You can now do a Newspaper Journalism course with the UK's NCTJ qualifications - online.
Our online international newspaper journalism course will give you one of the country's leading journalism trainers as your personal tutor and mentor - and the qualifications and experience needed to start a career in journalism.
That could be on a paper, a magazine, a radio station or a website.
This course has an excellent record of finding people jobs - and provides exactly the same qualifications offered by NCTJ-accredited colleges.
Is this a proper course?
Yes, we are recognised by the UK Government and are fully accredited.
What does it cover?
You will cover these subjects from the NCTJ syllabus:
JOURNALISM
• A journalist’s job and qualities
• Copy presentation
• Notebook discipline
• Contacts book
• What is news?
• Sources of news
• Industry organisations
• House style
• Contacts and how to make them
• Interviewing – face to face and by phone
• Newspaper terminology
• How to write in newspaper style
• The intro
• Story construction
• Use of quotes
• Ethics and the PCC Code of Conduct
• Bread and butter news
• Reference sources
• Covering emergency services
• Human interest stories
• Feature writing
• Covering local government
• Working from press releases and handouts
• Covering meetings and speeches
• Obituaries
• Political reporting
• Schools and education reporting
• Job finding
• Your CV
• Preparing for job interviews
• Covering courts
• Reviews
• Fillers
• Opinion writing
PUBLIC AFFAIRS: CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
• The UK constitution
• The Monarchy
• Parliament at Westminster
• The legislative process at Westminster
• Devolution
• The UK Government
• The political process
• Elections
• The European Union
• The NHS
• Social welfare services
• Employment, training and economic development
• Industry and commerce
• The Utilities
• The Treasury
• The Home Office
• Culture, Media and Sport
• International relations and defence
LAW
• Introduction
• Copyright
• Confidentiality
• Defamation
• Children involved in crime
• Public Order Act 1986
• Classification of crimes
• Criminal prosecution process
• Contempt of court
• Ethics and the PCC Code of Conduct
• Official Secrets Acts
• Covering elections
• Journalist’s sources
• Divorce law
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Freedom of Information Act
• Data Protection Act
• Bankruptcy law
How long will the course take?
It's up to you. You can work at your own speed, and fit your studies around your other commitments. But as a rough guide, this course takes around nine to 12 months to complete.
Who is my tutor?
Your tutor will be Cleland Thom, who is recognised as one of the UK's leading trainers for the NCTJ exams.
Is there any tutorial support?
Yes, you can email your tutor any time - as often as you need to. This is really helpful in the run-up to the exams. We guarantee to respond within two working days, although it is usually much quicker. We will phone you if there is an issue that cannot be dealt with by email. In this course, you will get tutorial support for:
All aspects of your studies
Marking your assignments
Coaching for NCTJ exams
Marking mock exam papers
Finding work
Preparing for job interviews
Career guidance
Do I need any skills or qualifications to enrol?
We consider every application on its merits. You will probably have A levels or a degree and plenty of commitment and motivation.
Why not take the NCTJ's own aptitude test.
This will give you an idea of your suitability for our course - though we do not insist that you pass it.
What qualifications will I get?
The NCTJ Preliminary Certificate, and the CTJT diploma, which is accredited by the UK's Open and Distance Learning Quality Council.
What is this qualification worth?
The Diploma is widely recognised right across the media and beyond, mainly due to the large number of organisations where we have delivered training courses and have personal contacts.
What can I expect to do at the end of the course?
Get a job as a reporter, or possibly a senior reporter, on a newspaper or a news website, either in your own country or in the UK.
What about arrangements for external exams?
You will sit the three NCTJ exams and the journalism Portfolio.
We will remind you when to enter, and will advise you on which subjects to sit. You post your entry off to the NCTJ with the appropriate fee - around £35 per subject, which is not included in the course fee.
Arrangements will be made for you to sit the exams at a venue near to your home. This could be in the offices of a newspaper, or somewhere arranged by the British Council.
We will help you with the arrangements, either by putting you in touch with the British Council, or by asking for the help of a newspaper in your area.
You will need to give proof of identity before sitting the exams.
How much is the course?
£525. This covers everything apart from NCTJ exam and registration fees, (around £250) which are paid to them, when you enter.
Our fee covers all teaching material, textbooks and tutor support.
