Ask the Expert
Q: Can you recommend a training course I can take as distance or part-time learning? I've very strong practical understanding and experience of strategic communications, however I left school over 20 years ago without a degree or similar. As most positions now ask for a degree as standard, I now feel I'm at a disadvantage against other more formally qualified but less experienced candidates.
A: Your
question speaks loudly about how far this field or profession has
advanced in the last 20 years. We now have a body of knowledge
that's built on two solid footings: accepted professional best practices
and accepted scholarly research-based theories. You seem to appreciate
that, today, to get ahead in a career one needs to have a thorough
understanding of both.
We have a body of knowledge that's built on two solid footings: accepted professional best practices and accepted scholarly research-based theories.
Quality versus qualification
There are many practitioners in the same position as you: professionals
whose qualifications are their years of experience in positions
of increasing responsibility and their expertise gained learning
and performing in specialized sub-functions, such as in your case
internal communications.
With the growth in popularity of university or college PR programs over the past decade, you and the seasoned professionals like you are now competing with practitioners who have the theory and are now gaining the practical best practice knowledge.
Pick a postgraduate course
I believe the minimum requirement for middle and senior management
positions in internal communications, marketing communications,
community relations, media relations or any other sub-function of
the overall PR/corporate
communications function is a postgraduate degree in PR or communication.
This could be a Masters of Arts in Strategic PR, a Masters of Science
in Organizational Communications, or a Masters of Business Administration
in Public Relations/Communication Management.
There are many choices – certificates, diplomas and degrees, and postgraduate options.
It's still possible to gain entry to graduate diploma or degree programs as a mature student, as a mid-career professional by having the institution recognize work experience and contributions to the field or to a professional association.
There are many choices – certificates, diplomas and degrees, and postgraduate options. These could be offered as redidence programs, online programs or a mixture of the two.
A hands-on approach
Generally, a certificate program is offered by a professional association
(for example, the Chartered
Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) in the
UK; or the
Public Relations Society
of America in
the US) sometimes by
themselves and sometimes in conjunction with an institution of
higher
learning. Or, they may be offered by the education institution
itself,
typically for those in the workforce looking to change careers.
These are hands-on type programs, usually taught by practitioners not academics. A series of courses will lead to an association designation or professional accreditation.
For employers looking for a professional designation in their new hires, a certificate is a basic entry point.
With the rise in the need for continuing learning, a graduate or maintenance certificate may also be offered following completion of the original certificate program. For employers looking for a professional designation in their new hires, a certificate is a basic entry point.
Take the fast-track route
A diploma or a postgraduate diploma is offered by a diploma granting
college or a degree granting university. It's the lowest level
of "higher
education" and typically takes one to two years of study. Originally,
in
places like Canada and Australia, colleges offered diploma programs
to post
secondary or high school students.
These were practical programs, focused on allowing the student access to entry level work in a professional field. Now, most students who enroll have a four year undergraduate degree in another subject and want the two years of hands-on training to ensure they can fast-track once employed.
These programs are taught by qualified college teachers and include a good dose of theory. Colleges are now offering these programs as postgraduate programs to practitioners who have many years of experience as well as either an old degree or no degree at all.
Online options
Many of these postgraduate programs in PR are online. In the UK,
A certificate and professional designation from CIPR as well
as a postgraduate diploma may be enough "education" to
please the majority of employers. The University of Leicester,
the University of Stirling and Bournemouth
University all offer postgraduate diploma programs, with entrance
requirements being a first degree or extensive professional experience.
If you want a different online experience, there's Deakin University and University of Canberra in Australia, Royal Roads University in Canada and the University of Maryland University College in the US, for example. There are many more online postgraduate diploma programs you can enter without a first degree.
Root around for the right course
Finally, there are undergraduate and graduate degrees in PR
or communications. Royal Roads in Canada has a BA in Applied Communication
and a MBA in Public Relations and Communications Management. West
Virginia
University in the US has an Integrated Marketing Communication
graduate
program. University of Central Lancashire has a Masters in Strategic
Communication and the University of Wales in Cardiff runs a postgraduate
course in PR.
There are many more online and online/residence combination programs around the world. Many of these allow experienced professionals with a serious track record to enroll. Or, they may accept a diploma plus the professional experience. These are typically two-year programs, heavy into theory, taught by serious scholars.
Do your research
Regardless of the program, make sure that you find out if the
program:
- has been approved by the national PR association;
- employs full-time faculty (or if part-time that the same people have been teaching the same courses each year);
- employs faculty members with recognized profiles and solid reputations
within the profession; and - (if a degree program) employs faculty who are also academic researchers, with a long list of scholarly publications.
Don't think that a lack of an undergraduate degree will hold you
back. Certainly, you should be able to enter a postgraduate diploma
program. You
may be able to enter a postgraduate degree program directly or
after
completing a postgraduate diploma program. These things are negotiable,
depending on your track record at work and in the profession, and
on the
competion to put bums in seats among institutions.
Why not go globe-trotting?
If you're a member of the CIPR, you're
automatically a member of the Global
Alliance (GA) of national public relations associations.
As a GA member, you can take a course in the US, Canada, Australia,
South Africa or a good number of other countries at the same price
that a member of the local national association can. Many universities
offer discounted prices to members of national associations.
I trust this answer is motivating. Best of luck with your quest for learning.
Fraser Likely is President and Managing Partner of Likely Communication Strategies Ltd. The firm specializes in improving the management of the PR/Communication function, providing a wide range of strategic management, organizational design and performance measurement expertise. Fraser's own considerable consulting experience includes conducting audits, reviews and studies, providing advice on re-organizations and the re-allocation of resources, developing the communication department’s strategic management and staff performance measurement capabilities. Fraser has also taught courses on the management of the PR/Communications department at both the undergraduate and postgraduate degree level.