BA in Public Relations and Media
Birmingham City University
Key Information
Campus location
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
3 - 4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
GBP 9,250 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Sep 2024
* UK students: £9,250 per year | international students: £13,980 per year
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
Public Relations is all around us. Brands, businesses, celebrities, charities, politicians and everyone in between use PR as a means to spread messages, inform understanding and influence the way we behave. Creative PR practitioners run multi-channel campaigns, liaise with journalists and producers, collaborate with influencers and run social media channels - whatever it takes to raise awareness, encourage engagement and inspire action on behalf of the organisation they work with.
If you want to change the world, this PR course is the one for you. Likewise, if you want to work with household names or launch new products, services or initiatives, BCU is the place to learn the skills needed for a fast-paced, exciting and rewarding media and communications career.
Did you know that for every journalist in the UK, there are at least three PR or communications professionals? This is because PR is the thread by which media, social media and communications are held together in a time of instant news, information and entertainment.
Join a course recognised by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and be proud of its close links with industry. They work with us, providing many and varied guest speakers who contribute insights and live projects, as well as a supportive mentor scheme offered by practitioners in the region and beyond.
What's covered in this course?
Combining practical skills and industry insights, Public Relations and Media offers a truly unique blend of communication perspectives that will put you in the very best position to pursue a PR career.
Turn your ideas into a reality and be brave with your approach to your work; in PR, there is no such thing as a bad idea, there is always potential and this course will help you realise yours.
Informed by the working approaches of top PR, communication and digital teams across the UK and beyond, this course will develop your understanding, awareness and appreciation of PR as a concept and a discipline. You’ll become a critical media consumer and you’ll draw upon your own areas of interest to assess influence and impact in action. You’ll turn this knowledge into your own creative campaigns, so from the moment you begin, you will be able to build an impressive product portfolio that will make you stand out from the recruitment crowd.
Professional placement year
This course offers a professional placement year. This allows you to spend a whole year with an employer, between the second and third years of your degree and is a great way to find out more about your chosen career. Some students even return to the same employers after completing their studies.
The University will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. If you do not find a suitable placement, you will be automatically transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.
Please note that fees are payable during your placement year, equivalent to 20% of the total full-time course fee for that year (£1,850 for UK students).
Why choose us?
- You will join a course recognised by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, closely linked to industry and with the support of a mentoring scheme with PR, communications and social media practitioners.
- You will be taught by respected PR professionals and academics, who have managed successful PR agencies and run exciting award-winning client campaigns. The lecturing team delivers a balance of critical understanding and effective delivery.
- We will prepare you for a fast-paced, rewarding career in PR. You’ll gain valuable experience through regular industry networking opportunities which will help you make contacts, build confidence and put your skills into practice.
- PR works in a fast-changing world and our team helps set the pace in social media content and influence.
- In PR, it’s not just what you know, it’s who you know. Our expert team is very well connected, with close links to renowned theorists, the CIPR and PRCA, plus a multitude of communication organisations and professionals in the region, the UK and beyond.
- PR and Media are the complete packages for wannabe communications professionals. It provides you with plenty of platforms to build your profile and those all-important contacts, so you can step into the communications industry with confidence.
Curriculum
Year one
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following core modules (totalling 120 credits):
- Researching the Media and Communication
- Introduction to Media Contexts and Practice 1 - Understanding Public Relations
- Introduction to Media Contexts and Practice 2 - Events and Exhibition Planning
- Global and Community Impact
- Media and Influencer Engagement
Year two
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following core modules (totalling 80 credits):
- Live Production – Public Relations
- Research – PR in Context
- PR Planning and Delivery
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete at least 40 credits from the following indicative list of optional modules.
- One Faculty optional module
- One School of Media optional module
Core modules are guaranteed to run. Optional modules will vary from year to year and the published list is indicative only.
Year three
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following core modules (totalling 120 credits):
- Major Project
- Communications Management
- Promotional Culture
- Professional and Academic Development
Career Opportunities
Enhancing your employability skills
The BA (Hons) PR and Media course is located within the Birmingham School of Media, which has an excellent track record for graduate employment. The course builds upon the School’s employability-driven reputation, by opening avenues for students interested in potential careers in PR, social media and marketing, communications, journalism and teaching PR/media studies.
As well as gaining course-specific skills, you could also gain broader tools through our Graduate+ programme, which will help enhance your employment options by helping with career development, employability activities, volunteering and part-time work experience.
Allied with these course-specific experiences, you will also have access to a range of support staff and services from the University’s Careers Service, who can help with:
- Reviewing CVs, covering letters and application forms
- Career planning and decision making
- Preparing for interviews and assessment centres
- Developing portfolios
- Networking with employers
- Advice about self-employment and entrepreneurship
Examples of real graduates and their roles
- Jestina Davies graduated in 2021 and went on to set up her own business, Contrast PR, where she is Head of Digital Transformation
- Graduating in 2021, Nevin Nice is now Junior Social Account Executive at McCann Birmingham
- Nicole Daybell and Rachel Hickey both joined WPR Agency in 2019 as Account Executives. Georgia Welfair joined as a PR Executive in 2021, following the completion of her studies at BCU the year before.
- Maddie McCrann-Smith is a PR, Communications and Social Media Executive at Spottydog Communications, where she started her PR career in 2018. Karlie France joined the team soon after graduating in 2020.
- George Marrable is a 2018 graduate and currently holds the position of Senior Account Executive at Gung Ho Communications.
- Jodie Perkins worked on The Big Sleuth, became PR Officer at Birmingham Children’s Hospital upon graduation and is now Account Manager for Nathan Rous PR.
- Dean Taylor has worked at WPR Agency, Liquid PR, Social Chain and now Prevayl since graduating from BCU in 2017.
- Heather Woodhouse joined McCann in 2017 as a Graduate Account Executive and is now a Senior Account Manager at Liquid PR.
- Emily Nicholls is Business Manager for Global Media.
Placements
During the live agency modules in your first and second year, you will have the opportunity to work as part of a team to respond to internal and external briefs. You will also seek placements in practice to enhance your understanding and applied skills, with support provided by the teaching team and a vast network of contacts at your disposal via the Birmingham School of Media’s JobBook site, in PR and other related arenas.