Professional Diploma in PR and Marketing Communications

PR professionals work in every industry, plus there are opportunities in other areas such as the non-profit sector or politics. You might work in-house or in an agency. It’s a competitive job market so a qualification is key to standing out.

A professional diploma will demonstrate to employers that you have the professional knowledge and tools to manage public relations and communications projects.

Student care is a high priority at UCD Professional Academy, which is why our Student Services team is on hand to support you throughout your time with us. They will respond to any queries you have, help you with any technical issues, and facilitate your learning experience at every point. All students are given access to our Student Portal, where you can see your timetable, access all your study materials, and manage your account.

Our online experience is designed to be just as interactive, supportive, and inspiring as the UCD Professional Academy campus experience.

Online courses can be accessed from any computer or laptop with an internet connection.

Live lectures are delivered using Zoom. During these lectures, your teachers will use technology interactively to ensure an engaging learning experience. When appropriate, students will be encouraged to activate their microphones so that they can ask questions and communicate with other students.

If you are studying an online course, your assessment will also be submitted online.

This course is assessed through a written project: an actionable PR strategy for an organisation. You will have two weeks following the end of the course to complete and submit the final assignment. The written project is generally around 3,000 words (that’s about 5 pages of a standard Word document).

Your UCD Professional Academy Diploma will be issued electronically on a secure platform, with a link that you can share with employers and others wishing to verify your credentials. You can also add this qualification to your LinkedIn profile.

UCD Professional Academy diplomas and awards are designed to give your career an advantage. Developed in conjunction with industry thought leaders our courses teach practical, applied skills to support you to achieve your career and business goals. Professional Diplomas are suitable for career minded learners wishing to advance their professional skills and prospects rather than their academic credentials.

The Professional Academy is an independent wholly owned part of UCD designed to address the need for skills development in the workforce. Courses tend to be short, designed and delivered by industry practitioners, and are not part of nor do they lead to a traditional University award such as a degree or a masters. They are widely accepted by employers and many students are sponsored to study by their organisation.

For full details of UCD Professional Academy’s Awards & Governance please visit https://www.ucd.ie/professionalacademy/governance/

A place on any of our programmes can be secured with a 10% deposit.

For full-time (boot camp) programmes, the balance must be paid in full before course commencement.

For part-time programmes students will be required to pay 40% of the fees before the start of the course, with the remaining balance due within 30 days of the course commencing.

Please note that standard terms and conditions apply, which you can review here: https://www.ucd.ie/professionalacademy/terms-and-conditions/