Diploma in Journalism (Overseas)

The programme aims to produce fully-rounded and competent journalists, through underpinning knowledge, practical experience and an appreciation of newsroom etiquette. The course is held in the splendid 13th century Manor in Howden, East Yorkshire, and runs for five weeks with an optional extra week dealing with production journalism. After the five weeks the trainees who successfully complete the course will gain a Press Association Certificate in Journalism. They can then choose to have their newsroom work assessed over a 12-month period with a view to attaining The Press Association Diploma in Journalism (Overseas).

Course structure

Journalism trainers of the highest level will guide delegates through an intensive and practical programme that includes:

Basic writing skills, including punctuation, spelling,grammar, house style and use of language
Intro writing and story structure
Tight writing and editing
Balance and accuracy
News reporting
Editorial judgment
Sources of news
How to find stories
Contacts, how to find and keep them
Good newsroom practice
Interviewing skills
Running a district
Forward planning techniques
The reporter’s survival guide
Ethical behaviour
Photography and graphics
Feature-writing
Comment
Campaigning and investigative journalism
Libel
Understanding the reader

Trainees will be given training and guidance throughout. They will find and write news stories and features and put together a weekly newspaper for assessment by senior journalists. Each trainee will be given personal one-to-one feedback on their work and will receive a written assessment.
The course lasts for five weeks. An optional sixth week covers newspaper and magazine production. Trainees learn the art of sub-editing, headline writing, picture cropping, newspaper layout and design, use of colour and are taught industry standard software - particularly QuarkXPress, Adobe InDesign and Photoshop.

How to get a place

i) Sponsored

Most delegates are paid for by their sponsoring newspaper which funds the course and living expenses.

ii) Self-sponsored

A number of places are held on each course for trainees who wish to pay for themselves to attend.

To apply for a place on the pre-entry course, send a letter of application, your CV and two examples of any published work to Lorna Chaproniere, course administrator, Press Association Training, Innovation Centre, Highfield Drive, Churchfields, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN38 9UH, England.

The Press Association Diploma in Journalism (Overseas)

Course structure

How to get a place

Accommodation