Public Relations Subject regulations
Public relations is an exciting, fast-growing industry that involves using strategic communication to help an organisation maintain trusted relationships with its key stakeholders, seek to influence people's opinions or behaviour, and achieve its overall mission. If you enjoy writing and talking to different people, and love framing ideas in imaginative and engaging ways, then a career in PR may be right for you. It may also involve working with journalists, organising events, crisis/issues management, sponsorship and fundraising, government lobbying, and community/corporate relations.
Public Relations is available as a first major for the Bachelor of Business (BBus), the Bachelor of Climate Change (BCC), the Bachelor of Communication (BC) and the Bachelor of Management Studies with Honours (BMS(Hons))[1]. Public Relations may also be included as a second major or minor in other undergraduate degrees, subject to approval of the Division in which the student is enrolled.
To complete Public Relations as a single major for the BBus, BC or BCC, students must gain 135 points from papers listed for Public Relations, including 105 points above 100 level, and 60 points above 200 level. Students must complete PUBRL101, one paper from MRKTG101 or STMGT101; PUBRL201, PUBRL204, PUBRL205, PUBRL305, 30 points from PUBRL302, PUBRL303, or PUBRL304 and a Work Integrated Learning paper approved for the degree.
To complete Public Relations as part of a double major for the BBus, BC, BCC, or other undergraduate degree, students must gain 120 points from papers listed for Public Relations, including 90 points above 100 level, and 45 points above 200 level. Students must complete PUBRL101, one paper from MRKTG101 or STMGT101; PUBRL201, PUBRL204, PUBRL205, PUBRL302, PUBRL304 and PUBRL305.
To complete a minor in Public Relations, students must complete 60 points from the papers listed for the Public Relations major, including at least 30 points above 100 level. Students must complete PUBRL101.
NOTES:
[1] There will be no new enrolments into the BMS(Hons) from 2024. Students who commenced a BMS(Hons) in 2023 or prior should contact the Waikato Management School for programme advice.
Students are encouraged to contact the Waikato Management School for programme advice.
Other qualifications
Prescriptions for:
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GradCert(PR) and GradDip(PR) A Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma are available to graduates who have not included Public Relations at an advanced level in their first degree. The qualification regulations define the subject requirements for the Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma. There are no specified subject papers that must be completed for these programmes.
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PGCert(PR), PGDip(PR), BBus(Hons), BCS(Hons) and MBus The qualification regulations define the subject requirements for the BBus(Hons), BCS(Hons), PGCert(PR), PGDip(PR) and MBus. There are no specified subject papers that must be completed for the BBus(Hons), BCS(Hons), and PGCert(PR) programmes.
PGDip(PR) students must complete LCOMM583, LCOMM584, PUBRL591.
MBus students must complete MNGMT581 and one of PUBRL591, PUBRL592, PUBRL593, PUBRL594, and 30 points from LCOMM583, LCOMM584. Students taking the 120 point MBus are required to complete at least 60 points from the papers listed for the subject. Students taking the 180 point MBus are required to complete at least 120 points from the papers listed for the subject.
Public Relations papers
Code and paper title | Points | |
---|---|---|
MRKTG101
Fundamentals of Successful Marketing
This paper focuses on the role of Marketing in business, introducing students to marketing research, consumer behaviour, and analysis, as essential... |
15 | 25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Online) & 25A (Tauranga) & 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Online) & 25G (Hamilton) & 25VB (National Economics University, Vietnam) & 25X (Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou China) |
PUBRL101
Introduction to Public Relations
This paper introduces students to various kinds of tools and expertise used by public relations practitioners in their effort to build relationships... |
15 | 25A (Hamilton) |
STMGT101
Introduction to Management
Managing in organisations, small and large, in changing local and international business environments requires knowledge, skills, and abilities of... |
15 | 25A (Hamilton) & 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga) & 25VA (National Economics University, Vietnam) & 25X (Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou China) |
Code and paper title | Points | |
---|---|---|
PUBRL201
Media Relations and Publicity
This paper provides students with concepts and techniques that enable them to create and report news for traditional and social media and to... |
15 | 25B (Hamilton) |
PUBRL202
Health Communication
This paper explores the construction and evaluation of communication campaigns to address health issues in communities and organisations. The... |
15 | 25A (Hamilton) |
PUBRL204
Contemporary Public Relations Writing
Modern communications professionals write to represent organisations across many different audiences, purposes and contexts. PUBRL204 teaches... |
15 | 25A (Hamilton) |
PUBRL205
Internal Communication and Organisational Change
This paper introduces students to communication as central to organisational practices. It provides theoretical and practical insights to equip... |
15 | 25B (Hamilton) |
Code and paper title | Points | |
---|---|---|
PUBRL301
Stakeholder and Community Engagement
This paper is designed to develop capacity in students to develop and facilitate ethical collaborative communication and relationship engagement... |
15 | No occurrences |
PUBRL302
Issues and Crisis Management
PUBRL302 takes a case study approach to learning to understand and strategically adapt to a wide range of issues and to respond to crises that may... |
15 | 25B (Hamilton) |
PUBRL303
Events Management
This experiential paper draws together best practice in event management from a practical, business, and operational perspective. The paper covers... |
15 | 25A (Hamilton) |
PUBRL304
Corporate Social Responsibility and Social License
This paper introduces students to the concepts and practices of corporate social responsibility, and the associated need for organisations to... |
15 | 25A (Hamilton) |
PUBRL305
Public Relations Campaigns
Public Relations Campaigns is the capstone course in the public relations major. It develops students’ strategic approach to public relations... |
15 | 25B (Hamilton) |
WSOMM396
Management Internship
The Management Internship provides students with the opportunity to apply their management discipline-based knowledge to an authentic project within... |
15 | 25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Tauranga) & 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga) & 25C (Hamilton) & 25C (Tauranga) & 25VB (Internet National Economics University, Vietnam) |
WSOMM399
Report of an Investigation
This paper offers students the opportunity to complete a directed investigation of an approved topic relevant to an organisation or industry and in... |
15 | 25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Tauranga) & 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga) |
Code and paper title | Points | |
---|---|---|
LCOMM583
Leadership, Communication and Transformation
Our focus in this paper will be on leadership communication, or the ways leaders and followers interact and the ways leaders attempt to create and... |
30 | 25A (Hamilton) |
LCOMM584
Sustainable Futures
Individuals and organisations operate in contexts that are increasingly complex and uncertain. They face issues that are global in nature and which... |
30 | 25B (Hamilton) |
PUBRL591
Public Relations Dissertation
A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation. |
30 | 25X (Hamilton) |
PUBRL592
Public Relations Dissertation
A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation. |
60 | 25X (Hamilton) |
PUBRL593
Public Relations Thesis
An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research. |
90 | 25X (Hamilton) |
PUBRL594
Public Relations Thesis
An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research. |
120 | 25X (Hamilton) |
Code and paper title | Points | |
---|---|---|
PUBRL800 Public Relations MPhil Thesis | 120 | 25X (Hamilton) |
Code and paper title | Points | |
---|---|---|
PUBRL900 Public Relations PhD Thesis | 120 | 25I (Hamilton) & 25J (Hamilton) & 25K (Hamilton) & 25X (Hamilton) & 25X (Tauranga) |
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MRKTG101 Fundamentals of Successful Marketing
This paper focuses on the role of Marketing in business, introducing students to marketing research, consumer behaviour, and analysis, as essential...
Points 15PUBRL101 Introduction to Public RelationsThis paper introduces students to various kinds of tools and expertise used by public relations practitioners in their effort to build relationships...
Points 15STMGT101 Introduction to ManagementManaging in organisations, small and large, in changing local and international business environments requires knowledge, skills, and abilities of...
Points 15 -
PUBRL201 Media Relations and Publicity
This paper provides students with concepts and techniques that enable them to create and report news for traditional and social media and to...
Points 15PUBRL202 Health CommunicationThis paper explores the construction and evaluation of communication campaigns to address health issues in communities and organisations. The...
Points 15PUBRL204 Contemporary Public Relations WritingModern communications professionals write to represent organisations across many different audiences, purposes and contexts. PUBRL204 teaches...
Points 15PUBRL205 Internal Communication and Organisational ChangeThis paper introduces students to communication as central to organisational practices. It provides theoretical and practical insights to equip...
Points 15 -
PUBRL301 Stakeholder and Community Engagement
This paper is designed to develop capacity in students to develop and facilitate ethical collaborative communication and relationship engagement...
Points 15PUBRL302 Issues and Crisis ManagementPUBRL302 takes a case study approach to learning to understand and strategically adapt to a wide range of issues and to respond to crises that may...
Points 15PUBRL303 Events ManagementThis experiential paper draws together best practice in event management from a practical, business, and operational perspective. The paper covers...
Points 15PUBRL304 Corporate Social Responsibility and Social LicenseThis paper introduces students to the concepts and practices of corporate social responsibility, and the associated need for organisations to...
Points 15PUBRL305 Public Relations CampaignsPublic Relations Campaigns is the capstone course in the public relations major. It develops students’ strategic approach to public relations...
Points 15WSOMM396 Management InternshipThe Management Internship provides students with the opportunity to apply their management discipline-based knowledge to an authentic project within...
Points 15WSOMM399 Report of an InvestigationThis paper offers students the opportunity to complete a directed investigation of an approved topic relevant to an organisation or industry and in...
Points 15 -
LCOMM583 Leadership, Communication and Transformation
Our focus in this paper will be on leadership communication, or the ways leaders and followers interact and the ways leaders attempt to create and...
Points 30LCOMM584 Sustainable FuturesIndividuals and organisations operate in contexts that are increasingly complex and uncertain. They face issues that are global in nature and which...
Points 30PUBRL591 Public Relations DissertationA report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation.
Points 30PUBRL592 Public Relations DissertationA report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation.
Points 60PUBRL593 Public Relations ThesisAn externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research.
Points 90PUBRL594 Public Relations ThesisAn externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research.
Points 120 -
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PUBRL900 Public Relations PhD ThesisPoints 120
2025 Catalogue of Papers information current as of 15 Nov 2024 01:00am