The CIPR Advanced Certificate in Public Relations

• Unit 1.1 Managing PR - Professional Knowledge
• Unit 1.2 PR in Action - Vocational skills
• Unit 1.3 Professional development - personal development
• Assessment Programme
• Advanced Certificate Syllabus (pdf)

Unit 1.1 – Managing PR (Professional knowledge)

Suggested teaching time – 40%

(a) Defining PR and its role in the organisation Aim: To provide a general introduction to public relations as a management activity

(b) PR and communication theory Aim: To develop an understanding of communication processes and how they are used in PR.

Learning Objectives

• introduce the background to how public relations has developed
• critically examine the various definitions of public relations
• consider how public relations is managed in organisations and how organisations use public relations to achieve their objectives
• introduce communication theory and how it is used in public relations
• examine how new media is changing public relations practice
• encourage study skills and essay/report writing

• use their knowledge of what public relations is to broaden their understanding and plan their career.
• understand how public relations can enable organisations to achieve objectives
• develop their own professional expertise through their understanding of communication theory
• use their knowledge of new media to enhance practice.

• Introduction to history and definitions of PR
• PR’s differences from marketing, advertising and journalism
• Introduction to media relations, internal communications, public affairs, CSR, etc
• Introduction to systems theory, management theory, organisational structures & impact on PR

Unit 1.2 - PR in action (Vocational skills)

Suggested teaching time – 45%

Aim

To provide an introduction to planning and primary tactics used in public relations

• examine the way in which public relations plans are developed
• review the principles and practice of media relations
• encourage an understanding of the importance and purpose of internal communications
• develop the ability to deploy a range of PR techniques

• develop and manage public relations plans
• use a range of effective media relations techniques
• manage a full range of internal communications activities

• Case study
• Planning models and effective communication, targeting publics, developing messages, selecting channels
• Media training, writing, interviews, writing genres and styles, writing media releases, managing launches, internal communications activities including employee research, employee engagement activities, employee briefings, intranet pages, speeches, presentations

Unit 1.3 - Professional development (Personal development)

Suggested teaching time – 15%

Aim To provide an introduction to management skills and reflective professional practice

Learning Objectives

• support students conducting a self-directed research investigation
• develop an understanding of effective management skills
• examine what professionalism is and how it relates to public relations practice
• put public relations into context as a developing discipline

• improve their management skills
• implement a personal continuous professional development plan
• actively reflect on how to contribute to the development of public relations

• Management skills, including organising and managing effective meetings, making effective contributions to meetings, personal time management, making presentations, pitching, managing resources and information systems, negotiating and problem solving
• Professionalism, personal and professional ethics, personal learning approaches, personal planning skills
• Completion of personal plan for continuous professional development

Assessment programme

Assessments are directly related to each study Unit – ie one assignment per Unit. These are intended to assess professional knowledge, vocational skills and personal development as relevant. Progression and linkage between the Advanced Certificate and Diploma qualifications is also evident.

Each assessment has a primary deadline subsequent to the teaching programme for the relevant Unit. Two deadlines during the year are offered for each Unit to accommodate courses starting in Autumn or New Year and provide a timely option for resit, resubmission or deferrals.

An external examiner is allocated for each Unit to evaluate and manage the quality of the assessment process for the relevant assignment. In addition, the chair of the Awards Sub Committee oversees the entire process. These posts are part of the CIPR Qualification structure.

Professional knowledge: Critical Reasoning Test

The Critical Reasoning Test (CRT) examines the candidate’s knowledge, understanding and cognitive skills. It is completed during a fixed time period and structured to allow candidates to take responsibility for preparing and submitting well-developed answers to a series of questions that present varied, specific or complex scenarios relevant to the appropriate level.

Candidates are assessed on their comprehension and ability to critique and apply theoretical principles demonstrating they have developed an expert framework for making judgements about the practice of Public Relations.

Vocational skills: Advanced Certificate Portfolio

Subject specific vocational skills for the Advanced Certificate are assessed through a portfolio of coursework. Contents of the portfolio are based on a given case scenario necessitating all work to be produced specifically for the course. Candidates are required to submit 4 pieces of work, each based around a syllabus area for this part of the course (writing skills, media relations, visual awareness and event management).

Candidates must apply diagnostic and creative skills in producing a high standard of written or visual imagery [see specification on page 17]. Each item is supported by a reflective rationale evidencing procedural knowledge and engaging candidates in critical dialogue.

Personal development: Advanced Certificate Critique

Candidates are required to be competent in considering and evaluating their own work and that of others in a reflective manner with reference to academic and professional issues, debates and conventions. This personal development as reflective practitioners is assessed through the requirement to respond to abstract problems that expand and/or redefine the existing body of knowledge.

Candidates are required to undertake specialist enquiry into a topic to be agreed with their teaching centre. They will construct and submit a 2,500-word critique that explores and examines PR as a developing discipline and informs their own understanding through a review of a specific aspect of the existing body of knowledge and/or practice.