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The new BA Mutlimedia Journalism course at the University of Essex will launch with full accreditation by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ).

NCTJ-accredited courses are the gold standard within the industry and show courses meet the benchmark for excellence in journalism teaching. Nearly three-quarters of journalists working across all sectors of the media have achieved an NCTJ-accredited qualification.

The BA Multimedia Journalism course has been developed at Essex by a team of leading journalists led by founding Professor of Journalism Jonathan Baker, former editor of the BBC’s Ten O’Clock News and Head of the BBC College of Journalism until 2013.

The NCTJ Panel, chaired by NCTJ Chief Executive Joanne Butcher, said: “This is a promising course with considerable potential.

“The course has an excellent structure and an experienced journalism and tutoring team under Jonathan Baker’s leadership. They will be able to motivate and discipline students to practice high standards of journalism.

“The university has worked closely with the NCTJ while developing the course and is well prepared and equipped to deliver NCTJ exams. Close links with local and national employers have been developed. “

It is extremely rare for NCTJ to accredit a brand new course, but the panel recommended accreditation for the forthcoming year after being impressed by the emphasis placed on recruiting students with the potential and commitment to be multiskilled journalists and focus on providing them with the practical core skills of finding and telling stories across all media platforms.

Professor Baker said: “We’re delighted to have secured accreditation from the NCTJ. It represents a big step forward in the development of the course, and sends a message to potential students and employers about the quality of the multimedia journalism teaching now being offered at the University of Essex.

"The NCTJ have given us a big vote of confidence in accrediting a course that hasn’t even formally begun, and we aim to be worthy of the faith they have put in us. We hope that in a short space of time, the range and quality of the Essex course will be recognised as bearing comparison with the very best.”

The Essex teaching team includes Senior Lecturer Dr Fatima el Issawi, an experienced international correspondent who has covered conflict zones and crises around the world for leading media organisations. Alongside Fatima is journalist, author, academic and publisher Paul Anderson, who has extensive editorial experience for online and print publications, including his current position at The Guardian, and previous roles for New Statesman and Tribune journals.