Course Overview and Aims
The course will focus on the study of corporate communications (also called
‘strategic public relations’) in organisations. The overarching purpose of the course is to provide a framework for practising communication managers and leaders to meet their career needs and enhance their professional opportunities in the field of corporate communications. The development of knowledge and skills in the corporate communications/strategic PR disciplines enables practitioners to be better prepared to provide effective strategic direction of the communications of contemporary organisations.
The MSc Corporate Communications programme has the following aims:
To provide a framework for practising communication managers and leaders to meet their professional needs and enhance their career
opportunities in the field of strategic corporate communications in order to enable them to provide effective strategic direction of the communications of contemporary organisations
To provide students with knowledge and understanding of the integrative and holistic nature of corporate communications. Primarily integration between the various specialist areas
To provide the opportunity to gain knowledge of specialist areas of corporate communications, tailored to individual development needs and aspirations, through study of option modules
To facilitate the development of increased confidence through personal insight and self-knowledge based on understanding and appreciation of individual leadership and other behavioural impact and strengths.
To provide an opportunity for students to carry out a major independent piece of work in the form of a dissertation which might be workplace related and to develop the research and consultancy skills and competence associated with the successful outcomes of the activity.
Postgraduate Employability and Professional Context
The prospective students of the MSc Corporate Communications are typically early-mid career practitioners who are looking to enhance their career prospects by undertaking a vocationally-relevant qualification without the expense and time
35 commitment of full-time attendance.
The course draws students from diverse employment backgrounds in the public, private, voluntary, self-employed and the PR and Marketing Communications services sectors. Many students are looking to develop their expertise in the broader field of corporate communications, for example, having held a Media Officer or a PR Account Manager role, or a more general management role in their organisation.
The course curriculum is therefore devised to draw on students’ experiences while introducing academic concepts and skills to help students understand and address corporate communications issues and professional problems e.g. taking a lead role in advising the Board on stakeholder communications to limit the risk to an organisation’s reputation. Learning outcomes are thus focused on helping students to develop their professional knowledge and skills to enable them to make an impact on their organisation or clients’ organisations as strategic communications advisers and leaders.
To ensure currency and applicability to the profession and contemporary organisations, the course is continuously reviewed through student evaluations as well as consultations with members of our Public Relations Industry Advisory Board, most of whom are local employers and senior practitioners.
The course is approved by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and listed on the CIPR website along with other approved postgraduate courses in the UK.
Course Learning Outcomes
1 Critically reflect on the core disciplines and concepts in corporate communications/strategic public relations
2 Evaluate, synthesise and apply advanced and contemporary theories and techniques of communications strategy relevant to a range of complex and open ended issues, problem and situations in contemporary organisations
3 Demonstrate coherent, convincing arguments required for successful leadership and advocacy in contemporary organisations
4 Evaluate and apply with due regard to ethical considerations, research methodologies relevant to corporate communications/strategic public relations
5 Critically evaluate corporate communications concepts, models and practices within an ethical context
36 6 Critically reflect on specialist disciplines and practices of public relations
and corporate communications
The course will be delivered as a flexible route to a Masters qualification to fit in with practitioners’ professional lives.
The starting point will be October 2015 and it will require two years as the usual delivery time for PG part-time course.
The total of 180 credits comprise the following core modules:
Stakeholder Relations & Employee Communications (20 credits)
Students will gain knowledge of stakeholder concepts, and skills of stakeholder identification, analysis, implementation and evaluation. Employee communications and engagement is addressed to support business and organisational objectives.
Corporate Social Responsibility & Communication (20 credits)
This module focuses on understanding the importance of CSR for business, the role communications plays and key concepts that are shared with modules such as Stakeholder and Employee Communications.
37 Issues & Crisis Public Relations (20 credits)
This module builds critical understanding of the various theoretical and practical approaches to risk, issues and crisis public relations in contemporary organisational contexts.
Marketing Communications Strategy (20 credits)
This module provides a marketing perspective on corporate communications.
Marketing communications is of global strategic importance as brands proliferate in global markets. It is an integral element of the marketing mix.
Digital Communication Management (20 credits)
This module provides a social history of new media and how social media is used in PR, campaigns, and policy and strategy. It also discusses the debates around social media and democracy, and the issues and challenges for PR.
Specialist Public Relations (20 credits)
This flexible module provides perspectives on a range of specialist areas of PR including public affairs and lobbying, arts marketing and social marketing. Students are encouraged to follow an area of personal interest in their assessment.
Dissertation (60 credits)
Students will carry out in-depth research on a specific corporate communications-linked topic of their choice. The module incorporates Research Methods which develops research skills for the dissertation and this is assessed by means of a proposal. Students receive support and guidance in choosing a topic, developing the research proposal and undertaking research for the dissertation.
7 Applicants who have gained the CIPR Diploma will be exempted 60 credits (3 x 20-credit modules). Exemptions will apply to the modules: Stakeholder Relations and Employee Communications, Marketing Communication Strategy and Corporate Social Responsibility and Communication. Candidates who qualify for 60 credit exemptions will follow a ‘fast track’ or top-up route to MSc through the completion of Issues and Crisis PR, Specialist Public Relations, Digital Communication Management, Research Methods and the Dissertation.
38 See schedule above for delivery dates of teaching blocks
Year 1 Core
(Y)
Core (Y) Stakeholder Relations &
Employee Communications
(Y) Issues & Crisis Public Relations (Y)
Corporate Social Responsibility &
Communication
(Y) Marketing Communications Strategy
(Y)
Digital Communication Management
(Y) Specialist PR (Y) (Y)
Year 2
Dissertation workshop and Dissertation (Y)