Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

1. Expand student knowledge around issues of media and public relations and its contribution to developing a promotional culture.
2. Develop an academically rigorous and critical approach to questions concerning media, public relations and promotional culture.
3. Examine how promotional culture can be understood and interpreted by audiences.
4. Analyse the construction and representations of promotion and digital communications and their economic, social and cultural implications.
5. Introduce students to research methods of increased complexity to aid critical analysis of public relations and the impact of promotional content in digital communication.
6. To enable students to gain a sophisticated understanding of sociological and cultural debates about the media and society through a number of case studies.
7. To provide a critical understanding of the concepts of media globalisation, media ethics, and key theories of the media.

Outline Of Syllabus

Lecture topics will fall into two main areas: Media texts and media issues.

1.Lectures will explore the composition of media texts, effective copywriting and persuasive techniques while also developing media research skills and critical analysis to prepare students for an assessment that requires crafting impactful and targeted media copy. Topics may include semiotics, critical discourse analysis and multimodal analysis.

2.Lectures will explore issues within media and promotional cultures. Topics may include digital and social communication, advertising, promotional materials; branding; the social, economic and political responsibilities & consequences of promotional culture and media globalisation.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

A student successfully completing the module will have knowledge of:
K1: the use of judgement to make evidence-based decisions appropriate for the public relations and communication fields within complex academic and/or professional contexts.
K2: how to explore and analyse the impact, outcomes and repercussions of the creative and professional decisions taken in relation to negotiated and agreed assessment.
K3: how to synthesize abstract ideas, concepts and theories to develop new approaches, ideas and critical responses within the public relations sector.
K4: how to employ investigative research methods to address significant areas of theory and/or practice in public relations.
K5: how to critically evaluate the effectiveness of the selected methodologies used in the production of the assessment.
K6: key approaches to analysing media.
K7: how to develop the ability to craft compelling, persuasive, and audience-focused copy across various media platforms, applying industry-standard techniques and principles of effective communication.

Intended Skill Outcomes

A student successfully completing the module will be able to:
S1: critically appraise key academic debates about media, PR and promotional cultures.
S2: apply complex theories to contextualise concepts around media, PR and promotional cultures.
S3: independently carry out various forms of research for assignments involving sustained independent enquiry.
S4: independently evaluate and draw upon the range of sources and the conceptual frameworks appropriate to research in media and promotional cultures.
S5: deliver work to a given length, format, brief and deadline, properly referencing sources and ideas and making use, as appropriate, of a problem-solving approach.
S6: independently gather, organise and deploy ideas and information in order to formulate arguments cogently, and express them effectively, orally and in written form.
S7: demonstrate knowledge of the fundamental principles of persuasive and effective copywriting across different media formats.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The module aims to advance students’ knowledge and understanding of Media and Promotional Cultures, with a particular focus on Public Relations, through the study of a range of key concepts, theories and case studies. Lectures introduce and develop ideas and case study material and the seminars allow students to consider, assess and debate material in further detail. Smaller group seminars offer the opportunity for more detailed focus on areas of particular interest and peer-to-peer feedback. This will be combined with private study and essay writing.

This module is supported through blended learning, using a series of lectures and seminars alongside packages of digital learning materials to support students as they gain a critical understanding of media and promotional culture. Research activities move from tutor-led to student-led, with interaction and discussion of ideas from self-selected readings and the use of appropriate methods for analysis.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Assessment 1: Copywriting and reflective analysis
For the first assessment, students will create a short piece of copy for a specific purpose and audience accompanied by one piece of originally created promotional material followed by a corresponding reflective analysis of the techniques used.

This assessment combines practical skills in copywriting with theoretical frameworks for critical analysis, providing a holistic approach to developing and evaluating persuasive communication. The rationale for this assessment is grounded in its ability to foster interdisciplinary competencies, align with real-world professional contexts, and enhance critical thinking.

Additional task-specific criteria:
Quality of definition of the topic, informed by engagement with and understanding of appropriate research (K1; K2; K6; S4)

Application of research to appropriate media text (K4; K5; S2);

Analysis of media text using research methods encountered while studying media in order to make meaningful conclusions (K3; K6; S1);

Coherence and written structure of the advert copy and reflective essay, including appropriate academic tone at postgraduate level and effective display of media text and analysis (K5; S5; S6).

Assessment 2: Essay
For the second assessment, students are required to write an individual essay of 2500 words. Students are asked to produce a critical examination contextualizing and analysing a public relations/promotional culture issue.
Students must assess the strengths and weaknesses of approaches and theories in the study of the media and promotional culture. This assessment will allow students to familiarise themselves with theories, problems and issues raised in the module and to develop a critical understanding of the intersection of media, society and promotional culture.

Additional task-specific criteria:
Quality of definition of a contemporary media issue, informed by engagement with and understanding of appropriate research (K1; K2; S4);

A balanced and clear discussion of the weaknesses and strengths of methodological and theoretical approaches pertinent to the issue at hand (K2; K6; S1; S3);

A critical and analytical discussion of intersections between media and promotional culture and consequences (S4; K4; K6);

Coherence and written structure of the research essay, including appropriate academic tone at postgraduate level and effective display of media text and analysis (K5; S5; S6).

General Notes

N/A