How long is the Diploma in Public Relations?

Nine to twelve months, available on-campus in London, fully online and via distance learning. The Diploma in Public Relations runs a shared live charity campaign brief across all three modes.

Can the Diploma in Public Relations be studied online?

Yes. The Diploma in Public Relations runs fully online with live crisis simulations, plus a distance-learning route for working comms professionals on a self-paced schedule.

Is the Diploma in Public Relations recognised by UK PR agencies?

Yes. The Diploma in Public Relations is a Level 4 UK qualification aligned to CIPR professional standards and PRCA agency competency frameworks, with portfolio output shaped for agency application.

What are the entry requirements for the Diploma in Public Relations?

Completed secondary schooling, GCSE English at grade 4, IELTS 6.0 for international applicants, and a writing sample. The Diploma in Public Relations welcomes mature applicants with a portfolio.

How much does the Diploma in Public Relations cost?

Fees for the Diploma in Public Relations vary by mode and domicile. Contact LSCT admissions for the current schedule and bursary eligibility for charity-sector applicants.

Diploma in Public Relations (CIPR-aligned) | LSCT London | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Diploma in Public Relations at the London School of Commerce and Technology (LSCT) is a 9 to 12 month Level 4 qualification for students preparing for an agency or in-house junior PR role. Sitting in the Media, Journalism & Communication department, it goes beyond press-release drafting into the full PR cycle: research, planning, content production, media relations, crisis response and outcome measurement.

You will plan and pitch a real integrated campaign for a London charity partner, write a crisis statement under timed conditions, and present an evaluation to a board panel acting as your client. Online, on-campus and distance routes are available from 2026.

Industry Context

UK PR hiring in 2026 has shifted firmly towards integrated comms — agencies want junior account executives who can pitch a journalist, brief an influencer, draft a crisis statement and measure share-of-voice in the same week. The Diploma in Public Relations is sequenced against that landscape: students learn the RACE planning cycle, the CIPR Code of Conduct, and the measurement frameworks that have replaced advertising-value equivalents (AVE) in the UK industry. Tutors include working London account directors and former in-house comms leads. Module structure is confirmed at enrolment.

Assessment Approach

Assessment on the Diploma in Public Relations is structured around real deliverables: a campaign plan, a crisis statement, a media list and an evaluation report. The capstone is presented to a panel acting as a real client, and the portfolio is shaped for application to junior account-executive roles at London agencies.

Key Features of the Diploma in Public Relations

UK Level 4 diploma aligned to CIPR professional standards and PRCA agency competency frameworks.
Three flexible study modes with shared campaign brief running across all routes.
Live charity campaign — students build and pitch a six-week campaign to a real London NGO.
Crisis simulation with a 45-minute media-statement deadline and tutor-led press calls.
Integrated digital strand covering paid social, influencer and earned-media planning together.
Portfolio output shaped for application to junior account-executive roles.

What You Will Learn

The diploma is built around the PR planning cycle (RACE — Research, Action, Communication, Evaluation) and the practical tradecraft a junior must perform unsupervised within their first six months. You will graduate able to scope a campaign objective, build a media list against it, draft creative and earned-media assets, and evaluate what worked against what was promised.

Research and audience segmentation
Campaign planning frameworks — RACE and SOSTAC
News writing and feature pitching
Influencer and content partnerships
Crisis communications and statement drafting
Stakeholder mapping and political communications
Measurement — AVE alternatives, share of voice, outcome metrics
CIPR Code of Conduct and PR ethics

Who This Course Is For

School leavers and recent graduates targeting a London PR agency.
In-house marketing assistants moving into comms-led roles.
Charity press officers formalising tradecraft.
Career switchers from journalism, sales or admin moving into PR.

Career Pathways

The diploma is a credible on-ramp into the UK PR industry, with destinations across consumer, B2B, financial, healthcare and corporate-comms specialisms. Typical first roles include:

PR Account Executive
Press Officer (public sector / NGO)
Junior Communications Manager (small org)
Content Strategist
Social Media Manager
Influencer Partnerships Coordinator

Most graduates top up into the BA in Advertising & Branding or sit the CIPR Foundation Award.

Entry Requirements

Completed secondary schooling (A-levels, BTEC Level 3, IB or recognised international equivalent) or equivalent work experience.
GCSE English Language at grade 4/C or above (or equivalent), with strong written English expected.
English language: IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short personal statement plus a writing sample; mature applicants may apply with a portfolio in lieu of formal qualifications.

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 students sit live agency Q&As with practitioners walking in from offices around Soho and Holborn.

Why Study the Diploma in Public Relations at LSCT

The diploma is taught inside the LSCT Media, Journalism & Communication department, alongside journalism, advertising and content cohorts, so PR students learn the wider editorial and creative environment they will be pitching into. PR students sit live agency Q&As with practitioners walking in from offices around Soho and Holborn, and module structure is confirmed at enrolment.

Apply for the Diploma in Public Relations

Ready to take the next step into the Media, Journalism & Communication sector? Click Enrol Now to submit your application for the Diploma in Public Relations; admissions reply within one working day.