New journalism diploma to be taught at Highbury

Highbury College Portsmouth will be among the first centres in the country to offer a new-style Diploma in Journalism.

The College, which has been offering courses accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) for more than 30 years, will be among the first to transfer its provision to the new multimedia qualification, which is set to replace all NCTJ-accredited courses from September 2011.

Karen Nicholson, newspaper journalism programme manager at Highbury, says: "The new qualification responds to the new multi-media news rooms, which trainees will be entering when they leave Highbury. Traditional boundaries between print and new media have been swept away and editors are looking for trainees to have a wider range of skills.

"This new course will see magazine, broadcast and newspaper journalists learning these new skills together. It's an exciting time for the teaching team and the students."

The new Diploma, made up of seven multimedia assessments, will see students and trainees study five core subjects, including essential media law, public affairs and shorthand, before sitting at least two specialist options from a choice of six.

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."

For more information about media and journalism at Highbury College Portsmouth, please call (023) 9238 3131 or visit www.highbury.ac.uk.

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