| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| MCH2034 | Introduction to Public Relations |
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• To develop awareness of the complexities of cross-cultural communication within the NGO sector.
• To recognise the differences in public relations’ role and practice in other countries by proposing an international public relations campaign.
• To develop a range of techniques for PR campaign planning in an international, cross-cultural context.
• To articulate a creative, persuasive and culturally appropriate response to a PR brief.
This module will build on students' knowledge of key PR concepts, including media relations, PR in the voluntary sector and strategic PR planning, and develop professional writing skills they acquired in MCH2034 and apply them in a global context.
Students will be required to develop an NGO-linked profile article suitable for placement in an international publication and offer a rationale for their personality and publication choice.
At the end of the module, students will be required to propose a communications campaign for an NGO operating overseas. The proposal will be delivered as a group verbal pitch, presented in response to a real-life scenario brief.
Topics may include:
• Role of PR in NGO management
• PR in developing countries
• Client briefing
• Features writing: profile
• Big Ideas
• How to write a PR proposal
• Competitive PR pitches
• Globalising strategies, localising tactics
• Alternative communication channels
• Measurement and evaluation in PR
Students successfully completing the module will be able to:
1. Identify the principles of the role PR plays in NGOs management.
2. Understand the challenges in PR development internationally.
2. Recognise the difficulties in media relations practice and cross-cultural communication.
Students successfully completing the module will have:
1. Research skills for campaign planning in an international context.
2. Professional writing skills, including PR for the media writing.
3. Mastery of the principles of the production and delivery of PR pitches.
4. Media relations and cross-cultural communication skills.
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Lecture replacement materials, delivered non-synchronously online |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 2 | 20:00 | 40:00 | Assessment preparation |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Lectures to be delivered on campus, can be delivered online if necessary |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Delivered on campus but can be delivered online if necessary |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured non-synchronous discussion | 1 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Online discussion forum |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 117:00 | 117:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
To nurture curriculum internationalisation and develop students’ global perspectives of the discipline, the lectures and non-synchronous lecture materials will focus on the examination and analysis of international PR case studies with the emphasis on the voluntary sector.
The on-campus seminars will focus on students’ critical assessment of the extent to which theory can be applied in relation to their campaign planning.
The Guided Independent Study time will be dedicated to students’ research and subsequent preparation for writing assessments and campaigns proposals with tutors’ guidance provided via the Discussion Board on Canvas.
The assessment strategy will be presented to students as a valuable PR experience providing them with the opportunity to apply their knowledge of and skills through the planning of a creative PR campaign for an overseas NGO. It will enhance their critical thinking, professional writing, media relations and cross-cultural communication skills and have the potential to serve as a showcase for future employment.
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 1 | A | 50 | Group-produced slides (at least 25 slides) pitching a PR campaign in response to a client’s brief and a group-produced self-reflection (1,500 words) |
| Written exercise | 1 | A | 50 | Individual profile article (1000 words) with images and a chosen publication rationale (500 words) |
Module assessment is a group portfolio comprising two parts related to the same project delivered by students.
One component of the assessment requires students to develop a profile article suitable for placement in an international publication supported by relevant images and a strong rationale for the choice of the selected media outlet in which the story will run.
The other component of the assessment requires students to develop a persuasive group PR pitch in response to a client brief. Each group will need to submit a PR pitch document in the format of PowerPoint slides (at least 25 slides) and a group-produced self-reflection (1,500 words). Students will be marked on their ability to deliver an engaging pitch outlining a creative PR campaign in line with their client’s organisational goals.
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Disclaimer: The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2023/24 academic year. In accordance with University Terms and Conditions, the University makes all reasonable efforts to deliver the modules as described. Modules may be amended on an annual basis to take account of changing staff expertise, developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Module information for the 2024/25 entry will be published here in early-April 2024. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.