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2017/18 Taught Postgraduate Programme Catalogue

MA Public Relations and Society (Part-Time) (no longer recruiting from 2018/19)

Programme code:MA-COMM/PRSPUCAS code:
Duration:24 Months Method of Attendance: Part Time
Programme manager:Dr Jairo Lugo-Ocando Contact address:j.lugo-ocando@leeds.ac.uk

Yes. Delivered over 2 years.

Total credits: 180

Entry requirements:

Good first degree, standard University IELTS requirements for PGs.

Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide evidence of their English language proficiency. Recognized tests are IELTS with a required overall score of 7 and no element below 6.0, or TOEFL with a required score of 600 (250 for the computer-based test) with at least 4 on the written test, or on the internet-based TOEFL a score of 94 with at least 20 in listening, 23 in reading, 23 in speaking and 24 in writing.

School/Unit responsible for the parenting of students and programme:

School of Media and Communication

Examination board through which the programme will be considered:

School of Media and Communication

Programme specification:

This programme will provide students with an in-depth understanding of the public relations industry and its role in social, cultural and economic life. Currently, public relations is taught as a vocational degree by most institutions, which leaves little room for reflection on the social role it plays as a tool used by organisations of all kinds to influence the attitudes, values and behaviours of the audiences it targets. Media-related degrees, on the other hand, provide in-depth critiques of the media industries, but without taking sufficient account of the ways public relations works with those industries to shape their overall effects. While such teaching is valuable in its own right, it does not equip students with the tools to evaluate the ways in which public relations shapes the ways we understand the world around us, both directly and through its relationship with other social institutions. Nor does it develop the ability to evaluate the ways in which PR helps to sustain or challenge the power of dominant social groups at local, national and global level. Yet these capabilities are increasingly important in a world where the use of public relations is more widespread than it has ever been. They are also crucial to understanding the communicative processes that shape the cultural, economic and political dynamics of globalisation.

This degree will provide an opportunity to exercise this reflection and critique the occupation. The focus on a critical sociological / cultural approach to PR is unique in the market and differentiates the MA from other taught postgraduate degrees offering a sociological perspective of communications and / or media (see market analysis). It draws on existing expertise and modules within ICS and will draw on optional modules from other departments (the School of Design and the Business School have both been consulted about providing optional modules for students taking this degree; the School of Design has agreed to offer two modules as options).


Year1 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

Compulsory modules:

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

COMM5215MPublic Relations Theory30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5225MPublic Relations, Culture and Society30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)

Optional modules:

Candidates will be required to study 0 - 30 credits from the following optional modules in either year 1 or year 2:

COMM5170MTelevision Narrative30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5250MFeminism, Identity and Media30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
COMM5260MUnderstanding the Audience30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
COMM5370MInternational Film Industries30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5380MThe Media and Democratisation: Global Perspectives30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
COMM5540MThe Reporting of Politics30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5601MInnovations in Political Communication30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5630MCommunication and Public Opinion30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5690MMultimedia Journalism30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5730MThe Cultural History of Promotional Communication30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
COMM5750MRadio Technologies, Industries and Cultures30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
COMM5790MIdentity, Culture and Technology30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5805MCultures of Contemporary Photography30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5815MCinematics and Photography30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
DESN5230MIntegrated Communication30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MODL5016MManaging Business Across Cultures15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MODL5028MInternational Organisations: Context, Theory and Practice15 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MODL5050MWriting for Professional Purposes15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PECI5209MCritical Debates in Culture and Place30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SLSP5360MResearching Inequality in the Media30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SLSP5370MReality TV: Truth or Fiction?30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Elective modules:

Candidates may study 0 - 30 credits of Discovery modules in either year 1 or year 2 but not both.

Candidates may study 0 - 30 credits of Discovery Modules.


Year2 - View timetable

[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]

Compulsory modules:

Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules:

COMM5600MDissertation and Research Methods60 credits1 Oct to 30 Sep (12mth)

Optional modules:

Candidates will be required to study 0 - 30 credits from the following optional modules in either year 1 or year 2:

COMM5250MFeminism, Identity and Media30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
COMM5260MUnderstanding the Audience30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
COMM5370MInternational Film Industries30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5380MThe Media and Democratisation: Global Perspectives30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
COMM5540MThe Reporting of Politics30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5601MInnovations in Political Communication30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5630MCommunication and Public Opinion30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5690MMultimedia Journalism30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5730MThe Cultural History of Promotional Communication30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
COMM5750MRadio Technologies, Industries and Cultures30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
COMM5790MIdentity, Culture and Technology30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5805MCultures of Contemporary Photography30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
COMM5815MCinematics and Photography30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
DESN5230MIntegrated Communication30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MODL5016MManaging Business Across Cultures15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
MODL5028MInternational Organisations: Context, Theory and Practice15 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
MODL5050MWriting for Professional Purposes15 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
PECI5209MCritical Debates in Culture and Place30 creditsSemester 1 (Sep to Jan)
SLSP5360MResearching Inequality in the Media30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)
SLSP5370MReality TV: Truth or Fiction?30 creditsSemester 2 (Jan to Jun)

Candidates may not choose the same optional modules in year 2 that they studied in year 1.

Elective modules:

Candidates may study 0 - 30 credits of Discovery modules in either year 1 or year 2 but not both.

Candidates may study 0 - 30 credits of Discovery Modules.

Last updated: 15/09/2017

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