Chartered Institute of Public Relations recognises University College Falmouth PR degree

The BA(Hons) Public Relations course at University College Falmouth has achieved full recognition from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), confirming that it provides students with the relevant skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a career in public relations or communications.

Jon Cope, Course Leader of BA(Hons) Public Relations, said: "Although our students have always received a high-level of instruction and incredible study visit and work placement opportunities, CIPR recognition brings Falmouth into the UK's PR teaching elite.

"In addition to confirming the high quality of the Falmouth course, CIPR recognition makes our students eligible to join the UK's leading PR industry body as student members and take advantage of extensive networking events, career and placement advice, and opportunities."

Falmouth's first cohort of BA(Hons) Public Relations students will graduate in July 2010, following three years of intensive study. Students on the course have participated in study visits to London and Amsterdam, and taken up work placements at the Tate St Ives, Eden Project and Giorgio Armani press offices, as well as PR agencies such as  Ketchum Pleon, Halpern, MPAD and Frank PR.

Courses seeking full recognition from the CIPR must cover five areas: PR practice, Communication knowledge and theory, Business skills and knowledge, Professionalism, and Sector and Role Specialisms.

UCF's BA(Hons) Public Relations course met all five of the criteria, and commenting on the course, CIPR's Head of Professional Policy, Dawn Chapman, said: "We believe that the content offers challenging study for undergraduate students looking to develop knowledge and skills, and hopefully pursue a career, in public relations."

Full CIPR recognition cements the existing high standards of students, staff and graduates from the BA(Hons) Public Relations course and the commitment to exacting standards, fresh course content and preparation for professional practice.

For further information about BA(Hons) Public Relations at University College Falmouth, visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/publicrelations, email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone Admissions on 01326 213856.

University College Falmouth is the only independent Higher Education institution in Cornwall with the powers to award degrees in its own name. It has two campuses in Cornwall - at Woodlane in Falmouth and Tremough in Penryn (which it owns, and jointly manages with the University of Exeter) - and a third campus at Totnes in Devon, following its merger with Dartington College of Arts in 2008.

This merger created a new institution focusing on the expansion of Falmouth's expertise in Art, Design and Media and Dartington's expertise in Choreography, Music, Theatre, Art and Writing. The Devon-based courses will relocate to a new, high-specification Performance Centre at Tremough in 2010, paving the way for a new specialist Arts University in Cornwall by 2013/2014 that will be unique to the South West.

The University College is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC), a unique initiative to promote regional economic regeneration through Higher Education, funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One and Convergence), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall Council.

Ends

For further information about University College Falmouth, please contact Jilly Easterby Dip CIPR MCIPR, Head of Public Affairs, Telephone: 01326 213792, or email:  jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk

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