This course is taught and assessed at level 7 of the UK (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
This short diploma, which is taught at masters level, has been devised to build skills, knowledge and understanding, developing practitioners to take a leading or senior advisory role when a response is demanded.
Taught for 20 hours over four months, with two supported months following for the assignment, the course investigates relevant theories and practices to consider:
- crisis prone behaviour and management styles
- different levels and impacts of crises
- the organisation in society
- issues management
- reputation, its vulnerabilities and its opportunities
- trust as an asset
- relationships – why and how they can support or threaten
- influencing strategies to avoid or avert a crisis
- carrying out effective audits and research
- building and critiquing case studies
- the role, purpose and effectiveness of training
- the building and maintaining of effective plans.
The course is based in practice and taught by practitioners experienced at senior levels in private and public sector settings working nationally and internationally.
The assignment by which the course is assessed will be to carry out research and make recommendations for a crisis management plan for an organisation of your choice. The recommendations should inform the plan to provide a valuable tool for your organisation and/or an excellent transferable skill set and knowledge base for you!
View full syllabus and reading list
Who is the course aimed at?
The Crisis (Response) Communication Diploma is suitable for you if you are an experienced public relations or communication practitioner who needs to better understand why crisis damages trust and thereby affects reputation and how it might be mitigated. You will be interested in theories about risk and relationships and in gaining a specialist qualification to further develop your professional role. You will possibly already hold the CIPR diploma or an undergraduate degree in PR or Communication and be keen to develop to establish yourself as an expert practitioner in the area of response and crisis management.
Entry criteria
Entry to the Diploma can be on the basis of either qualifications or experience or a mixture of both. See Diploma entry criteria for full details.
Course venues, dates and fees
The CIPR Crisis Communication Diploma is available to study in London:
How do I apply?
Applications are processed centrally at CIPR HQ. Candidates will be notified as soon as possible whether their application has been successful. Provided candidates satisfy the entry criteria, places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no deadline for applications, but you need to allow sufficient time for your application to be processed and for our invoice to be paid by you or your sponsor before the first teaching date. You should also bear in mind that some courses fill up quite quickly.
Before downloading the application form please view the Terms and Conditions of acceptance onto the course and the CIPR Code of Conduct.
Application forms
Now download and complete the required application form:
- Crisis Communication Diploma application form for UK based students (PDF format)
- Crisis Communication Diploma application form for students based overseas (PDF format)
Note
Membership of the CIPR is a mandatory requirement for Crisis Communication Diploma students. For this reason, the application form covers applying for both the course and CIPR membership.
Exemptions towards the CIPR Diploma
Holders of the CIPR Crisis Communication Diploma who wish to go on to study the CIPR Diploma in Public Relations will be granted an exemption from the third unit/assessment and the course fees will be reduced accordingly. Contact the CIPR qualifications team at qualifications@cipr.co.uk for further details.
