BA (Hons) Public Relations Programme Specification 2018/19

BA (Hons) Public Relations Programme Specification 2018/19

Course AOS Code 10150 No. of Terms 9 FHEQ Level Level 6 Degree QAA Subject Benchmark Course Credits 360 Term Duration 10 Week(s) Art and Design, Communications, Media, Film and Cultural Studies Valid From September 1st 2018 Programme JACS Code PSRB Communications and Media (L042) P210 - Public relations PSRB Recognition Status Effective From Chartered Institute of Public Relations Active 01 July 2017 UCAS Code Work placement offered P210 Yes Collaboration No collaboration Course Entry Requirements For admission to BA (Hons) Public Relations applicants normally need: 80 UCAS tariff points (gained at GCE Advanced level) will be considered supported by passes in five other GCSE subjects one of which should be English,Grade C or above. Alternatively, you will be considered if you have achieved 1 subject at GCE Advanced level and Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, supported by passes in three other subjects at GCSE Grade C or above (including English). In addition, the University of the Arts London Awarding Body Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design will be considered. We also accept people with the equivalent qualifications obtained through a National Diploma, Access, NVQ and a variety of other pre- University level qualifications including International and European Baccalaureate. Other qualifications, including overseas, may be considered. We also accept those with relevant professional and vocational qualifications. The subjects the Course Team will be looking for in your application are wide ranging: your A levels (or equivalents) would ideally be achieved at grade C or above and may include Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and Business Studies. Other Entry Routes

We also welcome applicants such as mature students who do not have formal qualifications but may have relevant experience. Students applying to this course will be expected to demonstrate a specific interest in this area of study and should have a commitment to engaging with Public Relations Theory and practice. In such cases students applying on the basis of their previous experience or who wish to enter the course with through Accreditation of Experiential Learning (AEL) or Accreditation of Certificated Learning (ACL) processes should apply via UCAS and will be guided by the admissions staff on the AP(E)L processes. Language requirements (International/EU) International and EU students: In the case of applicants whose first language is not English, then IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) is required overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each of the four skills. If your first language is not English you should check you have achieved the correct IELTS level in English. Further information is available on the Language Requirements page: http://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/languagecentre/languagerequirements\ International Applicants visit the Support for International Students page http://www.arts.ac.uk/lcc/courses/support-for-internationalstudents/ for contact details for International Admissions Study Abroad Applicants International undergraduate students can apply to join this BA course for a period of up to three terms as a Study Abroad student. Please visit the Study Abroad website details on how to apply or contact the Study Abroad office: T: +44 (0) 207 514 2249 E: studyabroad@arts.ac.uk Or for further information on Study Abroad and Erasmus schemes, please follow the links below: UAL Erasmus and Exchanges: http://www.arts.ac.uk/study-atual/erasmus--nonerasmus-exchanges/ Study Abroad: http://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/study-abroad/ Deferred entry For Home/EU applicants, the Course Leader will determine whether deferred places are available for the course. If you wish to defer your place, it is advisable to indicate this on your application form and/or discuss this with the admissions team and course leader before/after applying at the earliest opportunity. In all cases, deferred places will only be held for one year. International applicants are normally permitted to defer entry to any programme of study for one year only, after which they will be asked to reapply. Minimum UAL Entry Requirements Selection Criteria To see the University s Regulations on Admissions, please go to the following link: http://www.arts.ac.uk/study-at-ual/academicregulations/courseregulations/1-admissions/ Your application will be considered by the admissions tutors and your suitability will be assessed against the following criteria:

A considered interest in the discipline of Public Relations and an appreciation of its 'fit' within the world of communication An understanding of the need for a critical and analytical approach (through research and practice) to this area of study Commitment to the study and development of your own creative practice and subsequent career opportunities

Introduction to Course Your degree has three inter-related strands that form an articulated learning journey that aim to prepare you for future employability in public relations in a diversity of sectors and potential job roles. These are: Personal and Professional Development In Year One, the focus is on the foundations for effective scholarship, individual and group work, selfreflective learning and developing your media awareness, literacy and knowledge of social and political affairs. In Year Two, we look towards work-based learning (industry placements) or workrelated projects. These enable you to put theory into practice and gain professional skills to enhance your employability. In Year Three, this theme is enhanced and we offer courses to sharpen and refine practical PR skills in agency practice. Foundational, Core & Specialist PR Units In Year One, there s an introduction to PR Theory and Understanding Business and Brands, both at a foundational level. You will become familiar with the range of activities that fall within public relations and the different kinds of organisations that use PR in different ways for different strategic ends. In Year Two, the focus is on the critical application of what you have learnt in Year One. Planning & PR Campaigns enables you to utilise various models for PR in a more strategic context; Media Relations and Social Media further develops your practical skills in working with the media and increasingly with digital communications. In Year Three of this strand, you develop specialist knowledge and deepen your understanding of issues and debates introduced and explored in years One & Two by studying Reputation Management and Persuasion & Public Opinion in depth. Contextual Studies Drawing on the location of your degree in an arts, communication and media college, these critical contextual units introduce you to media, cultural and social theory. We examine the development of the media within the context of modernity, post modernity and globalisation. We critically reflect on issues of representation and discourse and of consumer and celebrity culture. We also critically investigate the role of information at the nexus of media and public relations and consider the latest inquiry into the ever-evolving landscape of public, culture, debate and citizenship. We are committed to teaching, learning and assessment designed to enhance, nurture and recognise your employability, individuality and entrepreneurship. Enterprise and employability within a creative education in arts, design and media is about the integration of practice, behaviours and qualities that enable you to develop and sustain a rewarding professional life. The curriculum is designed to communicate and open up the possibilities of your own creativity by developing your career aspirations and professional awareness for enterprise and employability, whether for the creative and cultural sector or beyond. Enterprise and employability is about more than getting a job, it is about enabling you to find, make and take opportunities and to meet your aspirations in a changing world, whether as a successful creative professional, innovator, practitioner, employee and/or entrepreneur in the UK and globally.

Distinctive Features Distinctive Features 1 Location within a college of art, design and communication. Many PR degrees are located in Business or Marketing Schools or Faculties and reflect that environment & orientation. We aim to exploit our location within a creative & cultural environment with close proximity to central London; 2 An emphasis on the integration of theory and practice. You will be provided with a solid, academic knowledge of public relations theoretical models and debates; you will then apply these to practical briefs, situations and scenarios that PR professionals face in industry; 3 A course team made up of PR professionals from different sectors and specialisms; guest lecturers from a diversity of organisations across the corporate, public and third sectors; 4 Internships and Work-Related Project Opportunities within the context of a firm emphasis on PR Professionalism; 5 The opportunity to work on a cross-college, collaborative unit in Year 2 with students studying on other disciplines that converge with public relations; 6 An international perspective students on this course come from across Europe and the rest of the world. This contributes greatly to the richness of the learning experience. In addition, we include examples, case studies and debates in the course that go beyond the Anglo-American experience of public relations practice; 7 A critical, contextual element that examines the place of public relations within the wider media and society relationship - questions of persuasion, promotionalism, spin and celebrity culture. This enables students to make links between public relations and social and cultural theory to explore issues around the ethics and effects of persuasion but equally the agency of audiences as consumers; 8 You will be taught by lecturers and guest speakers who have extensive experience of PR across different sectors and specialisms who bring professional insight and currency to your learning experience; 9 There will be a mix of lectures, seminars, workshops, screenings, visits, individual and group work supported by tutorials. Students are encouraged to see tutorials as a valuable way of getting feedback and support on their work; 10 A mix of assessment, some that is formative and will provide feedback that help you to further develop your individual and group work. Some assessment is summative and is marked / graded as an assessment of how you have performed against learning outcomes and grading criteria; 11 Interactive assessment - students can be involved in presenting to and assessing each other s work. This is called peer-to-peer assessment and is formative.

Years Year 1 Credits 120 Percentage of Scheduled Learning Exit Awards Certificate in Higher Education (Exit Only) Year 2 Credits 240 Percentage of Scheduled Learning Exit Awards Diploma in Higher Education (Exit Only) Year 3 Credits 360 Percentage of Scheduled Learning Exit Awards BA (Hons) Public Relations (Exit Only) 26 21 15

Aims and Outcomes The Aims and Outcomes of this Course are as follows: : Aim/Outcome Aim Aim Aim Aim Aim Outcome Outcome Outcome Outcome Outcome Description To create a programme of study and a learning journey that will equip you with skills, knowledge and experience to pursue a career within public relations and associated fields in a diversity of potential roles and sectors To develop transferable skills (intellectual / academic, inter-personal, intrapersonal, creative, IT-based / digital) that lead to you being an effective and self-reflective public relations practitioner To provide knowledge and critical understanding of the key perspectives within the body of public relations theory, research and scholarship; To enable a critical application of those theoretical perspectives and research within the context of PR practice, utilising real life case studies, scenarios and issues in an international context To provide a wider, critical contextual understanding of the relationship between public relations and the media, in particular the links between PR and social & cultural theory; the critical understanding of the media / society relationship. Demonstrate the development and application of the necessary knowledge, transferable skills and creativity to pursue a career in public relations and associated professional fields in a diversity of potential roles and sectors; (Subject Knowledge, Experimentation, Technical Competence, Personal and Professional Development, Collaborative and/or Independent Professional Working) Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of what constitutes PR professionalism in different contexts and sectors; (Subject Knowledge, Experimentation, Technical Competence, Communication and Presentation, Personal and Professional Development, Collaborative and/or Independent Professional Working) Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the major concepts and theories with public relations theory, research and scholarship; (Research, Analysis, Subject Knowledge, Personal and Professional Development) Demonstrate ability to be able to apply those theoretical concepts, ideas, debates and models to practical, real-life work-related situations, case studies, scenarios and briefs; (Research, Analysis, Subject Knowledge, Experimentation, Personal and Professional Development, Collaborative and/or Independent Professional Working) Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the media and its relationship to public relations; the relationship of public relations to social & cultural theory and critique. (Research, Analysis, Subject Knowledge, Communication and Presentation, Personal and Professional Development)