Explore the intersection of media, culture, politics and business. Gain the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed for a career in Public Relations and communications.

Our MA in Media and Public Relations combines hands-on public relations practice with in-depth media analysis. On our programme you'll explore the intersection of media, culture, politics and business and prepare for a career in a fast-evolving industry.

This Master's in Media and Public Relations is for:

students who have Public Relations (PR) knowledge through undergraduate studies or voluntary work
PR professionals wishing to develop their academic knowledge and research methods

Teaching draws on the research of specialists in media, communication and cultural studies.

Through the course you'll gain:

a critical understanding of media, culture and society
knowledge to theorise and analyse media and public relations
knowledge of media law and public relations regulations in a transnational context
an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different types of data dissemination
a critical understanding of the strategic and ethical use of AI within the public relations industry.

You'll also develop valuable professional skills, such as:

analytical and critical skills to assess and conduct research in the field of media and PR
the ability to deliver and evaluate a PR event in the public, private and voluntary sectors
skills to set up a campaign network and deliver PR campaign messages
skills to produce effective press releases
written materials for traditional and digital media

How to apply

Quality and ranking

Global Top 140 UniversityQS World University Rankings 2026
Top 25 in the UK and Top 200 in the world for sustainable developmentTimes Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025
42% of our research is classified as 4* world-leading researchResearch Excellence Framework 2021
65% increase in research power since 2014Research Excellence Framework 2021
Global Top 145 UniversityTimes Higher Education World University Rankings 2026
Joint 64th in the world and 22nd in the UK for sustainabilityQS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026
Top 5 city for affordability in the UKQS Best Student Cities 2026
World Top 50 and UK Top 5 student cityQS Best Student Cities 2026
89th in the worldTIME Magazine: World’s Top Universities 2026

Professional accreditation and recognition

Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)

This course is recognised by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), Europe's largest PR professional institute and the world's only Royal Chartered body for public relations professionals.

You will be affiliated to the CIPR North East regional group. You are welcome to attend any of the events that the group offers to its members at competitive prices, including:

networking events and panel discussions
seminars and webinars
Q&As with authors of recent, internationally acclaimed publications discussing PR

Membership allows you to network with members. You can seek career advice and guidance, as well as interviewees for dissertation projects.

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK

If you’re studying an accredited degree and thinking about working in Europe after you graduate, the best place to find current information is the UK Government’s guidance on recognition of UK professional qualifications in EU member states. This official resource explains whether your profession is regulated in another country, what steps you need to take, and which organisation you should contact.

There is so much I enjoy about my course: the modules, practical tasks and assignments. I love that I have opportunities to express my thoughts and think critically at the same time. I’m gaining vital experience alongside international students.

Next: Course details

What you'll learn

You'll build knowledge, understanding and skills through compulsory and optional modules. You'll carry out independent research into a theme or issue relating to media and public relations for your dissertation.

Part-time students take 80 credits of compulsory modules in year one and 100* credits in year two.

* 40 credits of optional modules and the 60 credits research dissertation or 60 credits final media project.

Modules

You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.

Media and Public Relations MA modules

Compulsory Modules	Credits
Media and Promotional Cultures	20
Researching Media and PR	20
Strategies and Management in PR	20
Public Relations Theory and Concepts	20

You also undertake one of the following modules:

Compulsory modules	Credits
Dissertation for MA Media and Public Relations	60
MA Media and PR Final Project	60

Optional Modules	Credits
International Human Rights and Development: Global Challenges	20
Freelancing in Media and Communications	20
Global and Environmental Public Relations	20
Media & PR Final Project	60
Cultures of Data Visualization	20
News and Journalism	20
Digital communication for cultural institutions and organisations	20
Digital Politics, Communication, and AI	20
Dissertation for MA Media and Public Relations	60

How you'll learn

Delivery and teaching methods

You'll be taught using a range of methods, including:

online learning materials
seminars
workshops
online discussion groups

You're expected to work independently and in groups. You'll:

read widely
participate actively in discussions
develop topics for investigation based on advice from tutors

Assessment methods

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

Case study
Computer assessment
Dissertation
Essay
Oral presentation
Portfolio
Report
Research proposal
Written exercise

Student support

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:

academic staff
personal tutors and research supervisors
our University Student Services Team
student representatives
peers

You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff, who will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.

Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:

module handbooks
course materials
groups
course announcements and notifications
written feedback

Our experienced professional teaching team includes colleagues with international background and a variety of experience in the PR and communication industry.

Each year, we host exclusive masterclasses with expert speakers, including Professor Timothy Coombs who:

is a globally-recognised scholar of issues and crisis management and an ICA fellow.
is editor for Corporate Communications: An International Journal
is an author of several PR textbooks and has numerous research that has appeared in high impact PR and Communication journals
coined the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) which is recognised as one of the most influential theories in crisis communication
has works that have been at the forefront of establishing crisis communication as an identifiable research field within corporate communications

Course information: Disclaimers, policies and changes

Previous: Overview Next: Entry requirements

Entry requirements

The entrance requirements below apply to 2026 entry.

Academic entry requirements

A 2:2 honours degree, or international equivalent.

We will also consider your application on an individual basis if you have lower or non-standard qualifications and relevant professional experience in:

the media
broadcasting
print journalism

Qualifications from outside the UK

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English Language requirements

Select your qualification IELTSPearsonsDuolingo English TestTOEFLOtherPre-Sessional Entry - 6 weeksPre-Sessional Entry - 10 weeks

Pre-Master’s and English Language courses

Need an alternative route to study this course? Our International Study Centre offers Pre-Master’s degrees and English language courses to prepare you for study.

Explore these courses

Previous: Course details Next: Careers

Your future

Careers

We'll equip you with the skills and knowledge needed for a career in the Media or Public Relations. Our course attracts graduates from across the globe and students are given the opportunity to build a portfolio of work that translates globally. On successful completion of the course students can be employed in the following roles:

Public Relations Officer
Events Coordinator
Social Media Manager
Communications Specialist
Publicist
Copywriter
Media director
Brand Manager
Client Services Manager
Digital Marketing Manager
Media Researcher
Public Affairs Consultant
Crisis Communications Consultant
Strategic Advisor
Internal Communications Manager
Employee Engagement Manager

As an MA Media and Public Relations student at Newcastle University, you'll develop a wide range of transferable skills. These range from presentation and research skills to teamwork and project management, which are highly sought after by employers.

Further Study

This Media and Public Relations MA provides a route into PhD level study.

Our Careers Service

Our expert Careers Service is here to help you take the next steps in your professional life. We will support you while you’re studying with us and for up to three years after you graduate.\ \ You will have access to expert one-to-one advice and guidance through our campus careers centre and online, along with digital resources, workshops, networking opportunities, and careers and recruitment events.\ \ We’ve been awarded 5 QS Stars for Student Employability (2025). Many of our degrees are shaped by strong links with national and international businesses. We are committed to helping you access real-world experience opportunities and develop key skills through paid work placements and internships.

Visit our Careers Service website

It was amazing to have such a great mentor who taught me lots and opened plenty of doors for me when it came to graduating.

Previous: Entry requirements Next: Facilities

Facilities

Most of the teaching and learning on this course will take place in-person in the Armstrong building.

The Armstrong building includes:

lecture theatres
seminar rooms
PC clusters
student lounges

Previous: Careers Next: Fees & funding

Fees, Funding and Scholarships

Tuition fees for 2026 entry (per year)

Qualification: MA Full time
Home students Full time: 12 months	Tuition fees (per year) £11,400
International students Full time: 12 months	Tuition fees (per year) £27,100

Qualification: MA Part time
Home students Part time: 24 months	Tuition fees (per year) £5,700

Tuition fee increases

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals - tuition fee status

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

matriculation
registration
tuition (or supervision)
library access
examination
re-examination
graduation

Find out more about:

Deposit

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

Funding deadlines

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

Search for funding and scholarships

Find funding available for your course

Select your country AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBritish Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCaribbeanCayman IslandsChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFijiFinlandFranceGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGrenadaGuatemalaGuyanaHaitiHondurasHong KongHungaryIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIsraelItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKosovoKuwaitLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLithuaniaLuxembourgMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaltaMauritiusMexicoMongoliaMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPakistanPalestinePanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRepublic of IrelandRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da CunhaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailandTogoTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandUruguayUSAUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuelaVietnamZambiaZimbabwe

Previous: Facilities Next: How to apply

How to apply

Before you start

Start Dates

The course starts in September.

Closing Dates

There is no application deadline for this course.

We suggest international students apply at least two months before the course starts. This is so that you have enough time to make the necessary arrangements.

Deposit

All International students

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you must pay a deposit or submit an official letter of sponsorship. The deposit is payable after you receive an offer to study with us. This deposit is non-refundable and will be deducted from your tuition fees when you register. You may also be subject to academic and English language qualification verification, confirmation of funds and credibility interviews.

International students who received an offer before 18 March 2026

You are required to pay a £1,500 deposit or submit an official letter of sponsorship.

International students Bangladesh, Ghana, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan who received an offer after 18 March 2026

You are required to pay a deposit of £5,000 or submit an official letter of sponsorship by 01 August 2026.

All International students (excluding those from the markets above) who received an offer after 18 March 2026

You are required to pay a deposit of £1,500 or submit an official letter of sponsorship by 01 August 2026.

Programme codes

Qualification: MA Full time
Full time: 12 months	Programme Code: 4076F

Qualification: MA Part time
Part time: 24 months	Programme Code: 4076P

Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.

\ Apply Online

Previous: Fees & funding Next: Get in touch

Open days and events

Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events

Get in touch

Questions about this course?

If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:

Anne-Marie Lacey\ Email: anne-marie.lacey@ncl.ac.uk \ School of Arts & Cultures

General enquiries

For more general enquiries, you could also complete our online enquiry form.

Fill in our enquiry form

Application enquiries

If you've got a question about your application, send us an enquiry via the application portal you applied through.

If you haven't applied yet, you can send your questions via our enquiry form.

Fill in our enquiry form

Live chat

Our Ncl chatbot might be able to give you an answer straight away. If not, it’ll direct you to someone who can help.

You'll find our Ncl chatbot in the bottom right of this page.

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Media and Public Relations MA

Overview

Quality and ranking

Professional accreditation and recognition

What you'll learn

Modules

How you'll learn

Entry requirements

Academic entry requirements

Qualifications from outside the UK

English Language requirements

Pre-Master’s and English Language courses

Your future

Careers

Further Study

Our Careers Service

Facilities

Fees, Funding and Scholarships

Tuition fees for 2026 entry (per year)

Scholarships

What you're paying for

Search for funding and scholarships

How to apply

Before you start

Programme codes

Using the application portal

Open days and events

Overseas events

Get in touch

Questions about this course?

General enquiries

Application enquiries

Live chat

Chat to our students

Keep updated

Social media