NEWS: First PR Masters gets underway courtesy of COI

The UK’s first Masters degree course for public sector press and

publicity staff kicked off this week.

The public communications course, run by the Central Office of

Information and Trinity and all Saints University College, Leeds, is

targeting graduates and experienced PR professionals.

Students undertake two compulsory four-day modules, in media and

information and editorial journalism, as well selecting other two-day

modules from such areas as parliamentary procedures and corporate multi

media.

The modules which, following further research lead to either a diploma

or the Masters degree, can also be taken as one-off training sessions.

The cost of following a Masters qualification is around pounds 4,000.

Mike Devereau, the soon-to-depart COI chief executive, said the course

was unique in the public sector and demonstrated the COI’s commitment to

developing new products and services for its customers.

Former Downing Street press secretary and PR Week columnist Sir Bernard

Ingham will be an external examiner for the course.