Is the Diploma in Professional Journalism aligned with the NCTJ syllabus?

The media law, court reporting and editorial standards components of the Diploma in Professional Journalism are aligned with the NCTJ syllabus, though the Diploma is not itself an NCTJ qualification. Many students take the NCTJ exams alongside or after the Diploma; admissions can advise.

Do I need to be working at a newsroom to take the Diploma in Professional Journalism?

No. Many students arrive without newsroom experience. The Diploma in Professional Journalism is structured to take a serious applicant from competent writer to publishable junior reporter over the course of the year.

Can the Diploma in Professional Journalism be studied online?

Yes. The online route runs live newsdays over video, structured writing workshops and the same published portfolio expectations as the on-campus Diploma. Distance learners visit campus for an intensive newsroom week each year.

What kind of stories will I publish on the Diploma in Professional Journalism?

News stories you have reported yourself, with editor review before publication on the LSJHML student news site. Past students have published court reports, council coverage, local features and a small number of investigative pieces. Topic choice is yours, agreed with your tutor.

Will the Diploma in Professional Journalism lead to an Advanced Diploma or Bachelor's degree?

Yes. Graduates progress to LSJHML's Advanced Diploma specialisms (Investigative, Broadcast, Political, Documentary, International Journalism) or top up to a Bachelor's degree in Journalism. Credit-mapping is reviewed at the application stage.

Diploma in Professional Journalism in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Diploma in Professional Journalism at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a nine-to-twelve-month UK qualification for students entering the profession through the front door. You will write news under deadline, run interviews, learn the working media law you need to publish safely, and finish with a portfolio of published news pieces a regional editor would shortlist on.

This is journalism taught as the daily craft — copy filed by the deadline, sources called back when you said you would, media law respected, accuracy logged. By the end of the Diploma you can step into a junior newsroom role and contribute from the first shift.

Key Features

UK Level 4 qualification in core journalism — nine to twelve months full-time.
Weekly newsday — write, file and edit a story to a fixed deadline with tutor feedback.
Media law module aligned to the NCTJ syllabus — defamation, contempt, court reporting.
Court reporting workshop — magistrates', Crown and civil listings, contempt awareness.
Multimedia basics — short video, audio for the web, social-first writing.
Published news portfolio — at least six pieces filed to LSJHML student news under editor review.

What You Will Learn

The Diploma in Professional Journalism is structured around the working week of a junior newsroom reporter — pick the story, work the sources, write the copy, defend it. You finish able to file news under deadline that meets UK editorial and legal standards.

News writing — intro, structure, attribution, news-value judgement.
Interviewing — short news clips, longer analytical interviews, source handling.
Court reporting — magistrates', Crown and civil listings, contempt risk, reporting restrictions.
Local-government and public-body reporting — council meetings, FOI basics, publishing public-sector documents.
Media law — defamation, contempt, election period, harassment, data protection.
Editorial standards — Editors' Code, IPSO complaints handling, accuracy logs.
Multimedia basics — short video for news sites, social-first writing, podcast packages.
Newsroom practice — diary management, embargo etiquette, working with a sub-editor.

Who This Diploma Is For

Applicants targeting junior newsroom roles at regional or national titles.
Working bloggers, podcasters and freelance writers wanting formal journalism credentials.
Career changers from policy, communications or research moving into reporting.
International students looking for a UK-recognised journalism Diploma in central London.

Career Pathways

Graduates of the Diploma in Professional Journalism move into junior newsroom roles across UK regional and national press, broadcast and digital-native outlets. Typical first or next roles include:

News Reporter (regional newspaper, online title)
Staff Journalist (specialist or trade title)
Multimedia Journalist (regional or specialist publisher)
Editorial Assistant (national title, magazine, broadcaster)
Press Officer (charity, public body, regulator)
Junior Producer (current-affairs television, podcast network)

Graduates progress to the Advanced Diploma in Journalism specialisms (Investigative, Political, Broadcast, Documentary, International) or to a Bachelor's degree in Journalism at LSJHML.

Entry Requirements

Completion of secondary school (A-Levels, BTEC, or international equivalent).
IELTS 5.5 overall (no band below 5.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement; a short news writing sample is welcome.
Mature applicants (21+) may apply with two years of relevant work experience.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.