Public Relations, Marketing and Events

The success of modern business owes a great deal to marketing, public relations and events operations. The three areas, although individual specialisms, are very closely linked and marketing, events and PR professionals more often that not work alongside one another to reach a common goal of raising awareness of a company or its product, or indeed an event, and building and maintaining the company’s reputation, both internally and to external audiences. A career in this field often appeals to people who enjoy combining skills in analysis, planning, organisation, writing and creativity.

Why QMU?

With a degree in events, marketing or PR from QMU, you can be sure that you are well prepared for a successful career. Our teaching staff, many of whom still work in industry, ensure that they are up-to-date with all the latest news and developments in the areas. Our staff have close links to professional bodies including the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, with QMU being the only Scottish institution to offer Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) accredited undergraduate courses.

Many staff are also actively involved in ground-breaking research projects, present papers at a number of international conferences and regularly publish in academic journals. Our courses, not only focus on the subject matter at hand, but also enable you to gather a wide range of transferrable skills, such as making presentations, research techniques and IT, further preparing you for the workplace.

There are a number of benefits of studying at QMU, such as placements and study abroad options. Our PR and events students benefit from a compulsory placement, but we actively encourage all students to gain some work experience whilst on their course. Our students tell us that work experience is a highly beneficial aspect of their course work, enabling them to put what they have learnt into practice. It enables them to utilise knowledge gained from earlier years of their course. The opportunity to study a semester abroad is also a beneficial. Previous students have reported the experience as exciting, useful and very interesting to see how other countries deal with the subject matter.

Our approach to learning and teaching

Our degrees are modular and you will benefit from a variety of teaching methods including lectures, seminars and workshops. There is a focus on problem-based learning and group work to develop key skills required in the work place. Assessment methods also vary and include examinations, written reports, essays, presentations and peer assessment. Our assessment methods include formative and summative components, so students receive early feedback on progress made and can use it to help inform final assessment coursework.

The industry is extremely supportive of our courses and students will benefit from hearing guest lectures from a range of practitioners and visiting professors. Building contacts and networks are key to gaining an understanding of the industry and securing work experience and jobs on graduation.

The PR course hold a networking lunch giving students an opportunity to meet and talk to 40 senior PR and Marketing practitioners and hold a placement networking event to match students with host organisations.

Events management students enjoy the opportunity to plan and run their own event in Year Two. Recent events have included a fashion show, a charity run and a drive-in movie night. Marketing assessments are orientated towards applied planning reports which replicate the work of the marketing managers decision-making process.

The PR courses also have an advisory panel made up of senior professionals from a range of public, private and third sector organisations. Regular meetings provide a forum for debate and discussion covering current trends and issues affecting the industry. One panel member described coming to QMU as being like ‘entering an oasis of ideas’. It also enriches our teaching and helps maintain currency.

Centres of excellence

QMU plays host to the International Centre of the Study Planned Events – the only institution of its kind in the world dedicated to providing Governments event professionals and sponsors with scientific evidence of the linkages between planned events and education, health, wealth, environmental sustainability and social cohesion. We provide assessment and evaluation, research and development services for government officials and policy makers, event professionals in corporations, festivals, sports and corporate sponsors.

The Centre for Dialogue is a network of academics and practitioners with a variety of analytical and practical skills regarding public engagement methods. The core team is formed by two experts in communication and a political scientist.

Research

The majority of our staff are actively engaged in research which means that the content of the courses is cutting-edge and inspirational. For example, Events Management staff are currently carrying out research investigating the link between human trafficking for the sex industry in large scale events such as the Olympic Games, with implications for planned events such as the Commonwealth Games. Our research in the field of cultural and media studies, which includes public relations, has been recognised as of international significance in the last Research Assessment Exercise, the UK wide assessment of research in higher education.

Career prospects

It is our aim to prepare our students for employment and as a graduate of QMU you will have the skills, knowledge and experience sought by employers. Our graduates go on to work in a variety of careers, not only in the UK, but across the world. These are mentioned on the course pages which follow. However, should you choose to remain in Scotland, you are well placed to benefit from job opportunities, with Edinburgh playing home to the second highest number of headquarters in the UK after London.

CASE STUDY

Carole Arbuckle, BA (Hons) Marketing Management

I initially went to Edinburgh University to study Psychology, but I decided that it wasn’t for me and I left after my first year. I worked in a bank for six months and then decided to go to QMU

as I knew that I wanted to work in business in one way or another. I initially began the Tourism Management degree, but having really enjoyed a marketing module in Year One,

I decided to change course: career in marketing seemed not only interesting, but also a fun and rewarding. I had a great time at QMU – in particular, doing my dissertation, which gave me the opportunity to use the research skills that I had gained. The title of my dissertation was ‘Stress and Stress Control: The Impact of Marketing’. I enjoyed the lectures and learning marketing theory, but I really enjoyed group work and putting what we had learnt into practice on a company or topic of our choice. You aren’t required to do a placement for the course but after my third year, I decided to look for some work experience. I volunteered at the Edinburgh Mela Festival as a Marketing Intern for four months and I strongly recommend that students try to get work experience during their course – it really boosted my CV and it was helpful to put what I had learnt into practice.

After graduating, I spent the summer at the Edinburgh Mela Festival – they offered me a paid role as a Marketing Coordinator after volunteering. I have recently started a full-time, permanent role working as a Marketing Assistant in an Edinburgh law firm which I am currently enjoying. Ultimately, I would like to continue marketing in the professional services sector.

Our courses

»BA/BA (Hons) Events Management

»BA/BA (Hons) Public Relations and Marketing

»BA/BA (Hons) Public Relations and Media

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