MA
A Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) partner
Advertising and PR plays a vital, frontline role in any organisation’s communications strategy. Which approaches will make a business thrive? What are the promises and threats of social media? How can individuals future proof themselves in this dynamic, energetic industry?
Discover the answer to these questions and more with our MA in Advertising and Public Relations, London’s first postgraduate degree to unite these exciting, creative disciplines. US and UK accredited, it is taught in Kensington – a vibrant and prestigious area in central London, the heart of the advertising and PR industry.
The programme is taught by industry veterans with decades of experience at boardroom level, emphasising the professional skills and practical training you need to kickstart an exciting and creative career. Build your CV with accredited internships and benefit from a wealth of guest speakers from every level of the industry.
“Advertising is saying you are good. PR is getting someone else to say you’re good”
– Jean Louis-Gassée
Explore what we offer with the help of some of our Master’s students who share their experiences. We give something unique, as the only UK University offering all students a UK and US degree with one programme, providing diversity, choice and freedom.
About the programme
London is the heart of the global communications industry, where the world’s top advertising and PR professionals work on the world’s most famous brands. MA Advertising & Public Relations embeds you in this fast-paced world, located at the forefront of digital innovation, an unparalleled hub for media, entertainment, celebrity, fashion, sports and more.
You’ll have a competitive advantage, able to study one programme and gain two degrees. An MA at Richmond grants you both a US and UK masters, paving the way for careers on both sides of the Atlantic and internationally. This Master’s programme in Advertising and Public Relations blends the practical skills and theoretical knowledge you need to accelerate your career in a competitive, thrilling industry. We look forward to working with you.
What you will study
From the word ‘go’, the emphasis is on the practical as you’ll develop and present your creative project. You’ll be able to live and breathe advertising and PR with an optional accredited internship and mandatory research project at the end of the programme, developing your critical thinking skills and gaining invaluable working experience.
The programme also provides in-depth academic insights of the advertising and PR industries, their digital transformation and how they affect consumers and social media audiences worldwide.
Guest speakers, who are leading figures in the advertising and PR world, are invited to share their knowledge and experience with our MA students over the course, ensuring you’ll be aware of emerging industry trends. Just to give you a flavour, these are some of the guest speakers who have been featured on the programme:
In addition, you could have the opportunity to do some inspiring site visits to some of London’s top communications agencies.
Perfect your digital media skills and learn how advertising and PR fit into the global marketing communications mix.
In the second semester, you’ll be able to gain knowledge and skills by choosing electives from a captivating choice of topics, including Celebrities, Marketing and the Media; Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management and Political Communication.
Through our partnership with them, you’ll also have membership of The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) – Europe’s largest and most influential PR and communications membership body –enabling you to attend free networking events and participate in additional online learning.
Fall Semester
|
Spring Semester
plus ONE elective
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Summer Semesterplus EITHER
|
OR
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Entry requirements
At Richmond our postgraduate degree programmes, which are based on the US educational approach, are available as 1 year (full-time) or two year (part-time) options with some programmes offering even more flexibility.
The entry requirements for all postgraduate programmes at Richmond are the same, regardless of your chosen study option, excluding our International Business (MSc) programme
*All other equivalent eligible transfer credits will be determined by Admissions.
For more information on English Language Requirements visit our How to Apply webpage.
Fees & funding
Postgraduate tuition fees for students starting their programme this academic year can be found in the table below.
UK |
EU / INT / US |
|
| Spring / Fall 2023 | Spring / Fall 2023 | |
| MA Programmes
(per year) |
£9,000 | £13,250 (Spring 2023) £13,750 (Fall 2023) |
(Hint: Scroll left & right to view the full table)
For more information visit our Tuition Fees & Funding webpage.
Employability
We offer career support and advice through our Careers & Internships Office that will assist and guide you in your study choices to make sure you stand out from the crowd when you graduate. Through internships you will gain business acumen, beneficial work experiences and transferable skills which will give you a competitive advantage in a fast-paced working environment. Work while you study across 5 continents through our partners Connect123 and CRCC Asia with destinations in Spain, Argentina, South Africa, China, Japan, Vietnam and Australia.
Career Paths
Award winning advertising agencies and PR agencies, WPP Group, Ogilvy & Mather, Saatchi & Saatchi, DDB, OMG Group, MediaCom, Edelman, Dentsu Aegis, Publicis, Mindshare, Racepoint Global, Mischief PR, TBWA, Havas Media
Further Education
IAA – International Advertising Association, Advertising Association (AA), London Business School, London School of Economics, CIM, IDM
Membership
PRCA – Public Relations and Communications Association. For detailed information please visit the website.
Optional accredited internship
Optional Accredited Internship (London or International)
The Internship Programme at Richmond integrates industry knowledge with real working experience. Students will be challenged to relate course projects to the workplace, make contacts which may prove valuable to their future employment prospects, and gain confidence in their capabilities, creativity and communication skills. Internships are designed to be both demanding and rewarding. The internship will provide an opportunity to better understand the marketplace, using the skills learned on courses in a real-world setting, as students produce an assessed record of their experiences.
A broad education of this kind equips graduates for a wide range of careers internationally, while enabling them to develop specialist expertise in areas of particular interest.
Optional Accredited USA Internship (additional cost)
Students interested in gaining work experience in the USA during their last semester and wishing for help to secure a placement can be linked up to Richmond’s partner GCC (Global Career Center).
This organization will offer students comprehensive career training, find them a placement with a hosting company related to their field of studies in the USA and provide all the necessary support to students with their J1 visa application.
This optional internship will incur an additional cost of $3500 (£2600) which will cover: the J1 visa application, site visit and insurance costs ($1820), GCC’s continuous training as well as finding a placement.
The initial cost to start the coaching and training part of the programme is $1,000 and the rest of the fee is only paid once the internship has been confirmed by the host organisation/company and validated by RAIUL’s International Internship Coordinator.
An official certificate of completion will be awarded to every student having successfully completed the programme.
Visit our Careers & Internships webpage for more details on the Host Organisations and examples of Work projects.
For more information contact our Head of Careers and Internships Cecile Loyen.
How to apply
You can apply for Postgraduate study using our online application form.
Whilst most of our courses do not set an exact deadline for applications, you are advised to apply early to secure your place and organise any sponsorship or funding.
Visit our How to Apply webpage for more information regarding Entry Requirements, admissions processes and to start your application.
What our students say
Register for a 1-2-1 consultation with a programme academic >>
Learn more about our Postgraduate degrees, scholarship opportunities and career prospects.
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“Combining advertising and public relations, our unique programme features industry veterans and a wealth of guest speakers from across the sector. With small, international classes and an accredited internship in the heart of the global PR industry, this industry-oriented programme ensures the practical skills and theoretical knowledge you need to enhance or kickstart your career in this dynamic and competitive field.”
– Dr. Sam Brooker, Programme Leader
“My time spent at Richmond was much different from my previous university in the sense that it was much more hands-on. The University enabled me to experience PR and advertising first-hand, through their internship programme.
Throughout my internship, I had regular contact with my University mentor, who always helped to point me in the right direction. I feel as though the inclusion of an internship programme in the degree had a hugely positive impact on my study at Richmond, as I was truly able to put all the theory they had taught me over the years into practice.
Lastly, the combination of both a US and UK degree was a privilege as I had always hoped to perhaps work in the US one day and with this double accredited degree, this would be much easier to accomplish now.
“The MA Advertising & PR course means I will carry into my professional career a new level of balance, discipline, adaptability, and organisational skills for a successful future.”
“I decided to study my MA at Richmond as I only wanted to pursue a postgraduate degree if it was practical and relevant to my career, so Richmond was a perfect fit for me.
I’ve really enjoyed writing press releases, creating advertising and PR plans and even presenting, which was scary initially but we did so many presentations throughout the year that by the end, I was really comfortable with it.
I was very fortunate as I did a summer internship with a PR agency who specialise in healthy food and drink and natural beauty brands, where I was able to put what I learned at Richmond to use. Shortly after, they offered me a permanent position as a Junior Account Executive, so it’s worked out brilliantly.”
