Public Relations and Marketing Communications

This course gives you an unrivaled opportunity to study two closely aligned disciplines: public relations and marketing. Organizations often take an integrated approach to communication, bringing together these two disciplines to help drive success. PR manages relationships with a range of stakeholder groups including employees, the government and the media, while marketing focuses on relationships with the customer.

You’ll gain practical experience of developing strategic PR and marketing communication solutions for live clients, creating authentic digital content for a range of social media platforms. You’ll find out how organisations use video, photography, blogs and podcasts to drive their marketing, and how you can help them do it better. You’ll undertake original research to inform decision making, and measure the effectiveness of campaigns using a range of analytics. Students also gain a wealth of experience through a work placement as well as having the opportunity to study abroad at one of our partner institutions (subject to availability). You’ll be taught by internationally renowned academics who are still actively engaged with the industry. Industry practitioners will see you in action and many of our graduates have gone on to work with contacts that they made on the course.

In Year One key concept in PR and marketing are covered and essential practical skills developed. Students look at the history of the industries and current practice and debate the role the industries play in economics, politics and society. You also consider contemporary communications practice and the importance of producing dynamic and creative content including video, photography, blogs, infographics and social media posts that are relevant to target publics.

Year Two expands your knowledge and understanding of professional practices in PR and marketing. Students consider how organisations campaign on issues and communicate with external stakeholders through the media and internally with employees.

In Year Three, the principles of planning are expanded upon from the perspective of those who manage marketing and PR activities. Concepts of strategy and persuasion are introduced and research skills are strengthened. Students gain an insight into advertising and experiential marketing where the audience is immersed in an event such as a music festival and how this emotional response is used by organizations to build brand awareness, trust, and loyalty. In Year Three students can start to tailor their learning around their interests through the selection of an option.

In Year Four, students are encouraged to work more independently, develop their critical skills and follow their own area of interest. This happens through working on your dissertation research project, working in the industry on a one-month placement and choosing options from across the two disciplines.