
Deciding how much to charge
Getting paid – chasing your money
Indemnity insurance

12. POST-COURSE ACTIVITY
All the modules are supplied at the beginning of the course. That means you can study topics whenever you choose. You don't have to wait weeks to get to a section that you need. Though we recommend you take the modules in the order shown, you can tackle them in any order you choose. To help you get the most from the course, we aim to be completely flexible.

Your qualification

This course is fully accredited by the national awarding body NCFE, and on completing it you get a national award equivalent to Level 4 of the National Learning Framework (post A level/HNC/HND standard).

NCFE is recognised as an awarding body by the qualification regulators ('regulators') for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The regulators are the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England, the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland.

To read more about NCFE please go to www.ncfe.org.uk

Students who satisfactorily complete the course are also awarded the Diploma in Copywriting, and are entitled to use the letters Dip.CW (Inst.CW). They also receive the Institute's Diploma certificate. They're also eligible to become full members of the Institute of Copywriting - free of charge.