A public relations specialist oversees developing and carrying out a PR plan, assisting a company or person to build a positive reputation using a variety of platforms and channels, such as the press, social media, and in-person interactions. In situations where their credibility is threatened, they may assist customers in defending their reputations. Importantly, the PR profession moves quickly and is constantly seeking out skilled recent graduates. The main employers in almost every company are PR consultants, which offer a specialized service to several client organizations and frequently work in highly diverse market segments. If a company cares about its reputation, it will probably invest in effective public relations, in which a PR expert works to highlight the brand's reputation, concept, products, or success. Furthermore, you could look for internships or work experience in PR firms representing numerous customers or in businesses with well-known brand sectors like fashion, automobiles, or cosmetics. At several undergraduate and graduate levels, including diploma, certificate, bachelor's, master's, and PhD degrees, students can study public relations. A bachelor's degree serves as the most common level of study and is typically completed in three or four years. These courses are normally provided as a BA, but if they also incorporate more analytical and mathematical aspects of marketing, some universities may designate PR degrees as a BSc.
Ireland is offering attractive education opportunities for students from all around the world. Public Relations is among the most demanded courses by both national and foreign students since every organization can benefit greatly from PR professionals. PR graduates do not only advertise their products and services but also help to improve the reputation of both for-profit and non-profit organizations. Therefore, demand for PR graduates remain constant. Moreover, Ireland is currently offering undergraduate and graduate public relations courses to the students. You must acquire skill sets as an overseas student if you desire to be the top choice for any company. For instance, you need to improve your analytical, conceptual, public speaking, and writing skills. Fortunately, aside from the main framework, all these topics are the main focus of Irish business schools in Ireland’s PR courses.
There are several benefits of studying Public Relations in Ireland. Firstly, the existed demand for PR jobs has increased with highly infamous brands such as Apple, Google, Facebook. Hand in hand, PR jobs in Ireland are also increasing at 23% in each year which makes it quite possible to work in excellent companies. Moreover, Ireland’s PR employment rate is currently %98. It is important to highlight that this English-speaking nation is regarded as one of the most secure places on earth and is highly regarded for its achievements in the field of education. Additionally, if the student studies a master’s degree in PR in Ireland, it is possible to be eligible for permanent residency in just two years.
Promotion of the brand and protection of the brand are the two fundamental duties of public relations professionals. Considering these two main branches, the career paths can be separated as well.
There are some essential skills to have which will help you to pursue a career in public relations. Firstly, public speaking is among the important skills in this field. The students need to be persuasive, confident, and appealing when speaking in front of an audience in class. You'll soon be assigned tasks at work that require public speaking in front of a camera or making a sales pitch during a meeting with co-workers to advance a person, a business, or an organization. The second skill is to be talented in writing. Since, press releases, speeches, and advertising products are vital to the PR sector, you need to effectively convey your thoughts in writing. The third essential one is to have social media skills. The way people communicate with one another has completely changed because of social media. Thus, one of the most sought-after fundamental talents for PR professionals is understanding how to use social media as a platform for mass discourse.
PR could be an interesting area to work in if you're eager to improve your communication abilities, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and learn something new on daily basis. Unlike the common though, being introvert or extrovert does not matter much. The essential key here is to influence people with your various abilities such as writing, advertising, or creating. Moreover, if you think that your communication skills are advanced and you are willing to be engaged with people, then studying public relations may be right for you.
In Ireland, completing a bachelor’s degree in PR typically takes 3 or 4 years, while completing a master’s degree in PR either takes 1 or 2 years.
Technical University (TU) of Dublin, Southeast Technological University (which is known for its old name Institute of Technology Carlow), and Dublin City University is the top ranked universities worldwide in public relations. While Dublin City University and Southeast Technological University are offering great undergraduate program, TU Dublin is offering qualified graduate programs to students.
There are some certain requirements that public relations students need to meet. Firstly, some Irish Universities may require a degree that is comparable to the Irish Leaving Certificate or A levels (according to the UK system). Secondly, students are required to hold their Certificate of General Secondary Education with a minimum average of 80% or above to be eligible to study public relations in Ireland. Thirdly, a minimum score of 7.0 is required by some prestigious universities like TU Dublin. For master’s degree, bachelor’s degree with at least a 2.2, or equivalent along with a minimum score of 7.5 from IELTS with no component below 6.0 is required. However, it is important to note that the requirements may change depending on the university.