A career in Public Relations is an exciting and rewarding one. Effective Public Relations is a key requirement for all companies and organisations.This course which includes a new Extensive Online PR module gives participants;
The most relevant skills and tools required in this field
Fast Paced essence training based on a student centred approach to learning
Access to Industry practitioners and the opportunity to work alongside an established course provider
The Diploma in Public Relations is accredited by the Public Relations Institute of Ireland and is internationally recognised.
Course Content
Public Relations
The Meaning and Development of Public Relations
Definitions of PR. Public Relations' Relationship with other Functions/Professions - Advertising, Marketing, etc. History and Development of Public Relations in Ireland and globally. Professionalism and Industry Bodies PRII, PRCA, IPR.
Ethical and Legal Issues
The Principle Ethical Codes which underpin the practice of PR. Legal Issues in Public Relations - Copyright, Libel, Slander, Freedom of Information.
Strategic Process
Situation Analysis, Research, Objectives, Publics, Implementation, Budgets and Timetables, Evaluation. Planning and Managing a PR campaign.
PR Sectors
Corporate, Consumer, Business to Business, Voluntary Sector. Financial PR including Communicating Financial Performance, PR during Mergers, Takeovers, Share Offerings, Shareholder Communications. PR's role in the Annual Report and Accounts.
The Professional Environment
Consultancy Structures, Client Relationships, Pitching for Business, Managing Client Accounts, In-house Departments, Relationships within the Organisation, Preparing an In-house Strategy, Relationship with PR Consultants, Managing Staff. Entrepreneurship - Identifying gaps in the Market and Developing Services to fill those gaps, Launching a New Product/Service.
PR as a Management Function
PR's Role in the Organisation - Internal Communication, Communicating Performance, Counselling the Organisation, Strategy. The Role of the PR Practitioner, Both In-house and in Consultancies. Business Strategy and Operation.
Public Relations Crisis Management
Definitions and Typologies of Crises. The Crisis Management Plan and Crisis Management Team. Communicating in a Crisis. The Aftermath of a Crisis. Reputation Management.
Internal PR
Rationale for effective Internal PR. Linking Internal PR to business Goals. Importance of Management Commitment, Employee Roles and Business Goals. Links with HR. Consequences of mistakes. How Informal Communication Channels Work. Listening and Feedback. Mechanisms for Effective Internal Comunications.
Sponsorship and Community Relations
Definitions and Historical Development of the Sponsorship Market. Why Organisations engage in Sponsorship. Using Sponsorship to Target Particualar Publics. What can be Sponsored? The fit between the Sponsor and the Sponsored. The Sponsorship Proposal. How Sponsorship fits in to wider PR Campaigns. Evaluating Sponsorships. Why Organisations engage in Community Relations. The Range of CR activities.
Political Lobbying
Interest Groups and Lobbying. How to influence Public Policy. Planning and Managing Lobbying Campaigns. The Role of Coalitions. Public Affairs - Integrating Lobbying and Media Campaigns. Involving the Public in Lobbying Campaigns.
Outreach
Managing Relationships with Activist Groups. Coalition Building and Third-party Endorsements. Working with Trade Associations, Unions and Charities.
Tools and Techniques
Basic Tools and Techniques available to PR Professionals. Event management: Exhibitions, Conferences, Product Launches, etc. Controlled media: Newsletters, Brochures, Video, Websites, EPK, disc, film etc. Uncontrolled media: Publicity in terms of Print,Photography, Broadcast and Internet. Role of the Press Officer.
Interviews
Print, Radio and Television Interviews. Interview Techniques, Preparation, Scripts, Sound Bites, Keeping Control, Live or Recorded, Phone or In-Person, Statements etc.
Entrepreneurship in PR
Starting your own PR business. Identifying gaps in the Market; Developing Services to fill them. Registration, VAT, Location, Insurance, Industry Contact Listings, Advertising, Accounts, Budgeting, Deadlines, Credit Terms, Invoicing/Payments etc.
Research in Public Relations
Importance of Research in PR. Types of Research. Research in all stages of a PR Campaign. Social Psychology. Measurement of Attitudes and Public Opinion.Achieving Attitudinal and Behavioural Change. Research Material and Sources.
Case Studies
Analysis of a Range of PR Case Studies and Campaigns.
Presentation Skills
Preparation, Content, Structure, Delivery, Visual Aids, Management of Locations and Audiences.
Online PR Module Content
The Social Media Landscape
Blogs, Microblogs, Chatrooms, Delicious, Email, Flickr, Twitter, Instant messaging, Message Boards, Mobile Internet , New Media Releases, Online Conferencing, Online Surveys, Pay per click, Podcasts, RSS, Search Engines, SEO, Social Networking Service Sites, Video Sharing, Virtual worlds, VoIP, Wiki and Widgets.
The Internet as a Media
Commercial Implications of the Internet, Social Interaction with the Internet, Web 2.0 and its Implications, Internet Convergence, the Network Effect, Internet Information Exchange, Internet Audience Size and Exposure, Internet Culture and Communication, Transparency and the Internet.
Online PR building blocks
Online Communications Platforms, Online Communication Channels, Online Communication Mediums, Interactivity and Application of Communication Channels, Policy, Optimisation, Monitoring and Evaluation of Online Communications Channels, Online Communications Channels Planning and Implementation.
Social Media and PR strategy
Local versus Global Communication, Landscaping Platforms, Channels and context, Online PR Organisational Analysis and Segmentation, Developing Online PR Strategies, Online PR Tactics and SEO considerations, Online PR Planning, Managing Online PR Risk and Opportunities.
Online Influences on present PR practices
Internet influence on News, Internet Journalists, Economics of Online News Production, Internet Critics and other influences, the PR Practitioner as an Online Publisher, Ethical Internet PR, Truthfulness and Duty of Care, Online Ethics, Debate, Guidelines and Best Practice.
Media And Media Writing
Mass Media
The Elements of the Mass Media in Ireland - TV, National and Local Radio, National and Local Newspapers, Trade Publications, Specialist and Consumer Magazines, the Internet. The Functions of Different People in the Media.
The Relationship between Public Relations and the Media
What the Mass Media needs from Public Relations, and what Public Relations needs from the Mass Media. The Factors involved in Building Effective Relationships with the Media. Dealing with the Mass Media, i.e. Pitching Stories, Interviews, Press Conferences, Photography, Media Relations in a Crisis. Publicity versus Press Relations.
Media Relations
How to Segment Audiences. Serving the Client/Organisation and Serving the Media. The 'Readership Profile'. Media Lists. How to Match Media with Publics. The Role of Press Releases in PR. Creating Angles in Press Releases. Identifying the News Angle in a Story. The Role of Photography. The Ethics of Media Relations. Evaluating Media Relations. Media Monitoring.
Media & relevant Public bodies
BCI, NUJ, NNI, ASAI, Press Council(Proposed), Office of Consumer Affairs, Consumers' Association of Ireland.
Legal issues within Media Relations and Public Relations
Contract Law, Copyright, Patents, Trademarks, Libel, Slander, Freedom of Information, Data Protection, Photography Copyright and Licensing. Employer/Employee Relationships, Contract of Services, Professional Negligence.
Press Release Writing
Date, Headline, Structure, Wording, Contact Details, Note to Editor. Structuring a Press Release - The Inverted Pyramid Model. The appropriate use of Language for Press Releases. As part of the teaching of this section, students will also cover such issues as, being able to provide reasoning for the Press Release Content, Distribution Lists, Additonal Information to be added for a Press Pack, a description of a Photographic Idea and Caption. Writing Styles for different Media and Publics. Analysing a number of Press Releases, and the Media Coverage generated.
Writing Interview Briefs
Preparing Clients for Interviews, Interviewing Styles and Techniques, Audiences, Preparing Questions and Answers, use of Newsworthy Quotes.
Writing for Statements and Speeches
Statements - Tone, Wording, Structure, Clarifications. Speeches - Preparation, Audience, Speech Notes, Structuring of Speech, Use of Language.
Business Material for PR
Writing Proposals, Business Plans, Presentations, Reports.
Writing for Publication
Writing Feature Articles - Structure, Headlines, Awareness of Readership, Use of Language. Writing News Articles. Awareness of the Journalist's Agenda. Writing for the Internet.
Grammar
The Basic Rules of Grammar.
The Professional Environment
PR and the Range of Associated Professional Activities. How Public Relations fits into an Organisation's wider Communication. Relationships between the In-house PR Depatment and rest of the Organisation. Client Relationships; Managing Client Accounts, and Managing Expectations.
Marketing
Definitions, Historical Development, Market Research and Information, Products, Branding, Marketing Communications, Marketing Segmentation, Marketing Management and Organisation. The Role of PR in Marketing Management.
Marketing Communications
Definitions, Historical Development, the Advertising Industry and Professional Bodies, Codes of Practice, Advertising Agencies, Selecting an Agency and working with it, Advertising Campaign Planning and Management, Advertising Media. Types of Advertisements - Magazines, Newspapers, Posters, Billboards, Ambient Advertising. The Relationship between Advertising and PR.
The concept of integrated marketing communications campaigns and how IMC is used by major brands in global markets. Includes: Direct Marketing, Promotional Activity, Sponsorship.
Professional Services
Areas include Event Management, Design and Print, Video Production, Photography, Audio Production, Website Design and E-Commerce, Media Monitoring and Research Services. Evaluation and Media Audits. Artwork and Graphic Design. Website Creation and Design. Dealing with Suppliers.
Client Service Management
Agency/Client Relationship. How Agency Structures enable profitable business. Client Contact. Planned reviews of activity and strategies are part of the service clients pay for.
Business / Government Environment
Management
Definitions, Decision Making, Forecasting and Planning, Objective Setting, Organisation Structures and Cultures, the Social and Economic Impact of Business and other Organisations. Systems Theory. Motivation.
PR's Role within Corporate Management
Management's Role in Communicating. Public Relations' Function as Management Counsellor. The Internal Communication Process in Organisations. The Senior Management Team. The Business Plan, and where PR fits into it. PR's input into Corporate website. Corporate Productions - Ideas, Budgets, Commissioning, Managing Subcontracted Work.
Organisation's Impact on Society
The Increasing Importance of Corporate Social Responsibility, Globally and in Ireland. The Ethics of CSR. CSR as an Integral Element of Overall Business Strategy.
Irish Politics and Government
The relationship between Business Society and Government. Irish Politics, Economy and Society. The Constitution and Workings of the Political Institutions. The Policy-Making Process in Ireland. Social Partnership. The Impact of the European Union. Regulatory Frameworks.
Event Management
Although Event Management is included in the Diploma in Public Relations syllabus, The Fitzwilliam Institute feels that special attention should be given to this rapidly growing area. Students are thus being offered an extra five evening modules, free of charge, which will cover the following; Event Management Planning, Co-ordinating Events, Marketing Events, Event Risk Management, Corporate Event Management, Organising Conferences, Exhibition Management and Sporting Event Management.
Methods of Training
Lectures, Group Discussions, Case Studies; Hands-On Exercises; Assignments; Practical Sessions; Demonstrations; Practical Work; Recommended Reading; Visual Aids.
Lecturers
The Fitzwilliam Institute maintains a panel of qualified and motivated lecturers who work as a team monitoring each student's progress.
Possible Careers
Career opportunities in Public Relations can exist on the client side and on the consultancy side. In some cases Public Relations may be a main job responsibility while other responsibilites may also be held in areas such as marketing, advertising, sales promotion, administration, etc. In other cases Public Relations may be a secondary responsibility. The course takes these possibilities into consideration.
A knowledge of Public Relations techniques can be of considerable value in many career areas.
Who Should Apply
Anyone who wishes to develop a career in Public Relations or who wishes to improve their chances of promotion by acquiring very relevant skills and knowledge for the modern business world. Early application is advisable as places are limited. Application for this Course is available online alternatively if you wish to arrange a consultation please contact us on (01) 2834579
Qualifications
Selection is based on interview. Successful students are awarded the Diploma in Public Relations at 1st, 2nd or 3rd Class Honours or Pass level. The Diploma, which is internationally recognised, is awarded by the Public Relations Institute of Ireland.
