Your public relations course brings the real world into the classroom. You’ll learn how to build organisational relationships, write for, and liaise with, the media, and make public relations decisions across the corporate, government, agency and not-for-profit sectors.

What’s distinctive about public relations at QUT is that the course builds two career paths: public relations in-house practitioner and public relations consultant. In the in-house practitioner path your final year at QUT develops your skills to become a public relations manager, and to be able to manage issues, respond to public opinion and work to protect reputations for real-world organisations. In the public relations consultant path, your final year at QUT involves a project where you pitch an idea to a real-world client and prepare a campaign to address their needs.

You will graduate with a portfolio of work to demonstrate your skills and potential to employers.

Real-world learning

Following an overview of public relations theory and practice you will gain writing and planning skills necessary for practice.

Third-level units provide a broad view of the strategic application of public relations, including public relations within organisations, global examples of public relations, and public relations management.

Work placement opportunities in consultancies, government, corporate settings and community groups are available. You’ll also have access to events run by professional bodies such as the Public Relations Institute of Australia, and opportunities to create your own career networks.

In the capstone unit, public relations campaigns, you'll have the chance to integrate earlier learning by designing a campaign for a real world client.

QUT’s public relations course is well recognised in educating industry professionals. Our graduates hold positions in Brisbane, Sydney, New York, London and Norway, among other local and international destinations.This means you will enter an industry which has an established network of QUT graduates currently working in positions around the world, including:

• public relations consultant/manager
• communications adviser
• corporate relations executive
• media adviser or press secretary
• media and communications officer or manager
• stakeholder relations adviser or manager
• publicist
• community relations officer
• corporate affairs manager.

Professional recognition

This course is accredited by the industry’s peak professional body, the Public Relations Institute of Australia, which provides access to professional education and career opportunities. QUT maintains strong links with this body and a number of our teaching staff hold executive positions.