Find out more about studying Public Relations - MA at Birmingham City University? We've gathered all the key details, entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
MA - Master of Arts
City Centre Campus (Millennium Point)
Full Time
Sep 2026
1 Year
Public Relations shapes our world. Organisations use PR to get noticed, to change opinions, and pass on vital information that helps us to make decisions about health, education and welfare. PR is a fast-growing discipline, employing 83,000 people in a £13bn industry offering a wide range of job opportunities. Our MA teaches you how to construct an effective PR campaign, combining theory with the practical skills needed to communicate persuasively on behalf of businesses, charities, public bodies, community groups and activists. What's covered in this course? The MA Public Relations course teaches you how to construct effective PR and social media campaigns, combining theory with the practical skills needed to communicate persuasively on behalf of businesses, brands, charities, public bodies and communities. It is about reputation, influence, engagement and content creation. The course brings together theory and practice, combining real intellectual challenge with a sharp focus on real-world events and firmly grounded in extensive industry links. We look at techniques for raising awareness, listening to stakeholders and influencing ethical policies. We explore the ever-changing media landscape while critically examining PR’s impact on society. The course is recognised by the leading professional body for PR in the UK, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. The teaching team works closely with employers from public and private sector organisations, B2B and B2C, lifestyle and health, who support us with visiting speakers, case studies and mentoring, enabling you to engage with emerging PR challenges.
In addition to the core modules, students will also study optional modules.
Communication Planning and Action is designed to complement Semester 2 option module Strategic Communication for Social Change. It is possible to study either module independently or both simultaneously. In Communication Planning and Action the emphasis will be on communication for commercial organisations, from blue chip corporates to fashion and lifestyle businesses. Throughout the course students will be reminded that PR can be seen as a strategic management function designed to deliver organisational objectives over the short- medium- and long-term.
In addition to the core modules, students will also study optional modules.
The purpose of the module is to enable you to undertake a sustained, in-depth and theoretically informed research project exploring an area that is of personal interest to you. It is important that we can support you appropriately, so you will be guided towards choosing a research topic which is relevant to your discipline and in which your lecturers have expertise. The outcome may take the form of a written dissertation or a practical outcome with accompanying reflective, critical and contextual material. The main consideration when choosing your topic is that it must be relevant to your programme and you should consider the relevance of this topic to your future academic or professional development.
In addition to the core modules, students will also study optional modules.
This is a semester one module. The core module for the PR MA route. You will learn the fundamental elements of PR theory and examine the societal implications of PR practice. Topics include relationship-building, media relations, issues management and crisis PR, and the role of the PR practitioner, public opinion and the public sphere, and global PR issues.
In addition to the core modules, students will also study optional modules.
The module is intended to help you develop and consolidate your ideas for your MA Major Project. By providing a common module that comprises of all MA Media cohorts, Research in Practice aims to facilitate a shared skillset that aids the successful completion of the MA Major project, as well as the potential for routes into PhD progression beyond. It is also designed to encourage interdisciplinary discussions across MA awards.
In addition to the core modules, students will also study optional modules.
The purpose of this module is to enable you to develop professional attributes and subject skills through experience in the work place, and to critically reflect upon your learning in that context. You will normally be expected to arrange your own placement, with support from academic staff and BCU Careers. Typically, the placement duration is 70 hours. This can be achieved in one block, or can be dispersed over a longer period of time, if required. It is also possible to fulfil this module via a shorter placement of 35 hours duration and a linked ?live? project set by the employer.
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