Why should I take a BJTC Accredited Course?
Nearly all the main broadcasting employers in the UK are BJTC partners. This should tell you a lot about the industry credibility of the BJTC accreditation "kite-mark."
- They are involved in setting training standards, creating guidelines for courses, visiting them and deciding if a course is accredited or not.
- Bursary offers are often conditional on having a place on a BJTC accredited courses should tell you more.
- Most recruitment of journalists into broadcast news or factual programming is now through a BJTC accredited course.
If you are looking at any other course, you may find it useful to use the BJTC Guidelines to measure the course you are considering. You can download and print them by clicking on this link below.
What should I expect from a BJTC accredited course?
BJTC accredited courses offer a good mix of theory and practice, which will generally include much practice-based training. Courses will all comprise modules covering the basic skills and knowledge required to become a broadcast journalist, together with a guaranteed period of work placement with one of our partner employers.
You can find more about our criteria for accrediting courses in the BJTC Guidelines. You can download and print them by clicking on this link below.
How do I get started?
- Get experience - try to get involved in whatever kind of journalism you can - this could be anything from the school magazine and student newspaper to local papers, radio stations or websites.
- Identify a course - use our list of accredited courses to make your selection of two or three courses to suit your ambitions, and apply separately to their admission departments.
- Make an application- ensure your application form does you justice - details of any work experience, material published or broadcast, will help admissions tutors to get a picture of what you're capable of. Any spelling mistakes, bad grammar or untidiness will be treated unsympathetically. Word processing is best used.
- Prepare for interview - you will be interviewed and tested, so be ready for either one-to-one or group selection and make sure you read newspaper's, listen to the radio and watch the TV news in the run-up to your interview date - you should be doing this automatically if you want to be a journalist.
What about educational qualifications?
Most journalists these days are graduates, so for most the target will be A -levels and then a first degree. However, some may not want to get into journalism until undergraduate level, so if you have pet subjects you enjoy doing and do well at, then do not worry as almost any subject will eventually be of use to you as a journalist - as long as you use your time at university to get involved in student journalism
At school level, there are now several media-linked subjects and with improved Government policies on vocational training, more will become available with different approaches.
For postgraduate course admissions, tutors will expect a first degree as a basic requirement, but usually have discretion to accept considerable journalistic experience instead of a first degree.
Which are the best courses?
The BJTC does not get involved in league tables for the simple reason that the aims and content of courses vary widely.
You should select a course that will deliver what it is you want to do. Using other criteria like geography and cost will also help to narrow your options.
It is always recommended that you visit the course you are applying for - look at the facilities and equipment, talk to the tutors and always prepare questions that will help you to understand the course better.
Is there any funding for my course?
Undergraduate journalism education is governed by the usual rules that apply to all UK undergraduate courses.
There is no public funding for postgraduate education. However, several employers offer bursaries and sponsorship. They are limited in number and the selection process is very competitive - you'll find details in the sponsorships & bursaries section on this website.
In addition, several colleges and universities have private, long standing connections with a variety of bursary providers, so always ask about these when you apply for your place. There are often many surprising sources for funding and some research may pay off.
Are there any part-time, short, or distance learning accredited courses?
No, not yet. However the broadcast training landscape is changing fast with initiatives coming over the horizon from Ofcom, the DfES, QCA and Skillset (the audio-visual industries Sector Skills Council).
It is expected that there will be many new levels of training provision in the near future. The BJTC is currently exploring new Guidelines for potential single modules, part-time and short courses, distance learning from school level, Foundation Degrees, Community Radio, career development and life-long learning.
Many tutors of accredited full-time courses are open to taking in one-off applicants, particularly those already working in the broadcasting industry, to specific single modules on their courses.
