CfJ students sitting “one of the hardest exams” of the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism achieved a 94% pass rate this week – with a third of them receiving the highest available grade.
Out of a total of 16 undergraduate and postgraduate students who sat their two-hour online NCTJ Essential Journalism exam in March, 15 passed (with a mark at grade C or higher) and five scored a grade A.
CfJ Director of Education Rob Bailey said: ‘Congratulations to everyone! This is a stunning testament to the dedication, resilience and talent of our students during an unorthodox year. So proud of you all.’
The NCTJ Essential Journalism exam is a mandatory component of the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism – a qualification that editors look for when recruiting a trainee journalist. Rob said: ‘The exam tests students’ ability to write clear, accurate and engaging stories to a realistic newspaper deadline, pitch ideas to develop a story, promote it on social media, and show their knowledge of journalism ethics. It’s regarded as one of the hardest exams in the Diploma.’
Having an NCTJ Diploma is the closest thing there is to a passport to a job in UK journalism and CfJ students have the opportunity to graduate with both a degree and a diploma.
Our Journalism BA programmes and Multimedia Journalism MA programme are fully accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), the professional body most widely acknowledged by editors in the industry. NCTJ accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in journalism training, providing a world-class industry standard that is recognised throughout the media.