Journalism — NCTJ Level 5 Diploma (September start)
Media, Journalism and Production
Course ID: 172868
Course Year: 24/25
What to expect from the course
Qualifications
Study the NCTJ Diploma at the award-winning Liverpool School of Journalism at City of Liverpool College – Merseyside’s only stand-alone NCTJ-accredited course.
The National Council for the Training of Journalists Diploma is the ONLY qualification you need to pursue a career in journalism. This is the industry qualification demanded by editors and is designed to lead directly into a role as a multimedia journalist. The City of Liverpool College has been producing excellent journalists on our top-performing NCTJ courses since 1991 and studying here will give you all the skills you need to work as a professional journalist within just 18 weeks.
By joining one of our courses, you will receive a top-class grounding in the essentials required to land a job in journalism, from shorthand to essential journalism, media law to public affairs, all delivered by industry professionals. You will also learn how to plan, film and edit video packages as part of our Video Journalism module, an important skill for multimedia journalists. As part of the course, you will have guest lecturers from editors, journalists take part in news days, court reporting visits and build a professional journalism portfolio.
Our students are guaranteed work experience, undertaking a placement at the Liverpool Echo Newsroom and can cover events across the city for a variety of other media outlets. Students benefit from individual support from tutors who provide mentoring throughout the course and post-course guidance.
The NCTJ course is a great alternative to university for students wanting to take a professional route into journalism and is also ideal for graduates who wish to start a career in journalism. The NCTJ Level 5 Diploma at Liverpool City College is priced at only £2880, making it significantly more affordable than equivalent MA courses. Additionally, the course is eligible for loan funding from Student Finance England, ensuring accessibility for all aspiring journalists.
Students are also eligible to apply for the Journalism Diversity Fund (JDF) which can offer help with course fees and living costs. For more information copy and paste the below into your browser: www.journalismdiversityfund.com For further information on NCTJ, please visit www.nctj.com.
We run two 18-week fast-track courses each academic year starting in September and late January, and a Sport Pathway. Progression from this course is into print and broadcast journalism, press office work and public relations, and our previous trainees are working for a wide range of outlets such as, The Independent, The Metro, BBC News, Daily Mirror, The Liverpool Echo, The Athletic and Captial Radio.
Learn all about us and what we do on our dedicated Twitter page @colcjournalism.
Please contact Joanna Lane at joanna.lane@liv-coll.ac.uk for any questions about the course.
Why study with us?
Student Benefits
Academy Bakery
The Academy Bakery is located on the Duke Street campus, producing a range of first class baked goods daily. These include artisan breads, patisserie and biscuits, as well as special occasion/novelty cakes by award-winning master-bakers. Students are offered a range of discounts throughout the year.
The Academy Bakery
Academy Hair and Beauty Salons
Duke Street is also home to The Academy Hair and Beauty salons. They offer generous student discounts on a wide range of hair and beauty treatments, at a fraction of high-street prices. These include styling, cutting, perming, highlights, facials, manicures, electrolysis and traditional and homeopathic massage.
The Academy Salons
Academy Restaurant
Duke Street campus is also home to the College’s Academy Restaurant. Often referred to by it’s customers as Liverpool’s hidden gem, the restaurant serves top class cuisine, at highly competitive prices. Food is expertly prepared by professional chef/tutors and young chefs in training and offers students a range of discounts at different times of the year.
The Academy Restaurant
Microsoft Office 365 - Free
When you become a student of the College you’ll receive full access to Microsoft Office 365. This allows you to install the software on your own computer and other devices at home, completely free of charge.
Onsite Sports Facilities/Fitness Suite
The college has excellent sports and fitness facilities at its Roscoe Street campus. Students pay a one-off membership fee for all year round usage of weekly supervised gym sessions, as well as access to a number of sporting clubs and events.
Career pathways
- Progression from this course is into print and broadcast journalism, press office work and public relations, and our previous trainees are working for a wide range of outlets including BBC News, Metro, Daily Mirror, Mail Online, The Liverpool Echo, Capital Radio, The Athletic, Liverpool.com.
NCTJ Journalism alumni are nearly three times more likely to land a journalism job compared to the journalism graduate population overall according to data collected by the UK’s Higher Education Statistics Authority (HESA)
We're here to help...
Contact us to discuss your application or find out more:
: 0151 252 3000: enquiry@liv-coll.ac.uk
Entry Requirements
You must be 18 years or over at the start of the course. You must achieve a minimum of 55% in the national NCTJ entry test, this covers basic newswriting and general knowledge, guidance is provided.
Fees
This course is only available to learners aged 19 and over. Fees are payable by all students unless sponsored by an employer. You may qualify for an Advanced Learner Loan to cover the cost of your course. Find out more at https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan, or contact our admissions team on 0151 252 3000 or at applications@liv-coll.ac.uk.
Fee for24/25 is 2882.00
In future years this fee may be subject to change.
