MCH2034 : Introduction to Public Relations
MCH2034 : Introduction to Public Relations
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Mrs Anne-Marie Lacey
- Owning School: Arts & Cultures
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| MCH1028 | Marketing Communication & Promotional Practices |
Pre Requisite Comment
Students can request an exemption from the pre-requisite from the module leader on satisfaction they have completed similar studies or have relevant industry-related knowledge and experience.
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
N/A
Aims
- To develop in students introductory a) knowledge of, b) skills in and c) understanding of the values and culture of public relations and its variations in commercial, public, private and voluntary sectors
- To enable students to develop and deploy techniques of writing and campaign and event planning in public relations
- To develop the ability to critically apply the methods of public relations to initiate and carry out practical projects in public relations
- To introduce an understanding of the dangers of a range of crises to organisational reputation
Outline Of Syllabus
Topics covered may include:
Introduction to and definitions of PR
The business of PR across different sectors
Audiences, stakeholders and publics
Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned Media (PESO)
Content creation including news releases, blogs and social media
Event management
Ethics and professionalism
Internal communications
Crisis communications
Introduction to PR planning
Learning Outcomes
Intended Knowledge Outcomes
Students successfully completing the module should be able to:
K1 - understand the values and culture of public relations and its variations in commercial, public and voluntary sectors
K2 - develop a critical understanding of how public relations practice can be used to manage reputation via communications with organisational stakeholders
K3 - appreciate the role of ethics and professionalism within a PR context during times of crisis and change management (crisis and internal communications)
Intended Skill Outcomes
Students successfully completing the module should be able to:
S1 - draft a news release and other media content
S2 - organise a successful event with timeline and budget
S3 - critically apply the methods of public relations to initiate creative ideas and develop plans for public relations
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 2 | 20:00 | 40:00 | Independent preparation for two assessments. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Introductory lecture to the week's theme |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 14 | 1:00 | 14:00 | Practical workshop to support application of theory |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Combination of quizzes, discussion boards and workshop preparation tasks |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Watching specific programmes, reading specific titles and visiting specific websites |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 80:00 | 80:00 | Linked to major PR activity and campaigns throughout the teaching period |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The on-campus present in person lectures introduce students to various concepts, ideas and topics in public relations as well as setting preparatory tasks for the weekly workshops. Scheduled workshops will allow for an element of group work to encourage students to develop knowledge and skills by critically applying theory and concepts to practical contexts using examples, case studies and activities.
These timetabled workshops will be more practical, using current PR practice and award-winning case studies from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations to allow students to critically assess the use, or not, of theories in practice.
Reading Lists
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 2 | A | 100 | A campaign portfolio of approximately 3,500 words. |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case study | 2 | M | A short presentation detailing the findings of an event planning case study through the lens of PR and communication. This will support students and help scaffold their learning into the end of term summative assessment. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The mid-term formative assessment will be a short presentation detailing the findings of an event planning case study through the lens of PR and communication. This will help support students and scaffold their learning into the end of term summative assessment.
The end of term summative assessment is designed to test the key skills employers are looking for: the ability to organise events and the ability to translate a PR brief into a portfolio of industry standard resources (S1, S2, S3). The students will be required to develop an event plan considering a range of PR principles including internal and external comms, risk and crisis management, as well as ethics and professionalism. The students will also develop creative content to promote their event, including a press release, blog and posts for social media channels (K1, K2, K3).
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- MCH2034's Timetable
Past Exam Papers
- Exam Papers Online : www.ncl.ac.uk/exam.papers/
- MCH2034's past Exam Papers
General Notes
N/A
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Disclaimer
The information contained within the Module Catalogue relates to the 2025 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, staffing changes, and student feedback. Module information for the 2026/27 entry will be published here in early-April 2026. Queries about information in the Module Catalogue should in the first instance be addressed to your School Office.