Strategic and Political Communication - MSc

Structure and exit awards

You can opt to study for the full MSc (180 credits), a PgDip (120 credits) or a PgCert (60 credits). Please note all students enrol onto the full MSc degree initially.

You can also register as an associate student to complete a single module for CPD. On completion of a single module, you may wish to complete further modules and progress your studies to a named award. Contact Ann Turner for more information on single module study. 

Teaching, learning and assessment

You will learn from an academic team that includes internationally published researchers and practitioners with years of professional experience.
Teaching comprises lectures, seminars, workshops, and tutorials, usually delivered in 2-hour blocks. Teaching involves face-to-face and directed learning, as well as self-directed activity. Face-to-face teaching is delivered each week on campus. Module assessments may include case study analysis, essays, projects, blogs and articles, podcasts, client proposals, campaign materials, and briefing documents of between 1,000 and 3,000 words. There is also a dissertation (12,000 words) or a more practical master’s communication project.

Teaching hours and attendance

Core modules are delivered on a Thursday and Friday so you can carve out a dedicated space to study alongside your other work and/or caring commitments. Your own timetable will depend on whether you study full-time or part-time. The trimesters run September to December, January to April and May to August. Assessments are mostly due at the end of each trimester.
 

Class sizes

Class sizes will depend on the modules, as some are just for students on your degree and others are shared with other postgraduate degrees. Normally class sizes will be between 15 and 30 students.

Teaching staff

You can read more about the teaching staff on this course at the bottom of this page. Please note that teaching staff is subject to change.

You will study the following modules:

• Strategic Communication (15 credits): You will develop a critical understanding of the role of strategic communication within wider contexts including business, organisations, agencies, campaign groups and NGOs. You will take a critical perspective to ethics, social responsibility, social justice, the role of AI in Public Relations and explore how strategic communication can impact society. Theory is applied to produce a creative communication strategy in response to a client brief.
• Reputation and Crisis Management (15 credits): This module examines organisational issues and crises and explores the impact this can have on reputation. It will equip students with the knowledge and tools to critically examine risk, synthesise knowledge on strategic responses to crises and develop leadership skills in recommending courses of action to senior management. Through a critical examination of case studies, students will evaluate repair strategies and apply them to practice through a table-top simulation. 
• Digital Storytelling (15 credits): You will produce a range of professional digital content to help organisations achieve strategic communication goals. You will develop a critical understanding of storytelling on different platforms to reach and engage with a range of stakeholders through long and short-form content.
• Geo-political Communication and Influence (15 credits): Political communication has become increasingly important in an age of technological dominance, where technology itself is taking on growing political and economic influence. On this module you will explore how communication shapes politics and society in an increasingly fragmented world. You will examine how political actors, governments, NGOs, international organisations and other societal actors use communication to influence perceptions, audiences and the exercise of power. The module's geo-political focus offers a distinctive perspective on communication as a multidimensional process, where different forms of power and influence increasingly intersect.
• Podcasting (15 credits): You will develop story ideas and create podcasts as a strategic communication tool, exploring how storytelling and audience engagement can shape perceptions, build trust and strengthen relationships. The module examines how podcasts are planned, created, edited and distributed to support communication objectives for clients and organisations across a range of professional contexts.
• Public Affairs (15 credits): This module explores the role of public affairs in shaping policy, influencing debate and building relationships with policymakers and key stakeholders. You will develop skills in policy analysis, strategic planning and persuasive communication, learning how to use policy briefs and communication strategies to engage decision-makers and advance organisational goals, while critically reflecting on the ethical and regulatory challenges of public affairs practice.
• AI and Communications (15 credits): Bridging theory and practice, this module examines the opportunities and challenges that artificial intelligence presents for communication. Students critically assess the ethical, social and professional implications of AI, and put their learning into practice by developing and evaluating AI-informed communication strategies, content and workflows.
• Workplace Research: Methods and Practice (15 credits): This module focuses specifically on conducting research in communications, PR and media workplaces using methods such as surveys, focus groups, content and audience analysis. Apart from qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the module includes topics such as research design for the workplace, data collection and management, and research quality and ethics.
• Dissertation (60 credits) OR a Master’s Communication Project (60 credits): This will culminate your studies.

Specified module exemptions may be awarded to applicants who already hold some CIPR diploma level awards and those who join the course from an established pathway.

Most large organisations have a Communication department, so you could work in any sector. Rather than working in-house for one organisation you might prefer to work on multiple accounts for a PR or Public Affairs consultancy.

Our graduates have an impressive track record in achieving their career aspirations, going on to take key communication roles in a wide range of organisations across the globe.

The course has also provided professional development for those already working in consultancy and in-house roles and is a pathway to an academic career in the subject area.

This MSc is also benchmarked against Chartered Institute of Public Relations career progression requirements.

Entry requirements

Students will normally possess a bachelor's degree with honours or equivalent from a relevant subject area (eg arts, business, humanities or social sciences). Students without an honours degree may be admitted to the course if they have other relevant qualifications and appropriate work experience.

International: You will be required to provide evidence of English language competence at no less than IELTS 6.5 and no individual component score below 6.0.

Disability/health conditions

If you have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, or learning disability, it should not stand in the way of your studying at QMU. However, if you are not sure whether your disability might be a barrier in your studies or in relation to the professional standards, please contact the disability service who will be able to have a conversation with you about reasonable adjustments and support available to you.

Applying for this course

For more information on applying, or to apply for this course, please follow the links in the 'Start your application' box at the top right of this page.

Application deadline

Home students: End of August for September 2027 start and December for January 2028 start.

International students: International application for a September 2027 start is now closed. International applications for a January 2028 start will close at the end of November.

Contact Ann Turner (Programme Leader) or contact Admissions 

More information on our forthcoming open events

• The delivery of this course is subject to the terms and conditions set out in our 2027/28 Entry - Terms and Conditions (Postgraduate).
• The information on this page is correct at the time of posting (October 2025) but is subject to change following full validation of this new course. In the event that modules change, QMU will seek to use reasonable endeavours to ensure that there is no detrimental impact on students. Please keep an eye on this page for updates.