In a world where organisations are under increasing public scrutiny, protecting a company’s corporate reputation and communicating effectively are vital for survival.

Take the first step to a career in corporate communications, public relations consultancy or in managing corporate brands.

Using the latest research and current best practice, you learn how to communicate effectively with key stakeholders, including employees, and promote a positive corporate reputation. Communication specialists who can take a strategic view of business are in high demand and those with a thorough understanding of current communication technology are in short supply.

We help to meet that demand by giving you a unique experience combining advanced knowledge of up-to-the-minute communication skills and techniques, with case studies and practical examples of best practice. You graduate equipped with analytical tools which can be used across all sectors and will give you a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Recent recruiters include:

Recent recruiters include: Blemain Group, BNY Mellon, British Council, eBay, Energy Development Corp, Ernst & Young, John Lewis, JP Morgan, Microsoft, Swier Group, Tesco plc, United Nations, Wal-Mart

Course structure

(all taught course units are 15 credits)

Semester 1

• Corporate Communications
• Corporate Reputation Management
• Employee Communications
• Marketing and Communications
  Professional Analytics*

Semester 2

• Marketing and Communications
  Professional Analytics*

Three elective units from**:

• Advertising
• Business-to-Business Marketing
• Consumer Behaviour
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Crisis Management
• Digital Technologies for Marketing
• International Marketing
• Marketing Communications and Branding
• Relationship Marketing and Customer
  Experience Management
• Retail Marketing
• Services Marketing

*Marketing and Communications Professional Analytics is a dual-semester module worth 30 credits.

** By agreement with the course director, an elective unit from another Masters course can be taken.

All elective units are subject to availability and timetabling constraints.

Summer research period

Research dissertation [60 credits]

You must complete a satisfactory dissertation to be awarded your MSc. This piece of work, undertaken in your third term and over the summer, gives you the opportunity to apply the techniques and theories you have learned during the taught modules.

Supervision often starts with small groups of students studying similar topics meeting with their supervisors, who then guide students in deciding on the focus for their individual dissertations.

The dissertation itself normally consists of a literature review which drives a piece of empirical work, involving either qualitative or quantitative research.

Examples of recent dissertation topics include:

• The role of PR in the enactment of a sub-political arena
• Corporate social responsibility and its influence on employee engagement
• Exploring the interplay between control and flexibility in communication processes of a highly complex organisation
• The interplay of imagination, perception and memory in consumer evaluations of service experiences
• The impact of corporate advertising and news media coverage on corporate image
• The role and effectiveness of social media in crisis management

Home/EU £10,500
Overseas £18,500

Rolling admission - please apply as early as possible.

Entry requirements

First or upper second class honours (2:1) degree from a UK
university or the overseas equivalent, in any discipline.

Application details

We’re delighted that you are considering applying for one of our postgraduate courses. Please view the most up-to-date admission information on the MBS website and follow the How to Apply guide to submit an online application. Our guide is designed to make the application process as straightforward as possible for you, and to ensure that your application is correct and submitted in plenty of time. All courses start on 21 September 2015.

English Language requirements

If English is not your first language, you are required to take an English language test to prove your level of proficiency.