16 June 2014
FOR THE ATTENTION OF ALL PR AND MARKETING STUDENTS
Dear Students
Following the successful revalidation of the PR Programmes at the end of April, I am writing to update
you on the changes that will come into effect from the next academic session of 2014/15.
BA (Hons) Public Relations and Marketing
1) Degree name change to BA (Hons) PR, Marketing and Events and greater flexibility through
increased options
As part of our on-going dialogue with employers the team has received feedback from a significant
number of industry professionals confirming that they expect graduates of a PR and Marketing degrees
to also have knowledge and understanding of events management. This fits with the teaching team’s
view that we should take an integrated approach to communication and as you will be aware the PR and
Marketing programme already incorporates 40 credits of Events Management modules at level 1. To
ensure our graduates have the knowledge, understanding and practical skills to practice in a converged
media environment we are extending opportunities to take further Events Management modules in
level 3 and 4. Students will also be able to gain events management work experience through the
Professional Communication Placement in level 4.
To enable students to tailor their programmes and pursue particular interests we are offering a greater
range of options at level 3 and 4, so you can select from PR, Marketing, Events Management or
Business. (see point 3 below)
So to better reflect the content of the degree we have renamed it to BA (Hons) Public Relations,
Marketing and Events.
New students and students progressing into level 2 and 3 will have their student record updated to
reflect this change. If any student entering third year in 2014/15 has a particular reason why they want
to graduate with the title PR and Marketing, they will be able to send a request to opt out to Morag
Thomson in the school office. Current level 3 students progressing into the fourth year in 2014/15 will
remain on PR and Marketing and any student graduating with an ordinary degree will similarly graduate
this July with a BA degree in PR and Marketing.
2) Module Changes
To demonstrate our multidisciplinary approach and to help students link the cognate areas of PR, media,
marketing and events we are introducing a new module to semester 2 of level 2 called Sports PR,
Marketing and Media. In addition in level 2 we have expanded I2149 Introduction to Critical Thinking
from a 10 credit module to 20 credits and it is called I2166 Critical Thinking and Rhetoric. This will run in
semester one. The 10 credit level 2 module, Foundations of Social Research, has been withdrawn.
3) Increased Flexibility through more optionality
Prior to revalidation the PR and Marketing degree was a prescribed set of core modules across levels 14. We want to offer students an opportunity to tailor their programmes and pursue their own interests
and this can now be achieved by the introduction of options at levels 3 and 4. Students can select from
PR, Marketing, Events Management or Business modules. The level 4 PR modules International PR and
PR and Activism will now be open to level 3 students as options.
4) Change of assessment for the Placement module
In fourth year students undertake a placement requiring them to gain a minimum of 20 days work
experience within a communications environment in an organisation. The assessment requires students
to reflect on their experience, professional practice and their learning through the production of a
reflective report.
In addition from September, to help prepare students for careers after graduation, we will require
students to produce a portfolio of materials suitable for a job interview. Suitable materials that
demonstrate skills such as writing, creative thinking, teamwork etc can be collected during the
placement eg press releases, newsletter copy, but also other assignments undertaken across your four
years of study such as the media strategy proposal from I2147, PR strategy proposal from I3155, internal
communications tactics from I2148, research reports from I3167.
5) New Student Initiated Module
From time to time opportunities arise for students to participate in national competitions such as the
CIPR Douglas Smith Award or undertake a research project on behalf of an industry body such as the
Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management. To date we have been unable to
award credits to students who show their initiative and work independently to go the extra mile – a usp
that distinguishes them from other PR students and gives them a competitive edge when seeking
careers in PR. From September we will offer a level 4 module (20 credits) entitled I4170 Student
Initiated Module (SIM). Students in level 3 or 4 wishing to take this option need to identify an internal or
external project and put forward a proposal of independent study to the tutor for consideration. A
limited number of proposals will be accepted and together, the module coordinator and the student will
develop an appropriate assessment and agree the marking criteria to ensure the module learning
outcomes are met.
Below is the validated programme structure for 2014/15 for information.
ACTION REQUIRED DURING SUMMER VACATION
Over summer returning undergraduate students progressing to level 3 and 4 will be required to select
options via the student portal. This will be made available from Monday 16th July closing on Friday 15th
August 2014. Importantly this will give students access to their FULL individualised timetable for the
academic session 14/15 within 48 hours of making their option choices.
Undergraduate students without options will also be able to access their FULL individualised timetable
from, or shortly after the 16th July 2014.
If a student has a reassessment or any outstanding modules, their progression decision will not be
known until the reassessment Exam Boards in August. If they are not eligible to progress to their next
level of study in the academic year 14/15 they will not be eligible to take the options they have
provisionally chosen and will be removed from these modules after the Boards. Additionally, any
student not eligible to progress will be removed from the next level of modules and where appropriate a
revised timetable will be created to reflect what they are required to attempt, after the reassessment
boards.
The choice of option(s) is on a first come first served basis. Some modules are capped so students may
not get their first choice. We ask that you have a second or third choice ready so you can pick this if your
original choice is full. To help you choose, a short explanatory text about each option module will be
made available, mid July, on the School Office Website http://www.qmu.ac.uk/schooloffice/default.htm
If you have any questions please contact your Programme Leader, Ann Turner. Her email is
aturner@qmu.ac.uk She is on annual leave from 20 June – 14 July with very limited access to email, but
will respond to emails on her return to work. Otherwise contact the school office and speak to Morag
Thomson or Steven Garrard.
Wishing you a restful summer vacation and look forward to welcoming you back to QMU in September.
Kind regards
Ann Turner
Programme Leader PR
BA (Hons) PR, Marketing & Events 2014/15 Programme Leader – Ann Turner
ISIS Route Code: PMES
Level One
I1144
B1072
B1079
I1162
I1145
B1078
Introduction to PR
Foundations of Marketing
Introduction to Events Management
Online PR: Platforms and Practices
Media Relations
Cultural Management and Events
Tourism
20 credits
20 credits
20 credits
20 credits
20 credits
20 credits
Alison Sammut
Chris Preston
Joe Goldblatt
Alison Sammut
Alison Sammut
Joe Goldblatt
Sem 1
Sem 1
Sem 1
Sem 2
Sem 2
Sem 2
I2147
I2166
Media Campaigning
Critical Thinking and Rhetoric
20 credits
20 credits
Ann Turner
Magda Pieczka
Sem 1
Sem 1
B2075
I2148
Marketing Research
Employee Communications &
Dealing with Change
Marketing in Practice
Sports PR, Marketing and Media
20 credits
20 credits
Chris Preston
Sally Chalmers
Sem 1
Sem 2
20 credits
20 credits
Mike Pretious
Jacquie L’Etang
Sem 2
Sem 2
Persuasive Communication
Fashion Marketing
PR Theory & Strategy
Advertising and Marketing Communication
PR Research
Option
20 credits
20 credits
20 credits
20 credits
20 credits
20 credits
Ann Turner
Mike Pretious
Emma Wood
Chris Preston
Sally Chalmers
Sem 1
Sem 1
Sem 2
Sem 2
Year Long
Sem 1 or 2
20 credits
20 credits
20 credits
20 credits
Peter Falconer
Gordon Campbell
Sally Chalmers
Mhairi Sumner
Sem 1
Sem 1
Sem 1
Sem 2
20 credits
20 credits
20 credits
Stuart Graham
Jacquie L’Etang
Sally Chalmers
Sem 2
Sem 2
Sem 1 or 2
Level Two
B2087
I2165
Level Three
I3170
B3103
I3155
B3096
I3191
Student to select 20 credits for list below:
B3137 Organisational Behaviour
B3132 Exploring Strategy
I4164
International PR
B3139 Trends and Developments in Planned
Events
B3146 Value Driven Marketing
I4163
PR and Activism
I4170
Student Initiated Module
Level Four
B4089
I4168
I4141
Strategic Marketing Management
Professional Communication Placement
Dissertation
Options
Student to select 20 credits for list below:
I4164
International PR
I4163
PR and Activism
B4105 Global Events Leadership and Social
Justice
I4170
Student Initiated Module
20 credits
40 credits
40 credits
20 credits
Chris Preston
Ann Turner
Jeremy Valentine
Sem 1
Year Long
Year Long
Sem 1 or 2
20 credits
20 credits
20 credits
Sally Chalmers
Jacquie L’Etang
Rebecca Finkel
Sem 1
Sem 2
Sem 2
20 credits
Sally Chalmers
Sem 1 or 2