The course
The Advanced Certificate level involves investigating case studies in workshops with visiting practitioners and reading recommended texts. Students will also be expected to draw on information to build case studies, and find evidence for practical examples from a wide range of print and electronic media.
Assessment and quality assurance
Assessments (Critical Reasoning Test (CRT), Planning Assignment, and Critique) will be moderated nationally by a board of examiners in Great Britain, comprising PR practitioners and academics. After passing the three assignments the candidates are awarded with the international qualification.
Syllabus
Semester One
Unit 1.1 Managing PR
Definitions and discussions about differing opinions of PR
1. PR and its contemporary profile as a discipline:
2. History and development of the practice and how it is evolving:
3. Codes of practice and regulation:
4. Distinctiveness, differences and relationship to other communication areas such as advertising and marketing (including direct marketing, CRM, sales promotion):
5. Business, political and social context:
6. Systems theory:
7. Basic communication theories:
8. Current and evolving business models:
Study Methods: Case histories, seminars, workshops, visiting practitioners, recommended texts.
Assessment: Critical Reasoning Test (CRT) consist of four test questions, you have to attempt two. Undertaken under timed conditions (two weeks), 3,000 words.
Semester Two
Unit 1.2 PR in action
1. Writing skills
2. Media relations
3. Visual awareness
4. Event management
5. Internal communications
Study Methods: Practical skills development workshops
Assessment: Planning Assignment – a professional document relating to a given case study (3000 words).
Semester Three
Unit 1.3 Professional development
Unit 1.3 will enable learners to:
1. Critically review, consolidate and extend the existing PR body of knowledge
2. Employ highly specialised technical or scholastic skills across an area of study
3. Critically evaluate new information, concepts and evidence from a range of sources
4. Generate ideas through the analysis of information and concepts at an abstract level
Accept responsibility and accountably for determining and achieving personal development outcomes
Study Methods: Lecture/workshop supported by personal tutor contact to develop individual research topic.
Assessment: Critique. Students will be required to select, and agree with their tutor an area of investigation. Students must determine the focus of the investigation and review existing knowledge, including published literature, from all relevant areas (3,000-words)
