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Graduate Diploma of Public Relations (GDPR) -

 Online
Start:Semester 1 (February)
Fees:Domestic full fee paying place
International full fee paying place
Standard duration:Up to 4 years part-time 
Program articulation:

From: Graduate Certificate of Public Relations

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Contact us

Future Australian and New Zealand students  Future International students  Current students 

Freecall (within Australia): 1800 269 500
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 5315
Email: study@usq.edu.au 

Phone: +61 7 4631 5543
Email: international@usq.edu.au 

Freecall (within Australia): 1800 007 252
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 2285
Email: usq.support@usq.edu.au 

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Program aims

This program is designed for prospective students who require professional development or a qualifications upgrade for a move into public relations management. The program aims to produce graduates who have an advanced awareness, understanding and appreciation of the complexities of rational thought, expression and behaviour they will encounter in a public relations career. Graduates will develop capacity for specialised inquiry and scholarship at a higher level. They will be able to apply their knowledge and skills in employment or community service, and have further enhanced their personal, cultural, creative and intellectual capacities.

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Program objectives

On successful completion of the program students should be able to:

  1. synthesise and apply skills and knowledge in advanced professional contexts to solve real world issues and problems

  2. evaluate and critically analyse a range of ideas and theories and ethical considerations pertaining to organisational communication and relationship development

  3. apply advanced knowledge, skills and competency in the principles and practices public relations to effectively communicate with organisational stakeholders and communities

  4. conceive, plan and execute work requiring research, scholarship, composition, and interpretation.


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Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a single national, comprehensive system of qualifications offered by higher education institutions (including universities), vocational education and training institutions and secondary schools. Each AQF qualification has a set of descriptors which define the type and complexity of knowledge, skills and application of knowledge and skills that a graduate who has been awarded that qualification has attained, and the typical volume of learning associated with that qualification type.

This program is at AQF Qualification Level 08. Graduates at this level will have advanced knowledge and skills for professional or highly skilled work and/or further learning.

The full set of levels criteria and qualification type descriptors can be found by visiting .

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Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission, applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

  • Completion of an Australian university Bachelor degree in any area, or equivalent
    or

  • A minimum of five years’ professional work experience equivalent to a qualification at AQF Level 7.

  • English Language Proficiency requirements for Category 3.


All students are required to satisfy the applicable .

If students do not meet the English language requirements they may apply to study a ¾«¶«´«Ã½app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, students may be admitted to an award program.

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Program fees

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the

Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called provided they meet the residency and citizenship requirements.

Australian citizens, Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders, Permanent Resident visa holders and New Zealand citizens who will be resident outside Australia for the duration of their program pay full tuition fees and are not eligible for .

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, via distance education/online. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

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Program structure

The Graduate Diploma of Public Relations consists of eight units of courses. Refer to the Recommended Enrolment Pattern.

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Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 4 years to complete this program.

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IT requirements

For information technology requirements please refer to the

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Exit points

Students may exit with the Graduate Certificate of Public Relations if they have successfully completed 4 courses as follows:


Recommended enrolment pattern

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Recommended Enrolment Pattern

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.


CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedEnrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem
PRL5000 Change Communication † 11
‡12
PRL5002 Strategic Issues and Crisis Management † 12
12
‡11
PRL8005 Management Communication † 11
PRL8010 Public Relations Research and Campaigns ‡12
‡11

Footnotes
†This course is offered in odd numbered years only.
‡This course is offered in even numbered years only.