Journalism and Public Relations (PR)

Journalists play a critical role in a democracy: they report on important events, highlight relevant topics, and keep the community reliably informed. Furthermore, their duty is to observe, expose, challenge and monitor. Their task is to distinguish between important facts and mere entertainment, as well as moderating public discussion.

Journalism finds itself in an exciting time of change; new technologies and business models, innovative journalistic formats and the large number of publication platforms all constitute serious challenges. They will be overcome by committed journalists with new ideas who can think creatively.

Public Relations is the art of communicating professionally on behalf of a client. PR practitioners shape the image presented by a business, organisation or an institution to the public, and in doing so make a very real contribution to their client’s success.

PR professionals are becoming increasingly important in shaping public opinion. Their task is to form long-lasting relationships with important groups. They make information available and manage the communication of current affairs through a variety of channels and media, and in an honest, trustworthy and responsible manner.

Professional writing and communication

On the programme you will polish your language skills and your writing style. You will learn to express yourself eloquently, and to package and present current topics as exciting stories. You will research, check sources and conduct interviews. You will also learn about the different forms of publicity, from tweets, to press releases, to TV reports. During the programme you will also plan and execute your own practical tasks.

Competent media handling

Print media, TV, radio and the web: the programme provides you with an overview of the various media types and examines the features of each. You will learn about various publication techniques and formats. This equips you to publish content online, create folders and magazines, and produce, edit and release video and audio material. You will also learn how to communicate professionally using social media and other social platforms.

Responsible public communications

You examine the social responsibility of journalists and PR advisors. This teaches you about the public consequences of your actions when selecting certain topics, releasing information, or giving a voice to interest groups. You will deal with questions of ethics as well as the legal and economic principles on which the media industry is based.