What is Guardian Masterclasses?
Guardian Masterclasses offer a range of practical, expert-led online workshops in journalism, creative writing, business skills and personal development. From thought-provoking evening sessions to in-depth multi-week courses, you’ll learn from industry leaders from the Guardian and beyond. Explore our programme here.
Enrolling in a Masterclass is a powerful way to fund the Guardian and keep our reporting open to everyone.
Are Guardian Masterclasses interactive?
Guardian Masterclasses vary in format, from evening sessions with award-winning writers, to full day workshops to sharpen your professional skills. Wherever possible, we aim to use interactive elements to give you the chance to ask your burning questions, start a conversation or put ideas into practice.
Although this will vary for every masterclass, interactive features include the chance to interact with the tutor and other participants using the online chat function and on-camera conversations. When appropriate, we also use breakout rooms for some workshops. The tutor may divide the class into smaller groups, usually between 3-4 people, for group discussion or activity.
All of our interactive activities are optional, and designed to be inclusive and productive. We ask that everyone abides by the Guardian’s community standards and remembers that masterclasses are a space for collaboration and kindness.
A few of our classes take place over multiple weeks, pairing leading tutors with a small cohort for a more in-depth exploration of a topic or skill. These courses often use an online community platform to connect attendees and tutors between classes and create a space to share resources, ideas and work for feedback.
How do Guardian Masterclasses contribute to the Guardian’s journalism?
Unlike many news organisations, we have kept our journalism open to our global audience. We have not put up a paywall as we believe everyone deserves access to quality journalism, at a time when factual, honest reporting is critical. We chose a model that means our reporting is funded by our readers, safeguarding our editorial independence.
Enrolling in a Guardian Masterclass is a powerful way for readers to offer financial support to the Guardian. By purchasing tickets to our workshops, you are making a direct contribution towards open, independent journalism. Find out more about supporting the Guardian here.
What streaming platform do you use to host online Masterclasses?
Guardian Masterclasses are hosted on Zoom. If you haven’t used Zoom before, we recommend that you download the Zoom app and set up an account ahead of the class. We also advise you to join a test meeting, hosted by Zoom, to test your audio and video settings.
How can I ensure I have the best Masterclass experience?
Getting ready
A good internet connection is essential when joining a live, interactive class online, so please check your internet speed here before purchasing a ticket to our masterclasses. If your internet speed is too low or patchy, please do not purchase a ticket until you have found another way to connect to the internet. Some simple tips to improve your internet connection include moving closer to your router, using a wired internet connection instead of wifi and closing other apps and browser tabs.
On the day
For the best user experience, we recommend using a laptop or tablet to access your masterclass, with a webcam and a keyboard. Make sure you have downloaded and logged into the Zoom app, and join a test call with Zoom if you’d like to check your settings. Please join the class 5-10 minutes before the start time so you can take a few minutes to check your video and audio are working correctly.
Is the workshop being recorded and can I receive a copy?
Catch up recordings will be made available to ticket holders on select courses only. Recordings are made and shared only with tutor permissions and at the discretion of the Guardian Masterclasses team. Not all courses will be made available as catch up recordings. Where a catch up recording is available, this will be clearly indicated at the point of purchase. Please see the ticketing information on individual course pages for more information. Where available, catch up recordings will be shared with ticket holders within 2 working days of the course conclusion.
What shall I do if I have a technical problem during the class?
During the class itself, you can use the chat function to raise any technical or access issues with the Masterclasses Support team. You have the option to send any questions privately to a member of our team, who are always there to help.
Try this quick list of trouble-shooting actions:
Exit and rejoin the meeting. Don’t worry if you need to restart your device or the Zoom app, you can rejoin the meeting at any time using the same link.
Maximise your internet connection - remember to close unwanted tabs, move closer to your router and switch off other devices which may be using the internet.
Take a look at your mic and camera in the settings tab to check these are correct. Your settings may need to be adjusted if you are connected to more than one camera or if you are using external headphones.
Make sure you have downloaded the Zoom app. Using the app should improve any issues relating to connectivity or audio and video quality.
Try joining using a different device as this may be a problem with your equipment itself.
For more support using Zoom, see the Zoom FAQs page.
I have not received the access link to join the workshop. What should I do?
If for any reason you have not received the access link to join the event at least two hours before the start time, please take the following steps:
Check your junk and spam folders for emails from the Guardian Masterclasses team, using the email address <noreply@eventbrite.com>.
If you still can’t find the access link, contact the Guardian Masterclasses team as soon as possible using masterclasses@theguardian.com. Please include the name of the class you are attending, your Eventbrite order number and a brief description of the issues you are facing. We will respond as quickly as we can.
I have a disability. How will this Masterclass meet my access requirements?
We aim to make Guardian Masterclasses accessible to all and remove barriers to participation wherever possible.
When purchasing a ticket to your masterclass, there is an option to let us know if you have any access requirements or require any adjustments to enable your participation in the class. This includes letting us know if you require information in a different format or will be relying on captions.
Adjustments may include extended access to a catch up recording, more time for pre-course reading or activities, audio descriptions of slides and visual content, or other help getting set up for the class. All our classes have automated captions/subtitles available which attendees can turn on or off in their Zoom settings.
During our masterclasses, you will be joined by experienced staff who are on hand to help with technical issues or questions. You can message them any time using the Zoom chat function.
Please get in touch with us at masterclasses@theguardian.com if you have any additional requirements, questions or concerns regarding accessibility.
The workshop I wanted to attend has sold out. Will you release another date?
Be the first to know about our latest workshops by joining the Guardian Masterclasses and Live newsletter here. You can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Our Guardian Masterclasses events pages are also updated regularly, so please check back soon to see our new workshops.
Can I arrange a masterclass for my workplace?
Yes, we offer a range of professional training. Contact us on masterclassesforbusiness@theguardian.com if you would like to discuss a bespoke masterclass for your workplace.
Please visit our Masterclasses for Business page to find out more.
I have an idea for a Guardian Masterclass. How can I get in touch?
We welcome suggestions of new classes from experienced tutors and bright minds. Please visit our pitching page to download our pitch form and send it to masterclasses.pitch@theguardian.com.
I can no longer attend a workshop, can I get a refund?
Tickets are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another date for the same course. If you are unable to attend, catch up recordings will be made available to ticket holders on select courses. Not all courses will be made available as catch up recordings, please see the ticketing information on individual course pages for more information.
Alternatively, if you can provide us with notice of your non-attendance 72 hours or more in advance of the class, we can change the name on the ticket and have another person attend in your place. Further details on our refund policy can be found in our terms and conditions.
