The Storytelling Certificate Program

Offered in partnership with Metropolitan Community College, The Storytelling Certificate Program will help you create and share your stories; whether contemporary or historical, real or imagined. Free courses taught by practicing professionals will help you grow your stories from a spark of inspiration into a polished, marketable product. Currently, you can earn a Storytelling Certificate in written or oral storytelling. This program is made possible through funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

Upon completing the Certificate Program, you should be able to:

Describe different forms and styles of written or oral storytelling.
Understand and apply core concepts, skills, and techniques necessary to create, edit, and publish or perform an original story.
Compare and evaluate various publication and performance models and opportunities.
Define and develop strategies for cultivating a particular brand.
Understand how basic business concepts and tools apply to professional writing and storytelling.
Cultivate opportunities and identify resources for continued learning.
Engage in a community of storytellers.

Oral Storytelling Certificate Requirements:

Creation

Storycrafting Fundamentals
Resources for Storytellers
Introduction to Storytelling Varieties

Development

Starting to Tell Stories
Performance Basics
Performance Showcase and Masterclass:
Story Swap! (attend twice)
Storytelling Elective

Business

Marketing for Storytellers
Copyright Basics
Storytelling as a Business
Performance Options & Opportunities

Capstone–Participants will perform a 5-7-minute original story at the Storytelling Certificate Celebration.

The Capstone for the Oral Storytelling Certificate must be a 5-7-minute story to be performed at the Storytelling Certificate Celebration. We encourage students to work on their Capstone throughout the duration of the program. Once a student completes the program, they also have the opportunity to have their performance recorded and included in the listening station.

Additional Requirements

Participants will write a 500-word essay on what they hope to gain from the certificate program
Participants will write a 500-word review of a book from The Story Center Collection
Participants will write a 500-word exit essay on what they gained from the certificate program

Please direct all submissions to the Story Center Program Manager, Shannon Thompson at SThompson@mymcpl.org or 816.883.4780.