Public Relations, MA

Public Relations has become an increasingly influential management discipline over the last 20 years. The MA PR at Greenwich provides students with the practical and theoretical skills to enable them to help organisations communicate, build relationships and engage with increasingly demanding stakeholders.

The programme provides students with a grounding in traditional PR theory and practice alongside an understanding of 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.

MA Public Relations studied full-time is aimed at students with a good first degree seeking to develop more sector-specific, specialist and reflective skills via postgraduate study prior to entering the public relations industry. The programme, when studied part time is aimed at career development for people already in the industry.

The MA PR has been developed in close conjunction with the PR industry to provide a platform of key core courses relevant to PR practice alongside a range of optional courses which provide specific sector focus. A feature of the option programme is an Erasmus IP involving a two week period in Belgium, studying government relations and lobbying in the EU.

The aims of the programme are

To develop understanding and critical reflection about the role and processes of public relations in organisations and society.
To engage with topics and issues about public relations, and demonstrate leadership and thoughtful reflection in discussions and group work.
To develop practical skills for PR planning and implementation alongside reflective skills and scholarship and understanding of the role and agendas which develop from PR as a strategic management discipline.

School

Business

Location

Greenwich Campus

Attendance

1 year full-time

2 years part-time

Entry Requirements

Applicants should have:

A good first degree in a relevant subject.
Good written and spoken English is required.
Students educated in a language other than English should have an IELTS score of 6.5 (no element below 5.5) or above or equivalent. Alternatively, students can enter via the University of Greenwich International Pre-Masters' Programme.

Assessment

Students are assessed through written assignments, blogs, presentations and a dissertation.

Professional recognition

This programme is approved by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, the professional UK association for public relations in the UK. The University also belongs to the European PR Research Association (EUPRERA) and is active in links with European PR universities.

Career options

Graduates from this programme have opportunities in public relations and corporate communications within PR consultancies, the public sector, NGOs and charities, and companies serving a range of sectors including the consumer, technology, financial, political PR and corporate. The programme develops the knowledge, analytical skills and intellectual capabilities required for related job opportunities within sectors such as marketing, advertising and social media.

Content

PR - the developing discipline - 15 credits
Planning and communication skills for PR - 15 credits
Foundations of Scholarship - 15 credits
Media Relations and Social Media - 15 credits
Research Methods - 15 credits
Corporate Communications. - 15 credits
Contemporary Issues - 15 credits
Dissertation - 45 credits
Plus two options: Erasmus IP two week intensive study in Belgium. Government relations and public lobbying in the European perspective (15); Consumer and Celebrity PR (15); Internal communications (15); Health PR (15); Financial PR (15)

Your time at university should be enjoyable and rewarding, and it is important that it is not spoilt by unnecessary financial worries. We recommend that you spend time planning your finances, both before coming to university and while you are here. We can offer advice on living costs and budgeting, as well as on awards, allowances and loans.

Find out more about our fees and the support available to you at our:

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