Interview with a first year broad course student - meet Jemma Lowman

In our latest 'ask a student' instalment, #BCUWeArePR talks to Jemma, a student who has just completed her first year at BCU and who has been bitten by the media relations bug... 

Nice to meet you!
Hi, I'm Jemma Lowman, a BCU School of Media Media and Communications broad course student from South Wales. I start my second year in September.

How is university life treating you? 
I love being at BCU! Not only is it extremely accessible, from the societies and sports teams right down to the tutors, but BCU also allows me to grow as an individual. I love being independent and also the nightlife isn't too shabby!

Tell us about your studies to date 
When I first got given my options sheet, I didn't have a clue what to choose as there were just so many options within the media that I could explore. However, as I was interested in TV already, I focused my modules around that and hadn't even thought of PR until I saw it listed as an option. I thought about it but wasn't sure what would be involved; wouldn't PR be tonnes of public speaking? I decided to give it a go and here I am, one module down. It was probably my best decision at uni to date as it was completely opposite to what I initially expected and I'm keen to do more PR related modules.

BCU's PR MA course receives national endorsement by CIPR

As Birmingham City University launches a new suite of postgraduate media courses, its Public Relations programme has received national endorsement by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).

Along with new courses in Data Journalism and Media Production, the University’s School of Media are hoping its refreshed postgraduate offer will help plug the skills gap in the Midlands region.

MEDIA COURSES

BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY

Public Relations

Birmingham City University’s Public Relations MA course focuses on the skills needed to communicate on behalf of organisations – such as charities, NGOs and activist groups – dedicated to social change, including health, education, environment, and the public sector.

Philip Young, Senior Lecturer, Public Relations MA, Birmingham City University, said:

“Whether it is persuading people to give blood, eat more vegetables, wear a seatbelt, stop smoking or protect an endangered species, social change is driven by persuasion, relationships and trust. That is what public relations is all about.

“Our course concentrates on developing the skills needed to get causes noticed, to change opinions and then bring practical benefits, all using the latest media techniques. This is PR for people who want to change the world.”

A month of PR interning - reflections of a second year PR student

"My day-to-day tasks were never the same and was positively challenging." says Claudia, a Birmingham City University School of Media student due to start her third year in September, specialising in PR. Earlier this year, she was chosen as runner up in the regional B-Hive creative industries competition, scooping six weeks' worth of paid placements at her choice of top PR agencies in the Midlands. (In fact, the winner and all shortlisted entrants were BCU Media students).

Having completed a month working in PR at two of these - Rewired and McCann - Claudia has shared her thoughts on what she has learnt from this invaluable experience... and how she can apply this to her final year of studies, and beyond.

I've just finished a jam-packed month of interning at two award winning Midlands PR agencies; Rewired and McCann Birmingham.

Both placements were real eye openers into the world of PR and put a lot of what I have learnt in this past year (both in theory and practical modules) into practice. I had the pleasure of working alongside talented individuals who allowed me to work on live campaigns and have a real taster of what PR really is all about.