Our Master's degree is recognised by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), the UK's professional body in PR. This helps you demonstrate that you have industry-standard skills, improving your career prospects.
Based in London, home to world-leading PR agencies including Edelman, Ogilvy and Weber Shandwick, you will benefit from the experience of PR practitioners acting as guest and visiting lecturers. Our academics have close links with industry at home and abroad.
You will learn how to help organisations communicate, build stronger relationships and engage with increasingly demanding stakeholders.
This public relations degree has been developed in partnership with the PR industry to provide you with key courses relevant to PR practice. You will have the opportunity to pick from a range of optional courses which will provide you with specific sector knowledge.
You will gain the practical and theoretical skills, required for this increasingly influential management discipline. The ethical dimensions of the role and practice of PR provide an important framework to this programme.
We will provide you with insights into recent developments and challenges for the profession. These include the impact of the Internet and the growth of social media; the decline of traditional media; growing issues of corporate social responsibility influencing organisational reputation; and the increasing influence of other social science disciplines on PR theory and practice.
Our marketing programmes are ranked top five for student satisfaction and second overall in London by the Complete University Guide 2017.
Greenwich is one of the top two most globally diverse universities in the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand, by Hotcourses Diversity Index.
We have also been named as one of the "most international" universities on the planet by Times Higher Education magazine.
This degree aims to:
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 30 credits from this list of options.
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses.
Students are required to choose 15 credits from this list of options.
You will be assessed through written assignments, group and individual presentations and a dissertation. You will get the opportunity to explore communications across different forms of media, including writing blogs and communicating through other forms of media such as Twitter.
This programme is recognised by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). Successful graduates are eligible for the CIPR Advanced Certificate in Public Relations.
Graduates from this degree have gained positions within PR consultancies, the public sector, NGOs and charities, and companies serving a range of sectors including consumer, technology, financial, political and corporate PR.
You can reach out to top employers through our dedicated Business School Employability Office (BSEO). Our team focuses on developing your employment skills through CV support, interview skills workshops and guidance through mentors to progress in the industry. This includes the opportunity to network with employers and recruiters at career fairs. The BSEO team was shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards, which shows its dedication to actively support your career development.
We encourage you to join student societies such as the PR Fraternity Society, which organises events and networking opportunities. They invite a range of high-profile speakers such as Nicky Campbell, BBC presenter, to offer career advice and talk about communications in various industries.
This course is designed for recent graduates with little or no public relations (PR) experience, who want to pursue a career in an exciting and expanding sector. It is also ideal if you are a public relations practitioner with one or two years of experience, looking to develop your strategic and analytical skills whilst gaining a broader understanding of the PR industry.
The course combines academic learning and professional practice with a hands-on approach. Key areas of study include
You learn the latest techniques to succeed in the fast changing world of communications, and gain the analytical, strategic, management and organisational skills to succeed at the highest levels in PR. You develop your ability to
During the course you put important PR campaigns under the spotlight and work on live briefs to develop your professional skills in real-life situations. You learn how to work with bloggers and journalists, to meet their needs and develop your organsiation's reputation, and bring new ideas into the public sphere. You also develop an understanding of how academic research helps us understand the practice and development of public relations across the world.
You gain practical skills in • content creation and curation • writing news releases • organising events • researching and creating strategic PR campaigns • dealing with the media • blogger relations • crisis management • creative use of online and social media • advocacy approaches to engage with hard-to-reach audiences.
We give you the skills you need to communicate with key audiences across different media channels including print, broadcast, social media and online. It is not about ‘spin’, but great writing and verbal skills, critical and creative thinking, and understanding how the media works. You are encouraged to think about an organisation's aims and objectives and how PR knowledge can be used to achieve or question them.
The course is delivered by a team that includes award winning PR industry specialists with national and international experience across TV, health, charity, public and private sectors.
Public Relations Consultants Association
This course also benefits from Partner University status with the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA). A limited number of Universities are endorsed by the PRCA for offering excellent courses which are intellectually rigorous and esteemed by employers.
Our students gain automatic free student membership of the PRCA and all the benefits that come with it, including • exclusive access to work placements • internships • graduate schemes and entry level jobs • free and unlimited online training • free access to the industry recognised PRCA Online Certificate.
This course is recognised by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).
When you enrol on a course recognised by the CIPR you are eligible for CIPR Student Membership. This gives you access to the members area of the CIPR website, where they have a dedicated student area which offers help and advice on getting into the PR industry.
Postgraduate certificate – core modules
Postgraduate certificate – optional modules
Postgraduate diploma – core modules
Postgraduate diploma – optional modules
MA modules
Organisations are increasingly recognising the value of PR and the importance of effective communication. As more media platforms are launched, and the communication mix becomes more complex, the demand for honest, ethical and skilled PR practitioners continues to grow.
The course gives you the knowledge and skills to work as a public relations officer or executive in • public and private sector organisations • PR agencies • charities • pressure groups • the voluntary sector.
It also prepares you for work • as a campaigns director • in public affairs or lobbying • as an account manager or director making the headlines for your creative campaigns.
Many of our students also move into marketing and social media roles.
The skills from the course are transferrable to a range of other professions as you gain competencies in writing, communicating, presenting ideas and working in a team.
The CIPR Public Affairs Diploma is designed for public relations or public affairs practitioners who want to develop relevant theoretical knowledge and to strengthen their practical skills in order to become more effective and better placed to take on more senior roles.
The CIPR Diploma in Public Affairs Practice focuses on the process of policy formation and the wider corporate communications and reputational context in which public affairs operates. This qualification is firmly rooted in practice – with senior PA practitioners involved in its development – and is also grounded in the latest academic thinking.
The Public Affairs Diploma covers topics including:
Twenty hours of on campus teaching comprises a variety of approaches including lectures, workshops, group work and input from senior practitioners and QMU academics. Work is set and contact maintained between teaching blocks through online discussions. Students also receive supervision support with their assignment. CIPR Diploma in Public Affairs students learn alongside and MSc Strategic Communications and Public Relations students ensuring that you benefit from sharing experiences and developing a network of colleagues. Assessment is through submission of a 6,000 word research project. Support is offered with research project preparation.
Further information is available on the CIPR website at http://www.cipr.co.uk/content/ qualifications/public-affairs-diploma.
Teaching is normally delivered in one or two day blocks three/ four times a year. 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.
The Political Landscape, Trends and Challenges/ The Art and Science of Lobbying and Campaigning/ Public Affairs in the Context of Reputation Management/ Research Project
CIPR qualifications are recognised as the benchmark for professional practice in public relations by employers in the private and public sectors.
Studying for the CIPR Diploma in Public Affairs Practice counts towards the CIPR’s CPD programme and becoming a CIPR Accredited Practitioner – the hallmark of your commitment to professional development.
This variant of our established MSc Strategic Public Relations & Communication Management course is delivered jointly with our partner Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain. This course provides students with a solid international perspective on strategic communication and provides an opportunity to study in both Stirling, UK, and Barcelona, Spain.
The MSc Strategic Communication & Public Relations is an interdisciplinary, advanced level course taught by established academics and practitioners. It offers a hands-on approach while at the same time providing you with the theoretical foundations necessary to practise public relations at a managerial level.
You will be offered the opportunity to attend a Public Affairs and Lobbying seminar series in Brussels, which includes visits to the European Parliament, the European Commission as well as specialist industry seminars with leading public affairs and public relations experts in Brussels.
This course is taught completely in English and students will obtain a joint MSc degree from the University of Stirling and Pompeu Fabra University. Students spend the Semester 1 at the University of Stirling and then move to Pompeu Fabra University for Semester 2. Students then decide if they would like to have their dissertation supervised by Stirling or Pompeu Fabra.
Link to MSc Strategic Communication and Public Relations at Pompeu Fabra University http://www.upf.edu/masterpublicrelations/en/
- Degree type: MSc, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma
- Study methods: Full-time
- Duration: 12 months (Stirling in semester 1 - Barcelona in semester 2 - Stirling dissertation period) 16 months (Stirling in semester 1 Barcelona in semester 2 - Barcelona dissertation period)
- Start date: September
- Course Director: Dr Alenka Jelen-Sanchez
If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS: 6.5 with 6.0 minimum in each skill
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): Grade C
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE): Grade B
- Pearson Test of English (Academic): 60 with 56 in each component
- IBT TOEFL: 90 with no subtest less than 20
For more information go to English language requirements https://www.stir.ac.uk/study-in-the-uk/entry-requirements/english/
If you don’t meet the required score you may be able to register for one of our pre-sessional English courses. To register you must hold a conditional offer for your course and have an IELTS score 0.5 or 1.0 below the required standard. View the range of pre-sessional courses http://www.intohigher.com/uk/en-gb/our-centres/into-university-of-stirling/studying/our-courses/course-list/pre-sessional-english.aspx .
Students spend Semester 1 at the University of Stirling and then go to Pompeu Fabra University for Semester 2. Students then can decide to have their dissertation supervision at the University of Stirling or Pompeu Fabra University.
The course covers a range of modules including public relations and communication management theory, strategic public relations planning, public diplomacy and strategic communication, media relations, digital media, public affairs and advocacy, and research methods.
Delivery methods include lecture, workshops and seminars.
Methods of assessment include case studies, timed assignments, essays, presentations and reports. Students also complete a 12,000-word dissertation.
- REF2014
In REF2014 Stirling was placed 6th in Scotland and 45th in the UK with almost three quarters of research activity rated either world-leading or internationally excellent.
- Rating
Research within Communications, Media and Culture had 70 percent of its research rated as either ‘World-leading’ or ‘Internationally Excellent’ in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise. Pompeu Fabra staff are also research active and publish internationally.
Strengths
- Academic strengths
This course provides a unique multicultural and intercultural experience for students as well as an innovative and challenging curriculum that is regularly updated. Students will develop a solid theoretical foundation as well as learn practical skills necessary for working within the public relations industry.
Students benefit from the experience and expertise of the academic research active team at Stirling and Pompeu Fabra; students are able to study in both northern and southern Europe (Scotland and Spain) and will develop an international outlook.
Students are able to attend a two-day Public Affairs and Lobbying seminar series delivered in Brussels (additional cost).
This course prepares students for careers in public relations and related areas in consultancies and private sector companies, (in-house positions, such as communications officer/manager, public relations officer/manager, press officer, internal communications officer/manager) NGOS, international organisations (such as the EU, UN etc.).
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Public Policy at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
The MA in Public Policy is designed to provide a high level training in the study of public policy and policy making at international, national and sub-state levels.
The MA in Public Policy provides a solid grounding in the key theoretical approaches to the study of public policy, and seeks to develop the knowledge and skills of those wishing to engage in further academic study. At the same time, the Public Policy MA focuses on the necessary skills involved in working in a public policy landscape now increasingly characterised by change and interdependence. Consequently, it will also develop the knowledge and skills of those wishing to, or already, pursuing a career in public policy research, policy advice, lobbying, public sector management or journalism.
The full-time Public Policy course structure is split across the year with three modules taken in each academic semester (a total of six modules) and then a dissertation over the summer. Students study four compulsory modules and two optional modules. The dissertation is written on a specialist research topic of the student's choosing.
Part-time study is available.
The Swansea programme in Public Policy is uniquely placed to offer students a comprehensive knowledge of public policy in multi-level and comparative settings, with staff well-versed in the theoretical, empirical and methodological understanding of public policy, with specialisms including European Union policy, multi-level governance, political economy, development studies and British and regional politics.
Modules on the MA in Public Policy typically include:
• Governance,Globalization and Neoliberal Political Economy
• Comparative Politics in the New World Order
• The Policy Making Process
• Politics and Public Policy in the New Wales
• Approaching Political Theory: the challenge of democracy
• Politics in Contemporary Britain
• Violence, Conflict and Development
• Critical Security Studies
• Civil Society and International Development
• War, Technology and Culture
• State of Africa
• Human Rights and Humanitarian Intervention
- To develop and advance practical and academic knowledge and understanding of public policy
- To develop critical, theoretical and analytical skills, and to improve written and oral communication skills.
- To acquire research and practical skills in public policy relevant to academic, public- and private sector careers in policy-related areas.
Students interested in politics, international relations, development studies, law, humanities, social science, International business or a related background. Professionals interested in public policy and administration. Students interested in preparation for postgraduate research, MPhil or PhD, or who wish to develop skills and knowledge related to Public Policy.
Career expectations are excellent for public policy graduates, who are well-placed for careers in a variety of sectors in the UK, Europe or internationally. MA degree holders may move on to doctoral study or enter employment sectors such as government and politics; the public sector; journalism; the diplomatic corps; the armed forces; intelligence and risk analysis; relief and humanitarian organisations; law and finance and international business.
