How long is the Higher Diploma in Public Relations Management?

The Higher Diploma in Public Relations Management runs for 15 to 18 months. Full-time and part-time cohorts share the same plc-scale reputation strategy capstone.

Can the Higher Diploma in Public Relations Management be studied online?

Yes. The Higher Diploma in Public Relations Management runs on-campus in central London, fully online with cohort calls, and by distance learning.

Is the Higher Diploma in Public Relations Management recognised by UK employers?

Yes. The Higher Diploma in Public Relations Management is designed around CIPR Chartered Practitioner content and articulates into the LSIBM BSc top-up.

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

A relevant Level 5 qualification, HND or three years of PR or corporate-affairs experience, GCSE English at grade 5 and Maths at grade 4, IELTS 6.0 on the Higher Diploma in Public Relations Management.

What does the Higher Diploma in Public Relations Management cost?

Fees vary by mode and instalment plan. Contact LSIBM admissions for the current schedule and employer-sponsored places on the Higher Diploma in Public Relations Management.

Higher Diploma in PR Management | LSIBM London | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Higher Diploma in Public Relations Management at the London School of International Business and Management (LSIBM) is a near-degree Level 5 qualification for senior PR practitioners preparing to top up into a UK Bachelor's degree in public relations while continuing to run agency practices or in-house comms functions. Sitting inside the Marketing, Media & Digital Business faculty, it covers reputation strategy at plc scale, agency leadership, financial PR, public affairs and integrated corporate-affairs research.

The Higher Diploma runs over 15 to 18 months and is available on-campus in central London, fully online, or by distance learning. Tutors are practising PR directors drawn from CIPR Chartered Practitioner ranks and PRCA agency-head fellows, and the capstone is a full plc-scale reputation strategy defended in front of a working PR director. The sections below cover modules, audience and progression.

Key Features

Curriculum reviewed against CIPR Chartered Practitioner and Bachelor's-final-year PR standards.
Three study modes — central London campus, fully online, or distance learning — with the same tutor cohort.
Capstone: a plc-scale reputation strategy defended in front of a working PR director.
Confirmed credit transfer into the LSIBM BSc in Public Relations top-up route.
Working reference to FCA disclosure obligations, LSE listing rules, IPSO and Ofcom.

What You Will Learn

The Higher Diploma builds a director-track PR leader. You will finish able to lead an agency team or in-house function, design a plc-scale reputation strategy, run a financial-PR programme, and defend corporate-affairs work to a UK chairperson.

Reputation strategy at plc scale — narrative architecture, licence to operate.
Agency leadership — pitch, retain, upsell, senior client stewardship.
Financial PR — IPO comms, results-day, RNS discipline and analyst engagement.
Public affairs — Whitehall engagement, APPG dynamics, Select Committee prep.
Integrated measurement — AMEC framework, Barcelona Principles, CFO-ready ROI.
Global corporate-affairs — multi-market campaigns run from London HQ.
Applied research — commissioning reputation-audit research, sentiment tools.
Ethics under CIPR, PRCA, Ofcom and IPSO at director level.

Who This Course Is For

Advanced Diploma PR practitioners preparing for a UK BSc top-up.
Heads of PR and corporate affairs in UK listed firms.
Associate directors at UK agencies stepping toward director level.
Senior financial PR advisers formalising Chartered Practitioner track.
Consultants building a senior UK reputation-advisory practice.

Career Pathways

Higher Diploma graduates move into PR director-track roles, typically stepping through:

PR Director
Head of Corporate Affairs
Director of Communications
Financial PR Director (junior)
Head of Public Affairs
Head of Reputation Programme

The Higher Diploma is a direct feeder into the LSIBM BSc in Public Relations top-up and CIPR Chartered Practitioner application.

Entry Requirements

A relevant Advanced Diploma (Level 5), HND, HNC, or three years of substantive PR or corporate-affairs experience — a portfolio including a senior campaign case study is encouraged.
GCSE English Language at grade 5/C and Mathematics at grade 4/C (or equivalent).
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short statement of intent and two references (one academic or professional-body, one workplace) — applicants presenting CIPR or PRCA membership are particularly welcome.

Why Study at LSIBM

The London School of International Business and Management (LSIBM) is a specialist business-education provider based in central London and part of Harold International College. Higher Diploma cohorts sit at the near-degree tier — small groups, tutor visibility every week, curriculum reviewed against ACCA, CIMA, CIM, CIPD, CMI and IOE&IT competencies so graduates walk into a UK Bachelor's top-up with confirmed credit transfer.

London puts the City, Canary Wharf, Whitehall, Companies House, the FCA, the Bank of England and the West End within a short tube ride of every classroom. Higher Diploma students attend at least one working practitioner clinic per fortnight and complete a substantial capstone project defended in front of a working professional.

Apply for the Higher Diploma in Public Relations Management

Move onto the top-up track with the Higher Diploma in Public Relations Management. Click Enrol Now and our admissions team will respond within one working day with intake dates, credit-transfer guidance for UK Bachelor's top-up routes, and the current fee schedule. Higher Diploma graduates articulate into LSIBM's Bachelor's final year with confirmed credit transfer at enrolment.