Course description
Professional recognition
Graduates of the Graduate Diploma of Public Relations are eligible for membership of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA).
Fees and charges
Equivalent Full Time Student Load (EFTSL)
EFTSL is the standard annual full time load. Eight credit points is the standard full time load for one year of study.
Fee paying place - Domestic (DFP)
A Fee paying place is one for which the university does not receive any government funding. As such, students enrolled in these places are required to contribute the full cost of their course.
Fee paying places are available to domestic students. Domestic students are those who are Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens or holders of a permanent visa.
*Indicative course fees should be used as a guide only. Deakin University assumes no responsibility for persons relying on indicative course fees to calculate the total future cost of their course. The indicative course fee is an estimate based on a typical enrolment a student may have for their first year of study in 2009 for their course. The indicative course fee is based on historical first year enrolments within the course, reflecting the discipline cluster of the units which may be studied within the course. The actual fees charged will depend on the individual units chosen. The cost of each unit can be viewed at http://www.deakin.edu.au/current-students/handbooks2009/search.php. Please note that the fees per unit/credit point may increase annually due to rises in the cost of course delivery and services.
Career opportunities
This course is designed to equip graduates with the knowledge, skills and understanding to obtain challenging positions in the expanding field of public relations.
Promising career opportunities exist for public relations professionals in industry and commerce, government, community and education institutions, hospitals, health and welfare organisations, special interest groups, cultural organisations consumer affairs and public relations consultancies.
Course rules
To qualify for the Graduate Diploma of Public Relations, a student must successfully complete 8 credit points of study comprising:
* 4 credit points of Public Relations units selected from the specified list below; and
* 4 credit points of electives selected from the remaining Public Relations units and/or from the following disciplines
Advertising
Children's Literature
Journalism
Literary Studies
Media and Communication
Professional Writing
Public Relations
See Master of Arts (Writing and Literature) (A748) and Master of Communication (A747) for units available in the disciplines above.
Note: Students who complete a specialisation of 4 credit points will have the specialisation indicated on their academic transcript.
PRIA Membership
The Graduate Diploma of Public Relations is accredited by the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA). Students wishing to qualify for membership of the Public Relation Institute of Australia (PRIA) must select 6 credit points of ALR-coded units, including ALR700, ALR704, ALR731 and ALR732.
Course structure
It is strongly recommended that students take ALR731 in their initial year of enrolment.
Trimester 1
ALJ724 Law Media and Communication
ALR704 Public Relations Management
ALR706 Electronic and Internet Public Relations
ALR731 Public Relations Theory and Practice
ALR733 Advertising Theory and Practice
ALR782 Public Affairs and Opinion Formation *
Trimester 2
ALR700 Public Relations Campaigns
ALR701 Public Relations Writing and Tactics
ALR710 Marketing Communication
ALR715 New Ventures in Creative Enterprise
ALR718 New Activism, Communication and Citizenship
ALR732 Research Methods for Contemporary Society
Trimester 1 or trimester 3
AIP740 Public Policy Analysis
* This unit is offered in the wholly online teaching mode only - there will be no face-to-face teaching
Admission requirements - general
Deakin University offers admission to postgraduate courses through a number of Admission categories.
In all categories of admission, selection is based primarily on academic merit as indicated by an applicant's previous academic record.
For more information on the Deakin Admissions Policy visit The Guide
Admission requirements - specific
To be eligible for admission into the Graduate Diploma of Public Relations applicants require
* a bachelor degree from an approved tertiary institution; or
* qualifications deemed to be equivalent.
Advanced standing - general
The University aims to provide students with as much credit as possible for approved prior study or informal learning which exceeds the normal entrance requirements for the course and is within the constraints of the course regulations. Students are required to complete a minimum of one-third of the course at Deakin University, or four credit points, whichever is the greater. In the case of certificates, including graduate certificates, a minimum of two credit points within the course must be completed at Deakin.
You can also refer to the Advanced Standing System which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree.
Advanced standing - specific
Applications for advanced standing will be considered depending on the student's prior qualifications and professional experience.
The Graduate Certificate of Public Relations, the Graduate Diploma of Public Relations and the Master of Arts (Professional Communication) comprise a suite of fully articulated courses. Successful completion of the Graduate Certificate of Public Relations will lead to admission into the Graduate Diploma of Public Relations or the Master of Arts (Professional Communication) with up to 4 credit points of advanced standing. Successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Public Relations will lead to admission into the Master of Arts (Professional Communication) with up to 8 credit points of advanced standing. For the Master degree honours students may be awarded up to 8 credit points of advanced standing.
