Fall 2026: Intro to Stand-Up Comedy

Intro to Stand-Up Comedy Course Learning Objectives:
At the end of this course, participants will have:

• Developed Comedy Writing and Performance Skills — Practice writing and performing stand-up with a focus on social impact.
• Understood the Role of Comedy in Social Change — Explore how humor and comedy have been historically used to critique societal issues and drive social movements. Identify current social issues (e.g., inequality, justice, climate change) and learn how to frame them in comedic narratives that engage and inform audiences.
• Learned to Write Six Different Types of Jokes for Stand-Up — We’ll demystify different styles of joke writing such as absurdity, understatement, the rule of three, the double down, misplaced sincerity, and observational joke writing.
• Balanced Humor and Sensitivity — Learn how to use humor responsibly, balancing humor with sensitivity, to avoid reinforcing stereotypes or causing harm while delivering a meaningful message.
• Explored Diverse Voices in Stand-Up Comedy & Found Your Comedic Voice — Study diverse comedians from various backgrounds who use humor to address social issues, expanding perspectives on comedy’s role in activism. Work on identifying your unique comedic voice and perspective, especially as it relates to social issues you’re passionate about.

• Complete at least 2 pair sessions per month and log these in your Portal
• Attend all live Journey Meetings (see the Engagement Dates section below)
• Complete all lessons provided in the course Fall 2026: Intro to Stand-up Comedy
• Submit your 5-10min stand-up set (see the Submissions section below)
• Participate in 1 stand-up comedy showcase

Participants will attend two Journey Live Meetings each month as part of the course for the cycle. Additionally, you can schedule 1:1 office hours with the Journey Instructor for individual assistance as needed.

The cycle will conclude with a Stand-Up Comedy Show, where participants can perform their sets for a live audience. There will be one hybrid show for the cycle.

Fall Cycle Journey Meetings – VIRTUAL:
November 7th & 21st, 1-2:30 pm ET
December 5th & 19th, 1-2:30 pm ET
January 9th & 23rd, 1-2:30 pm ET

Fall Cycle Stand-Up Comedy Show – HYBRID:
January 30th, 3:00 – 4:30 pm ET

Complete each lesson in the the following course. As you progress through each lesson, make sure to press “complete” before moving on to the next.

• Intro to Stand-Up Comedy
  This course teaches the fundamentals of joke writing, comedic structure, and crafting punchlines. Aspiring comedians will be guided through the art of writing and performing stand-up comedy.

At the end of this cycle, you’ll submit a 5-minute stand-up comedy set that incorporates the techniques, structure, and insights you’ve learned. You will perform this set at our end-of-cycle Journey showcase, putting into practice the skills developed throughout the course.

Submission instructions can be found within the course.