Essential journalism & ethics

What is essential journalism and ethics?

The essential journalism module encompasses the core skills you need as a reporter, from understanding what makes good news stories and how to find them, to interviewing skills and how to tell stories to different audiences. 

Alongside these core skills, you will explore journalism ethics and regulation as a separate module. We’ll teach you about what constitutes good journalistic practice, as well as the codes which editors and reporters should abide by.

Essential journalism ethics and regulation is a separate three-credit module. 

Journalists are expected to work to high ethical standards, so learning about ethics will also through all the other modules and practical work you do while training with us.

Essential journalism and ethics and regulation are compulsory modules on all our NCTJ-accredited courses.

journalism courses

How do we teach essential journalism and ethics?

Practical exercises form an important part of the course to get you writing to exam standards and prepare you for the demands of your first day in a newsroom.

Editors have told us they want trainees who can think on their feet and have the ability to find a story on a quiet day – our job is to prepare you for this.

Of course, the industry is changing and we remain at the cutting edge of journalism training.

Our team of tutors are involved with the NCTJ in exam setting, marking and moderating – as well as helping to shape the changes required to keep it contemporary.