NCTJ Diploma in Journalism

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Start: September 2026
Location: In Person
Duration: 1 year

As the number one industry-recognised training body in the UK for Journalism, the knowledge and skills you will pick up as part of the diploma will help you to stand out from the graduate crowd. The NCTJ Diploma in Journalism doesn’t just prepare you for local media – BBC, Sky and The Guardian are on the board. As a recognised gateway into journalism, it can be considered a springboard into a career in journalism as many media companies will only employ trainees with a 'gold standard' NCTJ qualification.

Undergraduate journalism students

If you're accepted onto the NCTJ scheme as part of your undergraduate journalism degree, the course will normally run in your first and second years and will be timetabled alongside your journalism degree. The prestigious qualification will help you develop the essential journalistic skills employers are looking for, honing your skills in subjects including: essential media law and regulation; court reporting; public affairs; shorthand; ethics; advanced news writing, as well as elective subjects such as photography, public relations and more. Better yet, the cost of taking this diploma is included in the basic undergraduate fee for Journalism students, meaning you’ll receive the nationally-recognised qualification from the media industry’s number one training body in the UK at no additional cost, significantly increasing your employment prospects.

Whether you’d like to pursue a career in journalism, or are not quite sure where your future lies; the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism offers a solid foundation in key skills sought after in graduates and can be a fast-track in the world of media.

NCTJ Diploma in Journalism academic year course

Current or aspiring journalists across the UK can now join Brunel University of London's innovative one-year NCTJ Diploma in Journalism. This standalone academic year course is open to applicants who are not pursuing a degree but would like to gain a nationally accredited qualification to further their career in journalism.

"Brunel’s new intensive academic year course is an excellent move toward widening access to high-quality journalism education, equipping a diverse group of students with essential skills for today’s media environment. We’re proud to support this innovative new initiative to make the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism more accessible, especially for those who may not find a traditional university degree the right fit for them." Natalie Coleman, NCTJ quality and standards manager.

Image of Kenn Toft

Kenneth Toft, BA, MA, FHEA, JP is a Criminal Court Magistrate with more than twenty years of judicial experience, having presided over a wide range of criminal proceedings and contributed significantly to the administration of justice. His legal career is marked by extensive expertise in criminal law, criminal procedure, and courtroom practice, with a strong emphasis on fairness, due process, and judicial ethics. In addition to this, he has served within the Family courts and the Central Criminal Court as part of the appeals against sentence and convict ion.

Adding to his work on the bench, Mr. Toft is an academic with a specialist focus on journalism and media law, examining the relationship between the justice system, the press, and the public. His academic interests include court reporting, legal accuracy, domestic violence and the responsible coverage of judicial proceedings.

He also possesses advanced expertise in shorthand, supporting precise legal transcription and the accurate recording of court proceedings, and brings this practical skill into both his teaching and scholarly work.

Image of Beowulf Mayfield

Beowulf “Wulfie” Mayfield has been a lecturer in Journalism specialising in technical skills since 2019. He studied English at the University of Ulster at Coleraine (now Ulster University) in Northern Ireland before becoming a newspaper journalist. He worked as a reporter, feature writer, reviewer and sub-editor at newspapers in Banbury, Stratford-upon-Avon and greater London. He has also worked as a press officer for the Dogs Trust and an independent record label called Babel.

From 2016 – 2020 he produced and presented the Billy Jenkins Listening Club podcast.

He has a particular interest in experimental photography, documentary photography and making the enjoyment of photography available to people with disability though inclusive collaboration. Some of his video work has been shown at film festivals in Southeast London.

He designed The Hillingdon Herald newspaper, lays out many of its pages while teaching students how to produce their own pages for the publication.

Image of Steve Cohen

Steve is an award-winning former regional newspaper editor who has been lecturing at Brunel since 2013. His speciality is media law, and he is also Head of News at the acclaimed Hillingdon Herald newspaper, which is produced by students for the borough.

 

He first entered newspapers in 1982, working for a succession of titles home and abroad, before being appointed Group Editor of the Bucks Free Press in 1994, a position he held until 2013.

 

Steve joined Brunel in 2013 as an hourly paid lecturer while also running a successful public relations company. He was employed full time at the university in 2016, and is also now joint co-ordinator of Brunel's National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) Diploma scheme.

 

In 2019, Steve was awarded prize of Lecturer of the Year for his college, CBASS, after a student vote. Previously, he was editor in 1997 when the Bucks Free Press was voted Weekly Newspaper of the Year in the country. His most notable triumph as a PR practitioner was leading a successful publicity and fundraising campaign to create an iconic sculpture of legendary singer David Bowie in the centre of Aylesbury.

Image of Rachel Sharp

Rachel Sharp is a Senior Lecturer in Journalism at Brunel University London. She is an experienced newspaper editor and an award-winning multimedia journalist. Her principal research and professional interests include social justice and political reporting.

She began her career as a trainee reporter at a local newspaper. Following the completion of her senior professional qualifications, she progressed to the role of Chief Reporter in a large London newsroom and was subsequently promoted to Editor of three regional newspapers in West London. Prior to joining Brunel University London, she served as Group Editor for seven Newsquest newspaper titles across West and North London.

Rachel Sharp has extensive professional networks within the journalism industry and has received multiple awards, including recognition for video journalism, Newspaper of the Year, Campaign of the Year, and newspaper design. She is also a board member for Public Affairs (Political Reporting) at the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ).

Accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), this intensive programme starts in September 2025. The course offers essential training in media law, news writing, shorthand, court reporting, public affairs, photography, and video, along with invaluable hands-on experience through Brunel’s university-run newspaper, The Hillingdon Herald.

With a circulation of 10,000, The Hillingdon Herald provides students with real-life journalism experience in a community-focused environment. Recognised for its outstanding contributions, the Herald is at the heart of Brunel's journalism training.

  • Expert teaching: Led by experienced professionals Kenn Toft, Steve Cohen, Beowulf Mayfield and Rachel Sharp, supported by industry adviser's Andy Thompson (Sky Sports News) and Mark Waldron (NationalWorld).
  • Nationally accredited: Gain the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism qualification, recognised across the UK.
  • Real-world experience: Work on The Hillingdon Herald, a professional newspaper shortlisted for national awards.

£5,500 for the academic year course. This includes all fees for NCTJ examinations (resits not included).

Payment is through three instalments:

• Initial payment of £1,500 to reserve your place

• A second payment of £2,000 at the start of term 2 (January)

• A final payment of £2,000 in May of that year.

Please note the price below is the first of three payment instalments which reserves your place (see Cost section above for full details)

Total course price is £5,500

15 seats available.
Price: £1,500.00
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