MSc in Public Relations and Strategic Communications

DCU is currently finalising plans for a phased and incremental return to campus, with a view to welcoming all students to the DCU campuses in September. Students should plan to attend face-to face classes in Semester 1 2021-2022. Please see https://www.dcu.ie/attendingdcu-students-studying-at-dcu for more information.

Introduction

Effective communication is the lifeblood of any organisation. Strategic communication is an essential factor for an organisation’s success and how it effects their end goals and not just their image.

DCU’s MSc in Public Relations and Strategic Communications (MScPR) provides a focus on the “why” of communication decisions, rather than merely on the “how” of any communication activities. The programme is designed to provide the skills and ability to think strategically and make effective use of the latest tools in modern communications.

Why do this course?

• A 54-week programme delivered with a high level of industry involvement.
• Designed and continually updated in conjunction with both leading industry and academic experts in Ireland and abroad.
• 100% continuous assessment, including several live client-applied projects.
• High employment rates in leading professional communications workplaces.
• Industry mentor provided for each student.
• Three-month industry placement, co-ordinated by DCU, in blue-chip agency or in-house communications organisations.
• Accredited by the PRII, a member of the Global Alliance of Public Relations.
• DCU’s School of Communications is ranked in the top 200 communications schools internationally and is the only ranked Irish media / communications school in the QS ranking.

The MSc in Public Relations has been developed in partnership with the public relations industry in Ireland and with the advice and expertise of academics and practitioners across Europe and in the United States. The course is accredited by the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII), which is part of the Global Alliance of PR associations, representing 280,000 practitioners and academics in 126 countries. The MScPR programme is revised annually, with PRII input, to reflect the changing landscape of communications and the emerging use of the latest digital technologies.

Since the programme’s establishment in 2016/17, graduates are now working in communication roles on three continents, including in Australia, France, Italy, Norway, United States, as well as in the UK and Ireland. 

The programme provides students with public relations theory and practice alongside an understanding of recent developments and challenges for the profession. These include the impact of social media; the decline of traditional media; growing issues of corporate social responsibility influencing organisational reputation; and the increasing influence of other social science disciplines on Public Relations theory and practice.

Based in DCU’s School of Communications, the MSc in Public Relations & Strategic Communications is built on the experience and expertise of the school’s research in media, communications and journalism for almost forty years.

The MSc in Public Relations & Strategic Communications has several features distinguishing it from other postgraduate offerings in this field:

• All modules include lectures from market leading practitioners.
• The programme is fully integrated with the Irish and European communications sector, within both the academic and professional circles.
• The award-winning teaching staff have expertise and experience in key aspects of public relations and strategic communications.
• The blended delivery of this programme requires students to work with online technologies that are a critical part of a contemporary workplace environment.
• A capstone supervised dissertation, focusing on current topics of importance to the public relations, media and communications sectors.
• Our mentorship scheme partners each student with a senior communications executive from an agency or in-house department for the academic year.
• An emphasis on the vocational aspect of the course includes a “Careers Bootcamp” workshop in conjunction with members of the HR & PR sectors. 
• The MScPR is completed with a supervised three-month work placement with leading agencies and significant in-house communications departments.

Further information can be found on the programme's social media accounts:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MScPRDCU/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mscpr-dcu

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MScPRDCU

Link to the programme's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MScPRDCU/

DCU’s School of Communications is ranked in the top 200 communications schools internationally. The only ranked Irish media/communications School in the QS ranking.