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Become a certified PR expert

Our courses are used and trusted by:

  • Unlimited tutor support

  • Personal assignment feedback

  • Flexible study – no deadlines

  • Staff training options

  • Help finding work

  • Help starting as a freelancer

PR course reviews

Become a certified PR expert

Our courses are used and trusted by:

  • Unlimited tutor support

  • Personal assignment feedback

  • Flexible study – no deadlines

  • Staff training options

  • Help finding work

  • Help starting as a freelancer

PR course reviews

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Online Public relations course (QLS level 4)

An accredited public relations course for individuals and businesses

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Helping people succeed since 2003!

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Course subjects

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Public relations course summary

  • Price: £549.50 or 4 monthly payments of £137.37. See payment options

  • Duration: Self-paced as long as you need

  • Requirements: A basic understanding of PR. Take our PR challenge

  • Tutor marked assignments: 11 practical tutor marked assignments. See course subjects

  • Government registered?: Yes. UKRLP Number – 10008168. See our listing

  • Accreditation: CPD | EADL

  • Quality endorsed by: The Quality Licence Scheme

  • Awards: The Quality Licence Scheme certificate of Achievement & Accredited CMP Diploma. See samples

Public relations tips

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Read the public relations course overview

Public relations course subjects | Public relations course reviews | Public relations tips

Our online public relations course equips you with the skills you need to handle public relations,
comms and social media marketing for a range of publications.

It is now more important than ever for businesses and other professional organisations to get
the right messages out to the media and public. They must also be able to effectively manage their online reputations and handle any PR crises that arise.

Many leading corporations including Bioversity International, Domino’s Pizza,
South East Water and TNT Magazine use this online public relations course to train their staff.
And numerous individuals testify that it is practical, effective and great value for money.

Successful learner, Glen Ruffle told us: “The course was very good, much more than I expected.
I learned lots about the internet and writing press releases”. Read his review

This course is ideal for:

  • Beginners.
  • People looking to build a rewarding career in PR.
  • Marketers looking to develop their skills.
  • Existing PR’s who want to refresh and develop their skills.
  • Anyone who wants a thorough understanding of public relations, comms and social media.
  • Business owners and freelancers who want to expose themselves to more clients and customers.
  • People who want to start their own freelance PR business.

See what this public relations course teaches

There is a strong demand these days for people with strong PR and communications skills. Most organisations need people who can:

  • Write effective press releases and distribute them to the right outlets.
  • Develop lasting and productive working relationships with journalists and editors.
  • Get the most out of social media.
  • Conduct effective interviews.
  • Plan and implement targeted PR strategies that get results.

This comprehensive public relations courses covers all of these areas and others. And you can use the work you produce in the course assignments in your career portfolio. See course subjects

You will study in our Online Learning Area, which is accessible from a computer or any smart device.
This means the course is flexible, and gives you the chance to tackle
practical, real-world public relations tasks at home, at work or on the go.

You will also benefit from unlimited tutor support every step of the way, including personalised feedback on every assignment.

Another successful public relations course learner, Edward Thomas, who took the course with us earlier this year, told us:
“I found the contents of the PR course varied and useful. It was especially interesting
to learn about tools used in corporate communications that I had little knowledge of.”  Read his review

As a certified public relations expert, you could be:

  • Delivering high-quality content for a business or an organisation.
  • Building your own PR agency, and choosing your own hours, clients and projects.
  • Earning up to 44k as a freelancer.

If you are looking for work in PR, comms or social media, this comprehensive course, you will give you the confidence and training you need to work in a variety of public relations and communications-based roles, using traditional marketing channels and multimedia platforms.

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PR course tutor: Andy Carter

Group head of news | comms director and consultant

As a public relations course learner, you will work 1-2-1 with Andy Carter, who is a professional communications consultant.

He has been in charge of PR and communications at Leeds city council, the London Borough of Sutton and Peterborough city council.

He also runs his own PR consultancy.

Andy will mentor you, mark your assignments, and give you expert advice.

Find out more about Andy

This vocational course covers every aspect of public relations. Each lesson includes a practical assignment which is based on the real world of public relations. All assignments are personally marked and graded by your tutor, so you’ll be receiving expert feedback at each stage of the course.

We have recently added a brand new topic to lesson two, which focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of Artificial Intelligence, how it is affecting the market, and how PRs can integrate it into their roles.

Lesson 01: An introduction to PR

  • Understand the role of public relations.
  • Recognise good and bad PR.
  • Appreciate what makes a good PR professional.
  • Learn how to build relationships with journalists.

Lesson 02: Newswriting techniques

  • Discuss why a PR needs to master newswriting techniques.
  • Write intros, sells and headings.
  • Write well-constructed copy.
  • Define the role of Artificial Intelligence in PR. New topic
  • Adapt your writing style to suit a web audience.

Lesson 03: Writing effective news releases

  • Recognise when it is appropriate to use news releases and news letters.
  • Send news releases and news letters in the correct format to the right outlets and at the right time.

Lesson 04: Communicating with the media

  • Issue effective statements to the media.
  • Conduct interviews with journalists.
  • Deal confidently with journalists’ questions.

Lesson 05: Online PR

  • Understand the basics of social media.
  • Define how social media can be used in PR.
  • Devise a social media plan.
  • Set up, maintain and grow your own blog.
  • Identify when a PR can use video.
  • Understand how to prepare, shoot and edit videos for PR.

Lesson 06: Handling a crisis

  • Understand crisis communications.
  • Write a crisis communications plan.
  • Manage reputation in a crisis.
  • Tweet effectively during a crisis.

Lesson 07: Using TV and radio

  • List how TV and radio can be used for PR.
  • Produce suitable content for TV and radio.

Lesson 08: Organising a news conference

  • Understand the role a news conference plays in PR.
  • Organise and manage a news conference.

Lesson 09: Law and reputation management

  • Learn how media law and regulatory codes can be used as media management tools – pre- and post-publication.
  • Manage online reputations proactively and reactively.

Lesson 10: Using other PR tools

  • Recognise other PR tools and when to use them.
  • Use case studies, white papers, ebooks, videos and podcasts for PR.

Lesson 11: Running a PR campaign

  • Learn when and how to run a PR campaign.
  • Select the right campaign components.
  • Organise an effective PR campaign.

Public relations course certifications

Our public relations course has been independently endorsed under The Quality Licence Scheme which is a product of the Skills and Education Group, who endorse high-quality, non-regulated courses and training programmes.

So at the end of this course successful learners will receive a Certificate of Achievement endorsed under The Quality Licence Scheme and a Learner Unit Summary (which lists the Units the learner has completed as part of the course).

In addition, you will receive the accredited CMP diploma in public relations, which is recognised in the UK and beyond. It proves you are a certified PR expert.

These certifications will enable you to apply for PR and comms jobs, demonstrate your credibility as a freelance, or use your new skills in the workplace.

Public relations course reviews

Money back guarantee

If you are not 100% satisfied with your public relations course you are entitled to a full refund within 14 days of your enrolment.

There are no catches or exceptions. For more information, please see our money back guarantee page

Public relations course accreditation and quality

We comply with the very highest external standards. We are:

Each organisation has its own standards, code of practice and complaints procedure, so you can enrol with complete confidence.

How does this public relations course work?

This public relations course is delivered online. So, you can study at a pace you’re completely comfortable with and fit your studies around your lifestyle.

You can use a computer, or our exclusive app to work on a tablet or smartphone.


How long will it take to complete this public relations course?

This public relations course is designed to be as flexible as you need it to be. There are no deadlines, time limits or expiry dates. So, you can study at a pace that suits you, and fit the course around your lifestyle.

On average, our learners who commit to 5 hours per week to their studies, will usually complete the course within 4 months.

What will I need to study this public relations writing course?

We aim to keep our course delivery as simple as possible, so people of all ages, locations and abilities can take part.

This is what you will need to study our public relations course:

  • Access to a computer, tablet or similar device.
  • Internet access.
  • Your own website or blog is preferable but not essential.
  • Microsoft Word or equivalent: OpenOffice, iWork pages.
  • An email account.

What happens when I enrol?

There are no set enrolment dates which means you can book this course 24 hours a day – 365 days a year.

Once you have completed your enrolment form and paid your fee, you will receive a login to our Online Learning Area and a document called ‘enrolment pack’, which explains how to get started, who your tutor is and other important information.

You will get immediate access to your learning materials upon purchase, but you are under no obligation to begin studying until you are ready.

Public relations course payment options

Payment option logos

This public relations course costs £549.50 including VAT. This is all you pay. There are no hidden charges, and we offer a wide range of secure payment methods, so you can purchase the course from wherever you live.

You can either pay the fee in full, or with four monthly instalments of £137.37 including VAT.

Public relations course FAQ

QuestionsAnswers
Is this public relations course accredited? Yes. The course is externally accredited by The European Association of Distance Learning. It is also quality endorsed under The Quality Licence Scheme.
How long will the course take? This public relations course is flexible which means you can fit it around your lifestyle. On average, our learners who commit 4 hours per week to this public relations course will usually complete it within 4 months.
Can I take time out? Yes, many of our public relations course learners take breaks from their studies, and continue from where they left off.
What certifications will I receive? You'll receive the Accredited CMP Diploma in public relations. You'll also receive a Certificate of Achievement endorsed under The Quality Licence Scheme and a Learner Unit Summary (which lists the Units the learner has completed as part of the course).
Can I study this course if I don't live in the UK? Yes, this public relations course isn't just restricted to people in the UK. We have learners from all over Europe, and in America, Australia, Canada, India, South Africa, New Zealand and many others. This course is internationally accredited, which means you can enrol with confidence no matter which country you live in.
Do you send the certifications overseas? Yes. There are no additional charges for this.
Can I apply for a job with the certifications? Yes, many of our public relations course learners use the course and the certifications on their CV to apply for jobs.
Will this course show me how to get started as a freelancer? Yes. We offer full support after the course, and give each learner expert advice on starting as a freelance business writer. This includes advice on which rates to charge, which agencies to join and how to market yourself in the correct way in order to attract clients. We have lots of free resources in the Online Learning Area which are geared to helping you establish yourself as a freelance.
Can this course be used for staff training? Yes. Many organisations, including Arsenal FC, BT, the BBC, Disney, Vodafone and Waitrose, use our courses to train their staff.
Because the course is flexible, you can fit it around your work commitments and apply new skills to your job as you learn them. You will also have lifetime access to the materials, so you can refer back to them later if you need to.
How many tutor marked assignments are there? There are 11 lessons on this public relations course, and all of them come with tutor marked assignments. Our tutors are often praised for the level of detail they go into when marking our learners assignments.
Can I resubmit assignments if I fail? Yes. If you fail an assignment, your tutor will point out where you went wrong, and will give you constructive feedback which should help you achieve a pass grade when you resubmit.
How much tutor time do I get? This is one of the only online public relations courses that offers unlimited tutor support. This means you can contact your tutor with questions at any point during the course, and they will usually reply the same working day. This support also includes expert careers advice, help looking for work, help with CVs and covering letters, and much more!
Can my employer pay for this course for me? Yes, on the second page of the public relations course enrolment form, please select 'invoice to employer'. When your form reaches us, our finance team will send the invoice - usually the same working day.
Will I have to start straight away? No. Because the public relations course is flexible, you can purchase it and begin studying whenever you are ready. Lots of our learners take advantage of offers and discounts, but begin studying the course weeks or even months later.
Can I pay for this course monthly? Yes. The payment plan for this public relations course is 4 monthly instalments of £137.37. Unfortunately monthly instalments cannot be used with a discount or promotional offer.
When can I enrol? You can enrol on our public relations course 365 days a year. Upon enrolment, you'll receive your login details and enrolment pack, which means you can get started immediately... if you want to.
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