Learn by Source
LinkedIn Learning · on LinkedIn Learning

Public Speaking Foundations

Beginner 1 hours English Course Certificate
SkillsPublic speakingPresentationsDeliveryAudience questionsStorytellingConfidence

Is this course right for you?

Our take
A LinkedIn Learning course that follows the whole arc of a presentation, start to finish.

Good for: A repeatable process for preparing and delivering presentations.

Skip if: You want advanced speaking technique or everyday communication.

In about an hour it takes you from preparing your material and opening strong, through delivering with confidence and handling questions, to closing memorably — turning the vague dread of public speaking into a clear, repeatable process. It's a practical grounding for anyone who has to present, and aimed below the level of advanced speaking technique or broader everyday communication. It's on a LinkedIn Learning subscription (usually a free trial first; free through many libraries), and it leaves a profile completion certificate that stands as a learning record rather than a qualification. The structure of a good talk hasn't changed (as of 2026).

Comparison · LBS

Compare alternatives for Public Speaking Foundations

Same topic, different options. We surface the trade-offs others hide so you can pick the course that actually fits your time, budget, and goals.
LinkedIn Learning
Public Speaking Foundations
Price
Paid
LinkedIn Learning subscription
Duration
1 hrs
Level
Beginner
Certificate
Course Certificate
LinkedIn Learning4.8(11,038)
Negotiation Foundations
Price
Paid
LinkedIn Learning subscription
Duration
1.1 hrs
Level
Beginner
Certificate
Course Certificate
View course →
LinkedIn Learning4.7
Job Interviewing: Strategies for Success
Price
Paid
Included with LinkedIn Learning subscription
Duration
1 hrs
Level
Beginner
Certificate
Course Certificate
View course →
LinkedIn Learning4.8
Active Listening
Price
Paid
Included with LinkedIn Learning subscription
Duration
1 hrs
Level
Beginner
Certificate
Course Certificate
View course →
Prices & availability can change — confirm on the provider's site. We're not affiliated with any single provider.

About this course

Public Speaking Foundations walks through the full arc of a presentation: preparing your material, opening strong, delivering with confidence, handling audience questions, and closing memorably. In about an hour it turns the vague fear of public speaking into a set of repeatable, practical steps you can rehearse before any talk rather than improvising on the day.

Browse all Communication & Professional Skills courses Browse all LinkedIn Learning courses

Instructor

LB
Laura Bergells
LinkedIn Learning instructor

Taught by Laura Bergells, a presentation coach, writer and public-speaking instructor with years of experience preparing professionals to present.

Frequently asked questions

The fundamentals of speaking effectively to an audience: planning and structuring a talk, managing nerves, delivery — voice, body language, pacing — using visual aids well, and engaging listeners. It aims to take you from anxious or unstructured speaking to delivering with clarity and confidence, covering both the preparation and the in-the-moment performance sides of public speaking.

Yes, particularly. Managing anxiety is a core part of it, since nerves are the biggest barrier most people face, and it offers practical techniques to prepare thoroughly and calm yourself so you can perform. It assumes no experience, so nervous or first-time speakers are exactly who it is built for, alongside anyone wanting to become a more polished, confident presenter.

It is short — typically an hour or two — as a focused LinkedIn Learning course. That makes it an efficient way to build speaking fundamentals before a specific talk or presentation, without a large time commitment. The real improvement, though, comes from actually practising — public speaking is a performance skill honed by doing, not only by watching.

Not by default — it runs on LinkedIn Learning, which is subscription-based — but a free trial is common, and many public libraries and universities give members full access at no cost. Check whether a library card or an institution you belong to already provides LinkedIn Learning before paying, since that quietly unlocks this course and the whole catalogue.

Yes, you earn a LinkedIn Learning completion certificate for your profile. Treat it as a signal of professional development rather than a formal qualification — public speaking is judged by how you actually perform in front of an audience. The real value is the techniques and confidence, which show up in your delivery far more than in the certificate.
Paid
LinkedIn Learning subscription
Enroll now