FIELD                 COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES

 

Review of Journalism qualification

 

National Diploma in Journalism (Multi-media) (Level 5) [Ref: 0326]

 

The Communications and Media Industry Training Organisation (CMITO) has completed the review of the qualification listed above.

 

Date new versions published                                                          August 2011

 

The next qualification review is planned to take place during 2014.

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

This qualification was reviewed as a result of a review of industry requirements for the Level 5 Journalism Skills unit standards.  A review group of industry representatives, providers and assessors met to discuss the continuing relevance and changes required to the current qualification and whether the qualification met the requirements of industry.

 

It was agreed that the qualification required changes due to assessment difficulties arising from the prescriptive nature of some unit standards, changes in technology, higher expectations from industry and to bring it into line with current best practice.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

National Diploma in Journalism (Multi-media) (Level 5) [Ref: 0326]

 

Review category

B

See Key to Qualification Review Categories at the end of report

 

Changes to structure and content

·            Credit total has decreased from 134 to 120

·            Standard 16679 has been removed from the qualification as industry determined it was no longer relevant to the target audience

·            Expired standard 10375 was removed from the qualification

·            Expiring standards10380, 23116, and 23117 have been replaced with standard 27221

·            Requirements of elective section have changed from achievement of a minimum of 3 standards to achievement of a minimum of 5 standards

·            Expiring compulsory standards 23119 and 23122 have been replaced with standards 27225 and 27228 in the elective section

·            Expiring standards from version 4 of this qualification in the Journalism Skills domain, have been replaced by new standards as shown in the exemption table below.

 

Transition

 

From February 2012, all new students will be enrolled in training programmes leading to version 5 of the qualification.  People currently working towards versions 4 of the qualification may either complete the requirements for that version or transfer their results to the new version of the qualification under the guidance of the Communications and Media Industry Training Organisation (CMITO).

 

The last date for assessment of version 4 is December 2016.

 

This qualification contains standards that replace earlier standards.  For the purposes of this qualification, people who have gained credit for the expiring standards are exempt from the requirement to gain credit for the replacement standards - see table below.

 

Credit for

Exempt from

10374

27220

10380, 23116, 23117

27221

23106

27218

23108

27222

23109

27223

23111

27219

23118

27224

23119

27225

23121

27383

23122

27228

23123

27226

23124

27227

23125

27384

23126

27385

23127

27386

 

It is anticipated that no existing candidates are disadvantaged by these transition arrangements.  However, anyone who feels that they have been disadvantaged may appeal to the CMITO who will consider appeals on a case by case basis.

 

Key to Qualification Review Categories

 

Category A

The qualification is published as a new version with the same NQF ID

Changes are made to SSB name, contact details or purpose statement

No change is made to title, rules or components of the qualification

No transition arrangements are required

Category B

The qualification is published as a new version with the same NQF ID

Changes are made to title, rules or components

The new version of the qualification recognises a similar skill set to that recognised by the previous version

The SSB is confident that people awarded the new or previous version are comparable in terms of competence

Transition arrangements are required if candidates must gain additional/different credits for the new version

Category C

A new (replacement) qualification is published with new NQF ID

Significant changes are made to the qualification in terms of components, structure, type or level

The SSB views people with the replacement qualification as being significantly different in terms of competence from those with the replaced qualification

Transition arrangements are required

Transition may be limited to phase-out dates

Category D

Qualification will expire.

There is no replacement qualification

Qualification is no longer required by industry

The qualification is designated as expiring and a last date for meeting the qualification requirements is set