Studying Public Relations on one of the longest running courses in the UK

I loved the idea of going into an industry that wasn’t so common and that not everyone knew about. Everyone had heard of marketing and advertising, but not so much Public Relations. Not to mention that I loved the type of work a PR assistant would entail in their day-to-day working life. From social media management to press releases, content creating to meeting new people, the idea of communication and the amount it has changed and continues to change is fascinating and I really wanted to be a part of those changes and experience them in my work.

The PR course at Leeds Beckett is one of the longest running in the country (30 years) and for me this means it’s the best in the business. There are so many reasons for this but to name a few: 

Building my experience through real-life projects

The Global Communications Project was an amazing experience - it was a module that was exclusive to Leeds Beckett University that meant we learned valuable experiences, especially relevant in the current circumstances, about communicating online with a variety of different people from different cultures. Other highlights are all the group projects and presentations where you build your confidence throughout the course and in the final year, working with real clients, who use your work - it’s a really rewarding course.

PR is still thriving during the pandemic

Studying Public Relations has opened my eyes to the number of opportunities within the industry. There are so many different routes you can go down with a PR degree in the bag. Looking at the industry in the global pandemic is hard - it consists of a lot of remote working and this will be a huge challenge as the industry thrives off hustle and bustle, but the ‘new working reality’ has taught everyone this year that working from home can be done and can work really well in the circumstances. A global pandemic won’t stop the PR industry and it has done nothing but flourish and continue to grow as a working world.

Looking back at Leeds and ahead to the future

Wow - studying in Leeds has just been the most amazing experience and I really haven’t got one complaint (well, maybe the weather but that would be the case anywhere in the UK!). The size of the city is absolutely perfect; I’ve got to know it inside out and I’m really going to miss it. There are too many of my favourite restaurants, bars and clubs in Leeds to even begin to list, but the feeling of the city is so welcoming, and Leeds will always have a place in my heart.

Looking forward to my future career (that is creeping up on me pretty quick), I see a lot of variety. I really want to experience all aspects of the Public Relations industry and throw myself in the deep end as soon as I can, and hope to have the opportunity to travel on the job. I can’t wait to begin!