26 centres commit to delivering NCTJ Diploma in Journalism from September

26 centres offering NCTJ-accredited courses have confirmed that from September they will deliver the Diploma in Journalism, the charity’s new multimedia qualification for all journalists. All courses will transfer to the new qualification from September 2011.

The centres are: Bournemouth University; Brunel University; City College, Brighton & Hove; City of Wolverhampton College; Darlington College; De Montfort University; Glyndŵr University; Glasgow Caledonian University; Harlow College; Highbury College; Lambeth College; Leeds Trinity University College; Liverpool Community College; News Associates/Sportsbeat (London and Manchester); noSweat Journalism Training; Nottingham Trent University; St Mary’s University College, Twickenham; Sheffield College; Staffordshire University; University of Central Lancashire; University of Kent; University of Salford; University of Sunderland; University of Teeside; and Up-To-Speed Journalism.

41 centres across the country currently deliver NCTJ-accredited courses. Five centres have yet to confirm which qualification they will deliver and all others will continue to deliver the preliminary Certificate in Journalism for another year.

Lyn Jones, NCTJ head of qualifications, said: “The next academic year will be a transition year for the new qualification with centres given the option to continue with the Certificate or start with the Diploma. Some universities will offer both qualifications side-by-side on their undergraduate degree courses.”

The Diploma in Journalism is made up of seven multimedia assessments – five core subjects to be sat by all students and trainees and six specialist options from which students must sit at least two. The Diploma will replace the NCTJ preliminary Certificate in Journalism.

Testing of all new exams for the Diploma in Journalism took place in May. Students from Bournemouth University, Cardonald College, Glyndŵr University, Nottingham Trent University, noSWeat Journalism Training, Sheffield College, Staffordshire University, University of Central Lancashire, University of Cumbria and Wolverhampton College, have all taken part in trial exams, providing essential feedback to the NCTJ. 

Trainee journalists will be involved in trials over the next month.

Syllabuses for all of the compulsory assessments have been written and checked by subject exam board committees and these syllabuses will be agreed by the subject exam boards and signed off by the Journalism Qualifications Board in the summer.

Sample exam papers for tutors to use as teaching aids will be produced over the summer and used at the Diploma in Journalism workshops taking place this month and September.

For more information about the workshops, click here.