Second professional body accredits PR Masters course at USW

The postgraduate public relations course at the University of South Wales (USW) has gained recognition from a second professional body.

USW’s MSc in Public Relations has been accredited by the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), following similar recognition by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) at the start of 2016.

Students on the USW Masters PR course will now become members of the PRCA, and be able to use the letters MPRCA after their name. They will also have unlimited free access to PRCA online training courses, the PRCA Online Certificate, and networking events.

There will also be discounted access to the annual PRCA Careers Day, which is supported by potential employers, and students will receive the latest market intelligence and industry insight via the PRCA quarterly trends barometer and various sectoral reports.

Course Leader Dr Michael Parsons said:

“Gaining a second accreditation for the postgraduate course is a welcome accolade and adds to the growing reputation the course at USW enjoys.

“With this accreditation, and the CIPR recognition, we are ensuring that our students have links with the major bodies in the sector and are able to tap into the experience and knowledge on offer from the leaders in their field.”

Chair of the PRCA in Wales and managing director of BrandContent, Sharon Flaherty added:

“It’s fantastic to see the university gain this accreditation and join a growing PRCA membership in Wales. It’s crucial that students understand how academia translates into real-world PR and being members of the PRCA and taking advantage of the events and online training will enhance student’s employability, making them more attractive to employers.”

The PRCA represents many of the major consultancies around the world, including the majority of the top 150 UK consultancies, more than 150 in-house teams, including many of Europe’s leading corporations and UK public sector organisations, as well as hundreds of individual and freelance PR and communications practitioners.