The PRCA Diploma in Public Affairs Management is for people working in public affairs in a junior role and people in other PR related disciplines who are looking to know more about public affairs or move career into public affairs. It is suitable for people working in-house or in an agency. PubAffairs members can benefit from a 10% discount on the Diploma.
The qualification provides a broad overview of public affairs work and covers parliamentary processes such as legislative procedures and government policy-making. It includes a thorough exploration of public affairs planning, stakeholder identification, issues mapping, message development, parliamentary engagement and relationship management all set within a broader context of lobbying codes, ethical practice and personal responsibilities.
This course includes a one-day optional virtual classroom session on commercial skills such as writing proposals, agreeing budgets, time management and prioritisation, and communicating with confidence.
Qualification objectives
Successful candidates will be able to:
1. Understand key concepts in public affairs management:
- Lobbying, government relations, issues management, reputation management;
- Differences/similarities between public affairs work at an agency and in-house;
- Political PR;
- Lobbying codes, ethical practice and personal responsibilities;
- Parliamentary processes;
- Scottish Parliament, Welsh Parliament, Metro Mayors and Local Government processes.
2. Apply communication and engagement models in a public affairs context:
- Set objectives, identify issues and stakeholders;
- Devise strategies, messages and tactics;
- Engage with identified stakeholders;
- Write proposals, agree budgets, manage over servicing, time management and prioritisation;
- Communicate with confidence;
- Measure outputs and outcomes.
The on-line training will be delivered by the PR Academy and the course leader will be Dr Stuart Thompson and will include personal tuition sessions.
Testimonial:
"The diploma provided an overview of the UK’s parliamentary processes, the legislative procedure and the opportunities for ethical and responsible lobbying within this. For people who are just joining the industry it is a great introduction to the key concepts, models and frameworks of public affairs and political PR."
Mary Dewar, Senior Account Executive, Field Consulting