Program Overview

Program Details

The University of British Columbia offers various programs through its Extended Learning platform. Below are the details of the programs available:

Areas of Study

• Coaching and leadership
  • Career coaching
  • Organizational coaching
• Communication
  • English communication skills
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  • Cloud computing
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  • Data science
  • Game design and development
  • Software development
  • Technology courses for teens
• Writing
  • Foundational writing
  • Freelance writing and self-expression
  • Marketing and website writing
  • Workplace writing

Courses & Programs

• Our courses
• Our programs & credentials
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• Programs for high school students
  • UBC Future Global Leaders
  • Technology courses for teens
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• Summer language institutes
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• Vancouver summer program
• Other UBC learning opportunities

Registration Info

• How online courses work
• How to register or apply
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• How to pay
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• Registration technical support
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  • StrongerBC future skills grant
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Student Support

• Accessing online courses
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Centre for Equitable Systems Design

• Equitable Systems Design for Organizations
• Equitable Systems Design for Individual Learners
• Equitable Systems Design for Associates program

About

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Continuous Learning Advancement Fund

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Freelance Writing: Interviewing

Course Details

• Online
• $780
• This course can be taken as part of the UBC Micro-certificate in Writing Skills for Digital Content: Freelance and Interviews or as a standalone course.
• Great interviews are a crucial step in creating great stories — and they can be the difference between a story that stands out and one that falls flat.
• Whether you’re interviewing for an article, a podcast, a press release, website content or online videos, interviewing skills can significantly elevate your work.
• But a great interview involves much more than simply asking questions.
• This course takes you step-by-step through the art of interviewing:
  • choosing the right technology
  • researching & focusing your interview
  • forming questions
  • getting your subjects to open up
  • getting the interview back on track if it goes off the rails
  • incorporating interviews into your work in an accurate, natural and engaging way
• This course is taught by award-winning journalist and veteran CBC radio/podcast producer Jennifer Van Evra.
• Her work has appeared in the Globe and Mail, Condé Nast, the Harvard Business Review, Vancouver Magazine and many other publications alongside her many radio documentaries, podcasts, series and specials.
• The winner of several broadcasting awards, Jennifer has also coached many broadcast and podcast hosts.
• In the course, you will interact with your fellow students in the online forum, prepare and conduct your own interviews, write multiple interview-based articles and get invaluable one-on-one feedback from Jennifer on your work.
• The course includes exclusive weekly video interviews with top journalists, authors and broadcasters who share their tips and secrets for getting the most out of interviews.
• These videos are available only to registered students and feature:
  • comedian and podcast legend Marc Maron, whose WTF podcast has had hundreds of millions of downloads
  • former CBC host and Order of Canada recipient Shelagh Rogers
  • renowned Globe and Mail investigative reporter Kathy Tomlinson
  • bestselling author J.B. MacKinnon (The 100-Mile Diet, The Once and Future World, The Day the World Stops Shopping)

Course Outline

• Week 1: The Importance of Interviews
• Week 2: Getting Ready — How Research & Prep Will Make Your Interviews Sing
• Week 3: Q Lines — Drafting Questions & Types of Interviews
• Week 4: Gearing Up — Using the Right Equipment
• Week 5: The Big Moment — How To Get The Most Out of Your Interviews
• Week 6: Getting Back on Track — When Interviews Go Off The Rails
• Week 7: The Art of the Quote — How To Incorporate Interviews Into Articles & Other Media
• Week 8: Taking Care of Business — The Legalities and Business of Interviews + Review

How Am I Assessed?

• This course is marked complete/incomplete, and is based on your attendance and participation.
• Your instructor provides you personalized feedback on the assignments you hand in.

Record of Completion

• Students who have successfully completed a course can access completion documents two weeks after the course ends.
• Course completion means 80% attendance and/or 80% completion of mandatory assignments.

Expected Effort

• Expect to spend 2-3 hours per week completing coursework, participating in the online forum, and attending the optional group video chat.

Technology Requirements

• To take this course, you’ll need access to:
  • an email account
  • a computer, laptop or tablet under five years old and using Windows or macOS
  • the latest version of a web browser (or previous major version release)
  • a reliable internet connection.
• For virtual office hours, you’ll also need:
  • a video camera and microphone, or you can dial in by phone

Course Format

• This course is 100% online and instructor supported with weekly instructor office hours.
• Course work is done independently and at your own pace within deadlines set by your instructor.
• A new module is released each week.
• Log in anytime to your course to access the lessons as they become available.

Weekly Office Hours

• Wednesdays, 6:45 - 7:30pm Pacific Time
• This course offers optional weekly drop-in virtual office hours.
• Join your instructor and classmates by video conferencing to discuss course materials and assignments, receive feedback and ask questions.

Available Sessions

• Starting Jan 27, 2026 to Mar 23, 2026
• Online
• $780

Instructor(s)

• Jennifer Van Evra

Related Courses

• Guided Autobiography 2: Mining for Memories
• Copywriting: Introduction
• Writing for Content Marketing
• Writing for the Web and Digital Media
• Web Content Strategy: Planning, Producing and Managing Website Content