Case Study

Sunderland was well known for its media department, making it a perfect choice for a PR degree. The city itself was also very affordable, in terms of living costs, and the course fees were some of the best I’d seen.

I was previously working in a digital marketing position. I worked closely with customers to improve the performance of their online presence, yet the aspect that interested me the most was the ways in which they could build up their reputation. The more I looked into PR the more interested I was in a career within it, yet with minimal experience of knowledge of the industry, the course was my way of building a strong foundation.

Stand out modules within the course were those that involved activities that would be required of me in a real working environment, such as press release writing, media briefing, campaign planning and presenting and blogging/social media. The skills I learned within these modules I now use on a daily basis in the office, and are skills that helped me secure a job after university.

I'd definitely recommend the University of Sunderland to other students. The tutors are professional and have backgrounds in the industry. They, therefore, are able to draw upon and relate topics back to real life scenarios, which always makes it easier to understand and absorb.

You should go for it with full force. Make the most of the opportunities available to you, of which there are many in the North East.

Straight out of university I secured an account executive position in a local PR agency. As my knowledge and skills grow I hope to move up through the ranks within the company to eventually become an account manager. Long term I can see myself moving from agency to in-house PR.

Without the student loan offering for masters students, I wouldn’t have been able to study, so my advice would be to apply for an MA now and make the most of it. 

My experience was eye-opening, insightful, and a perfect foundation for a successful career in PR. 

Published 26 March 2018