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Advanced Certificate in Public Relations

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Start date: Autumn 2012

Duration: 10 months

Level: Taught at degree level

Build your professional confidence. Understand how communication works, and discover how to design and plan winning campaigns.

Course
introduction

Course
syllabus

Right
for you?

Course
dates

Course critera
& enrolment

Course
price

Course
tutors

Study
options

Course introduction

Studying for the CIPR Advanced Certificate in Public Relations is a great way to develop your skills or gain a solid introduction to public relations.

Learn how to think in a more planned and focused way. Discover how communication works and the latest ideas regarding social media. Come away from the course a more critical thinker, equipped to ask the killer questions that will gain you the respect of clients/colleagues and deliver winning campaigns.

You can choose to study for the Advanced Certificate face to face or online.

The course includes:

  • Access to PR Academy’s e-learning site with discussion forums and other resources such as podcasts
  • The key text (format depends on study option): Exploring Public Relations by Tench and Yeoman
  • Two supporting texts (format depends on study option): Evaluating Public Relations by Watson and Noble, plus Effective Writing Skills for Public Relations by Foster
  • Marked mock assignment.

Watch a short webinar about the course.

Other things to know

PR Academy offers bursaries for the CIPR face-to-face courses. Find out more.

Next steps in your career

A valuable qualification in its own right, the CIPR Advanced Certificate prepares you for the CIPR Diploma in Public Relations.

Course syllabus

The course comprises three units and three assessments:

Unit 1: Managing PR, including:

  • History and development of PR practice
  • Relationship to other communication areas
  • Introduction to media relations, internal communications, public affairs, corporate responsibility and financial PR
  • Systems theory
  • Organisational culture and structure, and management theory
  • Communications theory and models

Assessment: Critical reasoning test (taken at home with a series of questions supplied).

Unit 2: PR in Action, including:

  • Campaign planning: targeting publics, developing messages and selection channels
  • Media relations: writing press releases, media interviews, press launches and preparing for media coverage
  • Internal communication: employee engagement, internal communication and change, preparing briefings, speeches and presentations

Assessment: Portfolio of four pieces of work based on a case-study.

Unit 3: Professional development

Management skills, organising and managing effective meetings, time management, presentation skills, negotiating and problem solving.

Assessment: 2,500 word critique of PR as a developing discipline.

There are three assessments:

  • Critical reasoning test (open book)
  • Planning assignment
  • Critique (an in-depth look at an aspect of PR in the workplace).

Right for you?

The CIPR Advanced Certificate in Public Relations is right for you if…

  • You are interested in pursuing a career in PR
  • You have been working in the PR industry at a fairly junior level for at least two years
  • You are working in any field of PR (e.g. media relations, internal communications or public affairs) and would like to obtain your first professional qualification.

Course dates

Autumn 2012

Face to face in London
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Workshop dates

  • 29 September 2012
  • 20 October 2012
  • 10 November 2012
  • 1 December 2012
  • 2 February 2013
  • 9 March 2013
  • 11 May 2013

Optional half-day seminar on critical writing

  • 27 October 2012

Assignment deadlines

  • 7 January 2013 – Critical reasoning test
  • 17 April 2013 – Planning assignment
  • 26 July 2013 – Project

Online from anywhere in the world
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Start date

  • 19 September 2012

Workshops dates

  • 31 October 2012
  • 27 March 2013

Optional half-day seminar on critical writing

  • 27 October 2012

Assignment deadlines

  • 7 January 2012 – Critical reasoning test
  • 27 April 2013 – Planning assignment
  • 26 July 2013 – Project

Winter 2013

Face to face in London
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Workshop dates

  • 19 January 2013
  • 9 February 2013
  • 2 March 2013
  • 16 March 2013
  • 18 May 2013
  • 15 June 2013
  • 10 August 2013

Optional half-day seminar on critical writing

  • 9 March 2013

Assignment deadlines

  • 12 April 2013 – Critical reasoning test
  • 26 July 2013 – Planning assignment
  • 25 October 2013 – Project

Online from anywhere in the world
Show details »

Start date

  • 15 January 2013

Workshops dates

  • 5 March 2013
  • 13 June 2013

Optional half-day seminar on critical writing

  • 9 March 2013

Assignment deadlines

  • 12 April 2013 – Critical reasoning test
  • 26 July 2013 – Planning assignment
  • 25 October 2013 – Project

 

Course criteria & enrolment

Enrolment criteria

You will qualify to study for the CIPR Advanced Certificate in Public Relations if you have any one of the following:

  • CIPR Foundation Award in Public Relations
  • CIPR Internal Communication Certificate
  • Any UK degree
  • Two years' relevant full-time employment in public relations (or related sectors e.g. marketing, journalism) and five GCSEs grade C or above, one of which must be in the English Language.

In addition, those whose first language is not English must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the language – spoken and written – to an International Language Testing System (IELTS) band score of 7.0 or above or equivalent.

Please note: if you are currently studying full time or working whilst studying part time towards another course, your application might not be accepted.

If you are unsure about your eligibility, please email the CIPR professional development team.

Enrol via the CIPR website www.cipr.co.uk.

Please note: you will need to become a member of the CIPR if you aren’t already in order to study for a CIPR qualification.

Course price

Face to face
in London
 Online
Tuition fee (paid to PR Academy) £1,475 (+VAT) £1,550 (+VAT)
Awarding body fee (paid to CIPR) £780 (no VAT) £780 ( no VAT)
TOTAL COURSE FEE £2,255 (inc VAT) £2,330 (inc VAT)

Please note: you can also pay in instalments for a small admin fee. Contact us for details.

Face to face in the Channel Islands (according to demand)

Contact us to register your interest and for prices.

PR Academy offers bursaries for the CIPR face-to-face courses. Find out more.

Course tutors

  • Simon Collister (face to face)
  • Maud Davis (face to face and online)
  • Heather Yaxley (face to face and online)
  • Kate Lomax (online)
  • Emma Apter (online)

Please note: this isn’t an exhaustive list and tutors are subject to change. We also bring in guest lecturers from time to time on specialist areas.

Study options

Face to face in London
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The CIPR Advanced Certificate in Public Relations face-to-face course is taught in the heart of London (The City).You will receive:

  • Seven days' tuition, plus an additional half-day seminar on preparing for your assigments (critical writing)
  • Course materials
  • The text books:
    Exploring Public Relations by Tench and Yeomans
    Evaluating Public Relations by Watson and Noble
    Effective Writing Skills for Public Relations by Foster
  • Marked mock assignment
  • Access to PR Academy’s e-learning site with discussion forums and other resources such as podcasts.

Online from anywhere in the world
Show details »

The CIPR Advanced Certificate in Public Relations online course uses the latest e-learning technology. It is really easy to use, so you don’t need any special computer skills. The syllabus, assessments and resulting qualification are just the same as if you were studying using traditional methods.Unlike many online courses, we provide a high level of tutor support as well as ‘live’ activities and discussions.

You will also receive:

  • The text book Exploring Public Relations by Tench and Yeomans. You can chose to have an electronic copy or a hard copy sent to you (carriage charges apply)
  • Online access to the supporting texts Evaluating Public Relations by Watson and Noble, plus Effective Writing Skills for Public Relations by Foster
  • Two full-day workshops in central London (not compulsory but highly recommended), plus the opportunity to attend an additional half-day seminar to prepare you for your assignment (critical writing)
  • Marked mock assignment
  • Access to PR Academy’s e-learning site, including forums, podcasts, case studies written specifically for the course by handpicked subject experts, extracts from other texts, example reports and plans, and an assignment submitting and pickup facility.

Please note: call charges for conference calls/webinars, and any travel and overnight accommodation costs must be met by the student.

Studying online is right for you if you…

  • Want the flexibility to study when and where you want
  • Like the idea of being able to work at your own pace
  • Want to combine the flexibility of studying online with being able to learn from and interact with others
  • Find that work commitments mean you struggle to get to regular lectures.

What you need to get started

  • Access to a computer with internet access and Microsoft Office applications (Word, PowerPoint) and Adobe Acrobat Reader. A headset and microphone for your PC for taking part in webinars using Adobe Connect
  • An email address
  • Around six to eight hours available each week/over the time of the course for your study.

Face to face in the Channel Islands (according to demand)

Contact us to register your interest and for information.