Master of Public Relations (MPRL) - MPubRel

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Program focus

The focus of this program is on strategic-level public relations. It includes specialised public relations courses that contribute to this strategic approach, such as crisis management, community consultation, financial communication and organisations communication.

Career opportunities

The Master of Public Relations aims to enhance the career prospects of public relations practitioners; allows student with experience in other fields entry into the discipline of public relations.

Program aims

The Master of Public Relations degree aims to prepare students to:

• demonstrate an informed and rational understanding of salient contemporary issues in corporate communication

• pursue a scholarly and informed study, to a publishable standard, of the relevance of corporate communication to aspects of organisational communication including strategic planning, risk management and management behaviour

• employ public relations communication theory to design and implement field research in a range of contemporary issues and problems in all aspects of corporate communication

• select and apply appropriate and professionally sound communication principles into the design and practice of corporate communication

• provide best practices in planning and organisation to corporate public relations.

Program objectives

On successful completion of the Master of Public Relations degree students should be able to:

• display an informed awareness of the central role of the agencies, technical discourses and production processes of corporate communication in societal and political contexts

• apply communication and public relations theory to publishable analyses of organisational communication practices

• make appropriate and ethically justified applications of research methodology to the study and investigation of public relations practices

• initiate, plan and execute campaign and program tasks to a high professional level in a selected area of organisational communication.

Admission requirements

Applicants for enrolment in the Master of Public Relations must have at least a Bachelor's degree or its academic equivalent in any discipline. Students who have at least three years’ experience in the public relations industry may apply for special entry to the Master of Public Relations or seek admission to the Graduate Certificate in Public Relations. Applicants should contact the Program Coordinator for advice.

International applicants must have met the University's English language requirements or have completed the University's ELICOS/UNIPREP program.

How to apply

Domestic students 2009

Application for postgraduate programs may be made directly to USQ. You should ensure you submit your application by the closing dates.

International students 2009

This program is offered to international students. An international student is a person who is not an Australian or New Zealand citizen and not an Australian permanent resident. Please refer to USQ International for information about entry requirements, visa arrangements and how to apply.

Program fees

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.

Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called FEE-HELP.

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, via distance education/online. You are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.

Program structure

The Master of Public Relations is an eight course program that requires the completion of seven public relations courses and a one course elective over 3 semesters in one calendar year period for full-time on-campus students. Those enrolled in the external mode would normally enrol in 2 courses per semester. The program will be offered by on-campus (ONC) and external study (EXT) modes only, requiring students to successfully complete:

Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 3 years to complete this program.

IT requirements

Students should refer to the Division of ICT Services website for advice on computing requirements.

Exit points

Normally all applicants for the Master of Public Relations enrol initially into the Masters program but may elect to exit with the Graduate Certificate in Public Relations program. The Graduate Certificate program requires the study of four courses that provide practical elements required by the specialist public relations practitioner.

Exemptions

Students with prior industry experience and/or previous related study may apply for consideration for exemption of up to 50 per cent of the Master of Public Relations but may be required to successfully complete alternative courses in lieu of those awarded exemption.

Recommended enrolment pattern