Public Relations Degrees BA (Hons)

You will have the opportunity to learn both hands-on practical aspects of the job and to gain a comprehensive understanding of strategic aspects in our Public Relations courses.

Public Relations entails technical tasks, such as organising events and trade fairs, drawing up briefs for photo shoots and corporate websites, or writing a press release. However, Public Relations is also an essential management function which requires practitioners to do research, develop objectives and plan campaigns strategically.

You will experience hands-on practical aspects of the job as well as gaining a comprehensive understanding of strategic aspects, thus preparing you to make a valuable contribution to the senior management of an organisation. You will also have the opportunity to take a paid placement year during your degree, so that you can gain valuable insights into the real world of work. You can add further value to your CV by spending a study semester overseas at one of our partner universities in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Europe.

All of our degrees in PR are recognised by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR). CIPR recognition confirms that course content has been assessed to provide relevant skills and knowledge development towards a career in public relations or communications.

You can choose from a suite of eight Single Honours degrees as below:

Factfile
Entry requirements
Course content
Student views
Learning and assessment
Earn as you learn

Course combinations and UCAS codes

Marketing, Advertising & Public Relations BA (Hons): NP5F BA/MAPR
This prepares you for an exciting career on either the client or agency side of the marketing communications industry. It signals your aspirations to become a dedicated marketing communications specialist.

BA (Hons) Business degrees with a pathway in Public Relations:
These degrees combine the study of Public Relations with another business function or management discipline. They are a good choice if you would like to develop PR expertise with a varied study programme and have the opportunity to progress into a broader management role.

Business, Accountancy & Public Relations BA (Hons): NP12 BA/BAPR

Business, Economics & Public Relations BA (Hons): LP12 BA/BEPR

Business, Human Resource Management & Public Relations BA (Hons): NP62 BA/BHRMPR

Business, Entrepreneurship & Public Relations BA (Hons): NP21 BA/BEPRe

Business, Management & Public Relations BA (Hons): NP22 BA/BMPR

Business, Advertising & Public Relations BA (Hons): NP52 BA/BAdPR

Business, Marketing & Public Relations BA (Hons): NPC2 BA/BMktPR

UCAS is the central organisation through which applications are processed for entry onto full-time undergraduate courses in Higher Education in the UK.

For the latest information, check the UCAS website at www.ucas.com

Study Options

You can choose to study the specialist Marketing, Advertising & Public Relations BA (Hons) degree, or study Public Relations alongside another business function or management discipline.

The Public Relations degrees are flexible - the first year is integrated, which means that the modules you study will be the same whichever pathway you have chosen, allowing you to change to an alternative course after your first year.

These courses are available to study as a 3-year full-time or 4-year sandwich course, with the opportunity to take part in a work placement year.

Get in touch

John Gardener
Business School Admissions Tutor
01905 855357
j.gardener@worc.ac.uk

Helen Shaw
Course Leader
01905 542125
h.shaw@worc.ac.uk

Admissions Office
01905 855111
admissions@worc.ac.uk

280 UCAS Tariff points and Grade C in GCSE English and Mathematics

The University will consider each application on its individual merits and will recognise a range of qualifications not currently included in the Tariff, including Access courses, European Baccalaureate and pre-2002 qualifications such as GNVQ. Please contact the Admissions Office for advice.

Further information about the UCAS Tariff can be obtained from www.ucas.com

Applicants with no formal qualifications may be considered for Mature Student Entry Routes.

Course structure

Download our module diagrams document to view our course structures in detail. Click on the links in the contents to view a specific course, or browse the complete document for information on all our pathways.

Undergraduate Prospectus

The Worcester Business School prospectus is available to read online or as a downloadable PDF.

Modules for BA (Hons) Business degrees with a pathway in Public Relations

Year 1
Economic Concepts
Financial Concepts
Management Concepts
Marketing Concepts
The Business Professional
Two modules of your choice

Year 2
Advertising & the Mind of the Consumer
Advertising Management
Business Ethics
Creative Problem Solving
Customer Behaviour
Financial Accounting & Analysis
Human Resources: Context & Practice
Interactive Marketing
Macro Economics
Management Accounting & Finance
Managing People & Performance
Micro Economics
Operations Management
Project Management
Public Relations & Campaigning
Public Relations Practice
Small Organisation Development
Business module of your choice
Two modules of your choice

Optional 1 Year Business Placement between Year 2 and Year 3

Year 3

Advanced Management Accounting

Advertising Campaign Strategy

Contemporary Global Systems

Contemporary Issues in Marketing

Contemporary Marketing Strategy

Corporate Finance

Economics of Business

Enhancing Organisations & Employability

Entre & Intrapreneurship

Global Business Strategy

In the Contemporary Workplace

Managing Emerging Issues

Managing Entrepreneurship

Managing the Diverse Workforce

Public Relations & Society

Selling the Prime Minister

Sustainable Management

Independent Study (over two semesters)

Dina

Student, Marketing, Advertising & Public Relations BA (Hons)

“I love my course because it’s giving me up-to-date knowledge and developing my skills, which will help me reach my desired job in the future.”

Academic department

Worcester Business School

“We champion an imaginative ethos that combines sound business principles with instinctive commercial drive. Our students ranked us in the top 5% of universities for ‘personal development’.”
Mark Richardson, Head of Worcester Business School

Employability

PR practitioners are sought after in all walks of life: Most businesses have PR departments, but so do charities and sports clubs, cultural institutions such as theatres or broadcasting stations. Trade associations cannot do without PR nor can county councils or environmental lobbyists such as Greenpeace or Friends of the Earth.

As with a range of other professions, data shows that Public Relations is becoming a graduate entry industry. Therefore, having a management degree with particular emphasis on PR certainly does help you find the job you want.

If you choose to continue your study of PR beyond your first degree, you will find that a postgraduate qualification in PR, Management or Marketing would be very attractive. Alternatively you may wish to study for one of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations professional qualifications.

Learning and assessment

You will experience a range of learning activities within the lectures, seminar groups and further study.

Lectures usually begin with introducing the underpinning concepts of a topic. After the introductory lecture you will often be split into small seminar groups during which you will work individually or with two or three other students on case studies which will enable you to explore the subject in greater depth.

Between lectures you will carry out further study - we adopt an ‘open door’ policy and you will be encouraged to seek the help of lecturers. Most class materials will uploaded to Blackboard (our VLE) before sessions and these materials can be downloaded at University or from anywhere with an internet connection. Many modules have set up on-line discussion facilities to enable you to collaborate with other students between sessions.

There is a wide variety of assessment, including reports, group presentations, portfolios and examinations.

Work Experience

Many modules in the course enable students to relate their learning to less formal work experience through part-time, holiday or voluntary work. Many companies offer summer or other short-term placements. These can be an excellent way of building up a network of contacts and getting experience of exciting projects. Worcester Business School advertises short-term vacancies on its intranet. Recent opportunities have included summer internships with Vodafone and Macmillan, and many other national and local vacancies.

Work Placement

The course includes a paid optional placement year so students can earn as they learn and add full time work experience to their CV. This adds real value to the qualification and helps students to gain an advantage in the graduate job market by developing valuable skills in areas like communication, time and project management, problem solving and team working.

Students can spend their placement year at an organisation of their choice, anywhere in the UK. Worcester Business School has strong links with local businesses and many of our students take up placements in the locality with a large number of well-known organisations. Placement opportunities are available in all business sectors, including marketing, advertising, PR, HR, business management, finance and economics. Examples of employers who have previously offered placements include Aston Villa, Enterprise rent-a-car, e-on, Groupon, Hays, IBM, Intel, Marks and Spencer, Microsoft, NHS, Price Waterhouse Cooper, The House of Commons, Waitrose, Worcester Bosch and many others.