This Level 2 unit will help you understand the public sphere as an intermediary between society and politics both as a communication and social system. You will learn to distinguish between various structures, roles and processes of public opinion as a product of communication and competition between social forces and interests powerful enough to set leading agendas, themes, social issues, frames, cultural packages, contents, feelings and other symbolic elements constituting the public opinion. You will be able to analyse critically the public opinion industry and evaluate the currently emerging and transforming public spheres in regard of their democratic virtues and vices.

Writing for the Professions studies various forms of writing that are used extensively in professional contexts and examines how these texts work from the perspective of the reader and the professional context in which they are used. Students will gain knowledge and skills in elements of professional writing style and text production processes including researching, audience analysis and editing. They will also be introduced to a range of complimentary theories and issues of writing such as rhetoric and persuasion, plain English, text layout and design, readability, influence of culture and the impact of various computer technologies on the processes of writing and reading.

This unit develops to a greater extent the theories and practices presented in Public Relations Theory and Practice. It establishes an understanding of the relationship between the client and professional and uses a variety of resources to achieve strategic outcomes.

This unit covers flow and transmission views; theory and research in organisational communication; the major theorists; internal and external factors affecting organisational communication techniques; problems in organisational communication; communication skills in organisations and communication audits.

Politcal Public Relations examines the convergence of public relations, advertising and political consulting in marking a new chapter in the history of political campaigns. The central topic is the ongoing process of professionalisation and internationalisation of electioneering and campaign practices in media-centred democracies. It examines comparatively the diffusion theory of directional convergence processes and the modernist theory of fragmentation of the public sphere and its associated structural change. The study of professional norms and standards of political consultants - the new power elite - is relatively new, requiring us to adopt a historicist perspective in order to evaluate contemporary political public relations.

The study of events promotion has emerged as a distinctive academic focus in response to the worldwide growth of events as a public relations activity. Events represent a unique form of service product development to satisfy diverse publics including consumers (residents and/or tourists), government, community and cultural groups, media and business sponsors or financiers. Accordingly, the study of events promotion is valuable for students of public relations as events increasingly serve a mainstream pubilc relations role for both public and private sector bodies. Students will learn the strategies necessary to host a viable event and learn how important the events are to the practice of public relations.

This unit investigates a range of specialised activities within the public relations discipline exploring this range of specialised public relations functions from the perspective of contemporary public relations theory. A range of perspectives provides thoughtful and challenging approaches to the work of a public relations practitioner.

This unit should only be taken by students studying the Public Relations majors only. Key aspects of the public relations management process are learned from the consulting role adopted by students. This unit provides the opportunity to link and apply theoretical understanding with writing, planning and presentation skills gained during the public relations sequence, in response to a client brief. The real life situation allows students to demonstrate their capacity for problem analysis and to develop appropriate and timely program solutions. Assignments enable students to demonstrate their capacity to develop a public relations campaign and prepare themselves for a public relations position, either in an in-house or consultancy role.

This unit provides students with the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge they are developing during their studies to tasks within a workplace (the host organisation). The unit is likely to involve substantial contact with the public through workplace placements and, for this reason, it is deemed a professional placement. The unit is restricted to students in their third year of study (or part time equivalent). In addition to the following points, prospective students must submit an application for entry (see below). It is the responsibility of students to nominate suitable workplaces. Students must provide adequate details of the placement they have been able to organise. You will need to do your own canvassing and arrange a suitable workplace on your own behalf. While, on occasion, academic staff may help you find a placement through contacts with employers, as well as offers from employers seeking students, you should not rely on anyone but yourself to arrange a suitable work placement. You will need to: find a suitable placement; discuss your choice with the course coordinator (phone or email); complete the workplace agreement form.