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University launches new combined journalism and PR degree

Salford MancA university is set to launch new combined degree in journalism and public relations.

The University of Salford has announced the launch of its new BA (Hons) journalism with public relations, promising to produce graduates “who are skilled in a wide range of areas”.

The course will be based at the university’s MediaCityUK campus, and will begin next month.

It is being launched alongside a new MA public relations and digital communication programme.

Paul Broster, director of journalism, politics and contemporary history at the University of Salford, said: “The nature of journalism has changed, with those starting in the profession expected to have a wide range of digital skills alongside the ability to write well, find stories and interview.

“Our journalism programmes have always included a public relations module, but this has become increasingly popular over the years.

“Many of our journalism graduates now go on to work in public relations while there is also a huge amount of opportunities helping large organisations raise their profile by creating powerful digital content.”

The courses will be led by lecturer Sara Eyre, a former press officer for Coronation Street, and by award-winning journalist Debbie Manley – who has also worked as a publicist for events including the Greater Manchester Fringe and the Manchester Comedy Festival.

They will be joined on the teaching team by Michelle Eagleton, a graduate from the university’s journalism programme who has since worked as a publicist for organisations including BBC Sport, as well as broadcasting for BBC Radio Manchester.

Paul added: “Both of these courses will provide students with real world experience and the tools they need to work in today’s journalism, public relations and communications industries.”

6 comments

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  • August 21, 2018 at 2:16 pm
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    So if you are aged 18 and can get on a NCTJ course its FREE – just living expenses if studying away from home, 20 weeks to a year to get qualified.

    This degree costs £27750 + living expenses etc – 3 years to get qualified. Quick maths (the youngsters will understand that)

    If your doing A-Levels and thinking of going into journalism, look at your options, don’t assume a degree is best.

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  • August 21, 2018 at 5:38 pm
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    PR 101 – How to write a press release
    Journalism 101 – How to copy and paste a press release.

    If the papers employ them as PRs they may as well make some money off the otherwise free adverts they run.

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  • August 21, 2018 at 6:57 pm
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    Dave S: Your years of free education in which you were encouraged to learn the basic rules of your native language, have obviously been a complete waste of time, which is particularly sad when you consider that English is a major key to success in future life. For a start, why not read a book on “The Correct Use of the Apostrophe”?

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  • August 22, 2018 at 10:04 am
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    Just what journalism needs…another university course. Working in a university that runs journalism courses, I question whether there are enough jobs to around in both journalism and PR. So whether we need another overpriced one is doubtful.

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  • August 22, 2018 at 10:44 pm
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    Digger: People in glasshouses shouldn’t put commas in where they’re not needed.
    Those behind this course have astutely realised that for many of our largest media organisations journalism and PR are now interchangeable, if not actually indistinguishable. Go through any local paper with a chisel-point market putting a big cross through every story that’s a free plug for some commercial enterprise, and you’ll find you use one hell of a lot of ink. And online, in my experience, the distinction is largely academic.

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  • August 23, 2018 at 9:25 am
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    How do they teach you to be both a warrior and a scab at the same time?

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