Up to Speed Journalism Training has become the second institute to receive accreditation for a photojournalism course from the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

Up to Speed, based at the Daily Echo newspaper in Bournemouth, will join Sheffield College when its new six-month fast track photojournalism course begins later in the year.

"Ours is a fast moving and constantly changing industry and anyone who is going to succeed will need so much more than the ability to shoot pictures," said photography tutor at Up to Speed Neil Turner, who is vice-chairman of the British Press Photographers’ Association.

"We have structured this course to prepare students for the tough and overwhelmingly freelance market place that news photography has become."

According to a release, the other newly accredited courses are: MA Magazine Journalism at Nottingham Trent University; MA Sports Journalism at University of Sunderland; Academic Year Journalism at Belfast Metropolitan College and Academic Year Newspaper Journalism at North West Regional College, also in Northern Ireland.

Nottingham Trent's additional accreditation follows its success as double winner at the NCTJ's Journalism Skills Conference in December

The NCTJ now accredits nine courses in magazine journalism and four in sports journalism. There are now three NCTJ accredited courses in Northern Ireland.