This course, developed by the public relations industry, offers practitioners a real opportunity to develop their professionalism - both by reflecting critically on their current practice and by focusing on very hands-on teachingof strategic PR planning and its role in the achievement of broader organisational objectives.
This course is ideal for people wanting to develop their professional public relations expertise at a number of different stages in their career. Typical students include:
experienced journalists who need to develop their knowledge of organisations and strategic planning in order to facilitate a move into public relations;
ambitious practitioners who need to take time to reflect critically on their practice in light of latest thinking and theory in order to develop their career and
graduates who need to quickly gain an indepth knowledge of the debates, practices and critical thinking within the profession to help them gain enough understanding to practice professionally.
This course provides PR practitioners with the knowledge and understanding of theory and practice to develop as effective and efficient professionals. You will understand the practice of public relations as a strategic management function and will develop planning expertise as well as being encouraged to analyse existing practice from a critical perspective. You will benefit from sharing experiences and developing a professional network of colleagues in similar situations.
The individual project that forms part of the course offers you the opportunity to work with a supervisor over a number of months to produce a well researched piece of work focusing on an area of your choice. Students often choose to devote this opportunity to help develop or improve specific work projects or to develop their expertise in a particular area of public relations practice.
EXIT AWARDS:
CIPR Diploma. Graduates are also awarded 45 credits towards QMU's MSc Public Relations
Delivery:
Block attendance at QMU supported
by online learning
Single Modules: It is not possible to study single modules
Duration:
Part-time: 1 year
Start date:
September
Application deadline:
The deadline for all overseas applicants who require a visa to study in the UK should apply no later than the 30th June 2013.
Teaching, learning and assessment:
On campus teaching comprises a variety of approaches including lectures, workshops, case study, group work and input from senior practitioners and QMU academics.
Work is set and contact maintained between teaching blocks through online discussions. Your performance will be assessed through a combination of examinations, reports and projects.
Teaching hours and attendance:
You will be required to attend QMU for 4, two-day sessions and one single project day between September and March. Teaching takes place on Fridays and Saturdays. Other teaching is delivered via the internet. Individual supervision of reflective practice projects continues through May and June.
Links with industry/professional bodies:
Students on the course are eligible for student membership of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and, on graduation, can upgrade their membership to full or associate status depending on professional experience.
- A postgraduate professional qualification in a related discipline (eg CIM Diploma), PLUS one years relevant full-time employment (or equivalent part-time employment) in public relations OR
-Degree in business/marketing/ management/ communication studies, PLUS one years relevant full-time employment in public relations OR
- Any other UK degree PLUS two years relevant full-time employment in public relations OR
- Any other UK degree PLUS NCTJ together with two years relevant full-time employment in public relations OR
- NCTJ only PLUS either five years journalistic experience or three years relevant full-time employment in public relations OR
- Two years relevant full-time employment in public relations, and the CAM Advanced Diploma in Marketing Communication OR
- The CIPR Advanced Certificate in Public Relations OR
- LCCIEB 5 3rd Level subjects, including PR, Marketing, Advertising, Principles & Practice of Management, PLUS two years experience in public relations OR
- Four years relevant full-time employment in public relations and five GCSE passes, one of which must be in English Language
International:
Where your Honours degree has not been studied in English, you will be required to provide evidence of English language competence at no less than IELTS 6.5.
Home - part-time:
£2510
Fees information:
£2510
Funding Information for International Students:
Visit the
International section of the website.
Course Fees:
Visit the
Fees section of the website. -
Graduates of the University who hold a verified QMU undergraduate or postgraduate award and who are admitted to a postgraduate award of QMU will be eligible for a 10% discount on the published fees.
Sources of Funding:
Visit the
Funding section of the website.
PR Theory and Practice / PR Planning and Management/ Reflective Practice
The CIPR Diploma is recognised as the benchmark for professional practice in public relations by employers in the private and public sectors. It helps participants to develop or diversify their careers by fostering a strategic approach to managing public relations, as well as extending knowledge of areas such as internal communications, corporate culture and research. QMU graduates have gone on to progress their careers in a number of ways - our graduates occupy senior positions ranging from director of an international PR agency to director of an international charity.
Case study:
Jan Gjerdevik
MSc Public Relations
I had done an undergraduate degree in journalism at Napier University and decided that an MSc in Public Relations was a natural progression: I hoped to explore a new perspective of human communication. Information is a resource and one step towards leaning how to manage it, is examining the theoretical underpinnings. I did lots of research into PR courses and the one at QMU came highly recommended to me it also meant that I didnt have to leave Edinburgh, where I had already built up a network of good friends and colleagues. It is fair to say that the course is a challenge. I worked full-time (as a communication advisor in the public affairs department in an international integrated energy company) whilst studying full-time and found the workload challenging at times, but managed thanks to a very flexible employer and understandable programme leader at QMU.
The course has its strength in that the lecturers teaching on the course all come from different backgrounds ranging from those with an academic background to those with experience from the public relations industry. The diversity adds interesting perspectives to the curriculum and has also contributed to close the gap between theory and practice.
My first employer after leaving QMU me on principally due to my MSc PR - they especially appreciated that I had undergone a programme that, in depth, applied theoretic approaches to practical challenges in the field of PR. I was soon put in charge of developing a new communication strategy for the organisation and then promoted to lead the entire implementation process as communication director. I've now moved into the consultancy sector and advise mainly oil and gas companies on internal communications around risk management. Again I was taken on much because of my academic background.
