HARLOW College has explained why they will no longer be offering a journalism course that had both a national and international reputation.

The National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) course had been running for decades.

Famous journalists such as former editor of The Guardian, Alan Rusbridger, Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan and Sky News Sophie Ridge all undertook courses.

Journalists all over the country often quote their time at Harlow College, cutting their teeth and often going out and finding stories in the town.

The main course was an intensive post-graduate six-month course where budding journalists learned key skills such as media law, local government, news writing and shorthand.

A spokesperson for Harlow College said:

“Several years ago, the NCTJ took the decision to reclassify the diploma from a level 3 to a level 5 qualification. Overnight this took the nation’s premier qualification in journalism beyond the financial means of many students, who now found themselves unable to afford course fees in-excess of £4,000, when previously this would have been covered by government funding.

Prior to the NCTJs decision to reclassify the diploma the vast majority of our NCTJ students had been sourced from internal progression. In those days it was not uncommon for many of our students to enrol onto our excellent 2-year level 3 UAL Extended Diploma in Journalism at the age of 16 or 17, with the intention of completing the NCTJ Diploma immediately after.

However, in the years that followed reclassification, and the removal of government funding, students no longer had an incentive to study for their NCTJ Diploma at Harlow College, and applications fell sharply. More students than ever elected to study for their diploma at university. At university students could secure their NCTJ qualification alongside their main degree programme, and where course costs are covered by a student loan.

“The college regarded the NCTJ as a flagship programme. The decision to hand back our accreditation status was one of the hardest we have ever had to make and the college hopes that one day, should the situation change, we will be able to reinstate the NCTJ. In the meantime, the college remains proud of its history, of the many journalists it has trained over the years, and of the college’s role in the formation of the NCTJ”.

A spokesperson for the National Council for the Training of Journalists said: ” Unfortunately, Harlow College recently made the decision to stop offering its NCTJ-accredited journalism course, due to student numbers”. 

There are still plenty of journalism and media courses around the country. YourHarlow editor Michael Casey has liaised with a number of universities over the years including University of East Anglia, Bournemouth University, Cardiff University and University of Stirling.

For more information on courses that offer the NCTJ qualification, click below.