Course summary

• Study your foundation year, then progress to a degree with industry accreditation from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).
• Research, plan, implement and manage successful PR and media campaigns.
• Gain an in-depth knowledge of the media including industries, audiences and texts.
• Access specially designed teaching rooms to enable content creation and editing.
• Engage with current debates about the relationship between public relations, the media and wider society.

Examine and evaluate key theories relating to PR and the media and study professional issues on this wide-ranging course. Your studies are led by a team that includes national award-winning industry specialists, with experience across TV, health, charity, public and private sectors, and internationally recognised PR and media theorists.

How you learn

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

The course is suitable if you don’t meet the entry requirements for our BA (Hons) Public Relations and Media course, or you want extra preparation before starting degree-level study. You share the first year with other media arts and communication foundation year students, then move on to the degree.

Throughout the course you attend a combination of lectures, workshops and seminars where key topics and concepts are introduced and explored. This includes a mix of tutor-directed learning, discussions and student-led exercises and activities where you engage in collaborative activities in face-to-face and virtual learning environments.

You learn through

• essays
• practical tasks and projects
• case studies
• reports
• group work
• concept maps
• research tasks and projects
• electronic assessment
• oral presentations
• portfolios of work

In the foundation year, you'll study wide-ranging media arts and communication topics, while also focussing on your particular subject area and completing assignments in that field. You'll grow as a creative, and begin developing a professional portfolio. You'll also become familiar with Hallam's exceptional facilities and staff, so you're fully prepared for undergraduate study.

Course leaders and tutors

James Fenwick

Senior Lecturer in Media

Profile of James Fenwick, Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.

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Applied learning

Work placements

You will have the opportunity to arrange a year-long work placement in between your third and fourth years. This gives you a real-world experience to prepare you for your future career. Recent students have worked with the BBC, regional newspapers, local and national PR agencies, Disney, South Yorkshire Police, Sheffield Children's Hospital and in the voluntary sector.

Networking opportunities

Every year we hold industry events that bring you together with regional and national PR experts. Graduates return to share their experiences and top tips for finding jobs. Selected students are offered a chance to be mentored by PR professionals for one year.

You gain automatic free student membership of the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) and all the benefits that come with it, including exclusive access to work placements, internships, graduate schemes and entry level jobs, free and unlimited online training, and free access to the industry-recognised PRCA Online Certificate.

Future careers

There is demand for skilled PR practitioners across all sectors including TV, fashion, music, politics, consumer, media ,business, sport and many more.

This course prepares you for a career in

• in-house and agency public relations
• media relations
• digital PR
• event management
• corporate communications
• lobbying and political communications
• radio
• film and TV production
• blogging
• social media
• content creation

Where will I study?

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

City Campus

City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.

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Location

Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB

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Adsetts library

Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.

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Entry requirements

Modules

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

Fees and funding

Additional course costs

This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.