This document provides information about the MSc in Strategic Public Relations program offered as a double degree with Lund University in Sweden. The key points covered are: - The program allows students to spend one semester at the University of Stirling in Scotland and two semesters at Lund University in Sweden, receiving separate diplomas from both institutions. - Modules cover areas like strategic public relations planning, theories of public relations, research methods, and students complete an internship. - Graduates have good career prospects in public relations and communication fields, and some receive jobs from their internship placements.

1. MSc
Strategic Public
Relations
(Double Degree with Lund University)
School of Arts and Humanities
http://stir.ac.uk/iu
Entrance Requirements
Normally, a minimum of a second class honours
degree (2.1 preferred) or equivalent in a relevant
subject. Applicants without these formal
qualifications but with significant and relevant
work experience are encouraged to apply.
If English is not your first language you will need
to provide evidence of your proficiency in the
English language.
Tuition Fees and Funding
Details of tuition fees can be found at
http://www.stir.ac.uk/postgraduate/financial-
information/tuition-fees/
We offer a substantial package of funding
opportunities to encourage and support well
qualified, ambitious students to come and study
at the University of Stirling.
You can find out more about these
funding opportunities at
http://www.stir.ac.uk/scholarships
Contact information
Dr Derek Hodge, Programme Director
Telephone:
UK+44 (0) 1786 466215
Email:
derek.hodge@stir.ac.uk
http://stir.ac.uk/iu
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Photography: For a list of photographers who have
contributed to the University of Stirling photo library,
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This publication can be made available in different formats.
Please contact Student Recruitment and Admissions for further
information: recruitment@stir.ac.uk
The University of Stirling is a charity registered in Scotland,
number SC 011159.
This programme
offers the chance to
study Public Relations
in two countries known
for their academic
expertise.
Robin Hüdepohl
Programme Overview
Modules: You will spend the first semester at Stirling and then move to Lund
University for the second and third semesters. Students will study the following
modules: Strategic Public Relations Planning, Public Relations and Public
Communications: Theories & Contexts, Public Affairs and Advocacy, Organisational
Communication, Research for Dissertation, Research and Evaluation for
Practice, Research Design and Specialist Research Methods. Students are required
to complete an internship during the third semester.
Key staff: The team at Stirling includes Dr Derek Hodge and Dr Alenka Jelen.
Dr Hodge worked in the public relations industry for a number of years before
enrolling in Stirling’s MSc in Public Relations programme in 1999. He returned
to the University as a lecturer in 2006. Dr Jelen has taught in various areas of
communication studies in universities in Europe, including her native Slovenia, and
the UK. She also has experience of working in the public relations industry and
broadcast journalism. An excellent team at Lund is led by Dr Howard Northhaft.
Timetable: Lectures, seminars and workshops are scheduled each week. For the
Stirling semester, students have four modules that run concurrently. For the Lund
semesters, students take one module at a time over a five week period.
Dissertation: Students deliver a 12,000-word dissertation which can be
supervised by Stirling or Lund.

2. MSc in Strategic Public
Relations (Double Degree
with Lund University)
Why Strategic Public Relations?
The MSc in Strategic Public Relations
(Double Degree with Lund University) is a
two-year course so it’s a bit different to other
postgraduate degrees at Stirling and the rest of
the UK. It’s a double degree with Lund University
in Helsingborg, Sweden, and provides students
with an opportunity to study in two different
countries, and receive two separate diplomas.
This is very much an international programme
and we embed international perspectives within
all the modules. As well as living and studying in
Sweden, students also gain different perspectives
on international public relations and strategic
communication through field trips, which includes
a two-day Public Affairs and Lobbying seminar
series in Brussels.
We want to develop critical thinkers so there is
a strong emphasis on critical thinking skills and
analysis throughout the course. It’s a demanding
and competitive programme, and we only have
20 places available, so we are looking for very
high calibre students. The course is taught entirely
in English so students don’t need any Swedish
language skills.
For further information on the
campus visit: http://stir.ac.uk/9w
Unique in Europe
This programme is
rather unique in Europe,
as it offers the chance to
study PR in two countries
known for their academic
expertise. Getting the
chance to be part of
a truly international
environment is a once in a
lifetime opportunity before
settling down for work life.
Not only does it broaden
your horizons, it also trains
and nurtures international
management and
organisation skills.
Robin Hüdepohl,
MSc Strategic Public Relations
(Double Degree with Lund
University) student.
Applied Research and
Employment Opportunities
As part of the programme, you will undertake an internship, which
lasts between six and eight weeks, and can take place anywhere
in the world. We have had students who secured placements
with major consultancies and high profile companies, and many
received job offers from their internship providers. Our feedback
suggests more and more employers within the public relations
and communication sectors want employees who can carve out
international careers so the proven ability to live and study in
different countries is seen as a major advantage. Career prospects
are very good. Even through the recent testing economic climate,
there has still been a great demand for communication specialists.
Graduates of our postgraduate public relations courses have gone
on to establish careers with household names like Nike, Pfizer,
and Office Depot, as well as within the non-profit/charity sector.
The programme does a bit of both in terms of preparing students
for future study, as well as practice within strategic communication,
so students are equipped to go on to study at PhD level if they
choose. We have strong industry links, which have been established
over a number of years by our staff, who all have practitioner
experience as well as excellent academic credentials. As such, we
have an excellent guest speaker programme and talks from different
areas of industry take place almost on a weekly basis.
For further information on course content visit:
http://stir.ac.uk/iu
Five reasons why you should choose the
MSc in Strategic Public Relations
(Double Degree with Lund University)
1. The programme is delivered by an international team, who all have their
own specialisations, so you will benefit from the expertise of a broad range
of academics.
2. The trip to Brussels provides an excellent opportunity for networking and
making contacts within the public relations industry.
3. The internship is another key part of the curriculum, which provides practical
experience and boosts future employment prospects.
4. You will enjoy a truly inter-cultural experience at Stirling and Lund that will
help make you stand out from the crowd in the eyes of potential employers.
5. It’s a double degree with two universities who have an excellent track record
in the subject area. In fact, Stirling was the first university in the UK to offer
a Masters degree in public relations.
Is the MSc in Strategic
Public Relations
(Double Degree with
Lund University) for me?
At both the University of Stirling
and Lund University you will
take a strategic approach to the
field, encompassing a variety of
perspectives and disciplines. The
MSc in Strategic Public Relations
equips you with the necessary
practical and analytical skills for an
internationally- focused professional
career by examining how to design,
implement and evaluate public
relations and communication
management programmes. The
programme attracts a broad mix
of students from all over the
world, including a large number of
Scandinavian students from Iceland,
Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
And, because internationalisation
is one of the key elements of
the course, you will benefit from
communicating inter-culturally with
fellow students on a day to day
basis, as well as living in two very
different countries. Most of our
students come straight from an
undergraduate degree and the vast
majority possess a communication
background, such as public relations,
marketing or journalism.