Certificate in Public Relations Basics
Course Overview
The Certificate in Public Relations Basics at the London School of Commerce and Technology (LSCT) is a three to six month entry-level qualification for newcomers to PR, in-house communications and agency life. Aimed at school leavers, junior marketers and career switchers, the certificate covers the working grammar of the UK PR profession — media relations, news writing, stakeholder mapping and reputation thinking — without assuming any prior agency experience.
You will leave the programme able to draft a press release a regional editor will not bin, brief a spokesperson before a five-minute radio hit, build a basic media list for a sector you do not yet know, and recognise when a story is a story. Online, on-campus and distance routes are available from 2026.
Key Features
- CIPR-aligned syllabus covering the public-relations cycle endorsed by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.
- Three flexible study modes — three evenings a week on-campus in central London, live online, or self-paced distance learning.
- Live press-release workshop reviewed by a working national-newspaper correspondent.
- Reputation management module using anonymised London charity and SME case studies.
- Portfolio output — three press releases, one media plan, one crisis statement, ready for an agency application.
What You Will Learn
The certificate is built around the eight things a PR junior must do confidently in their first six months: pitch, draft, sense-check, brief, monitor, measure, defend and escalate. You will graduate with a working vocabulary that lets you sit usefully in a Monday account meeting from day one.
- The UK media landscape — national, regional, trade and consumer titles
- News writing, press releases and the inverted pyramid
- Pitching to journalists and building a media list
- Stakeholder mapping and influencer identification
- Reputation management and risk thinking
- Introduction to the CIPR Code of Conduct and ethics
- Basic measurement — AVE alternatives, share of voice and outcome metrics
- Working with in-house comms, marketing and legal
Who This Course Is For
- School leavers wanting a foothold in a London PR agency.
- Marketing assistants and admin staff moving sideways into communications.
- Small business owners and founders learning to do their own PR credibly.
- Career switchers from teaching, hospitality or admin retraining into comms.
Career Pathways
The certificate is an explicit on-ramp into the UK communications industry, with destinations across consumer agencies, B2B specialists, in-house teams and the third sector. Typical first roles include:
- PR Account Executive (junior)
- Press Officer
- Communications Assistant (charity / public sector)
- Content Strategist (junior)
- Social Media Manager (small organisation)
- Communications Manager (small NGO, after experience)
Graduates often progress directly to the Diploma in Public Relations or sit the CIPR Foundation Award alongside their first agency role. Qualifications do not guarantee agency appointment, but the press-release portfolio reviewed by a working national-newspaper correspondent provides concrete evidence at first interview.
Industry Context
UK PR has reshaped sharply since 2022: the consolidation of national newspapers into fewer titles, the rise of newsletter and substack journalism, the platform-shift away from Twitter/X and the cost-of-living squeeze on consumer marketing have all changed what a UK PR junior is hired to do. CIPR membership has grown each year, and the IPSO and Ofcom enforcement regimes raise the stakes on accurate first-draft writing. The Certificate is sequenced against that landscape so every module produces evidence a London PR account director will recognise.
Assessment Approach
Assessment is portfolio-led across the certificate's seven modules. Students submit three press releases (one consumer, one B2B, one charity), one media plan, one crisis-statement draft, a reputation-risk note and a 1,500-word reflective synthesis. Tutor feedback returns within five working days and one resubmission is permitted per piece.
Entry Requirements
- Completed secondary schooling or equivalent.
- English language: IELTS 5.5 (or accepted equivalent) for international applicants — with strong written English encouraged given the drafting workload.
- Minimum age 17 at programme start.
- A short personal statement outlining your motivation and any writing samples you can share.
Why Study at LSCT
The London School of Commerce and Technology (LSCT) is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London and part of Harold International College. We teach in small cohorts so every student is visible to their tutor, run a single intake schedule that students can rely on, and partner with UK professional bodies so qualifications carry weight with employers. London puts Whitehall, the City, Silicon Roundabout, the Royal Courts of Justice, the West End and the NHS estate within a short tube ride of every classroom — and our students use that proximity in their projects, placements and graduate job hunts. PR specifically benefits from that proximity: half our guest reviewers come from PR firms within a 20-minute walk of class.
Apply for the Certificate in Public Relations Basics
If the Certificate in Public Relations Basics fits your goals, click Enrol Now to start your application. The admissions team will reply within one working day with the next intake date and a document checklist for international applicants.
