PRII Diploma in Communications & Public Relations
Enrolment for 2026/27 Now Open!
There has never been a better time to work in Public relations and communications. Ireland’s public relations and communications sector is thriving and now contributes €1.9 billion to the economy according to the PRII Census 2025. The number of professionals in Ireland is calculated to have grown to almost 4,000, up from 3,344 in 2022. Salaries and budgets are rising with the average annual salary in the profession standing at €78,000, an 18% increase since 2019. Team sizes are growing too, in-house PR budgets have risen 10% since 2019. Many professionals enjoy remote work with 80% working remotely at least once a week.
The PRII Diploma in Communications & Public Relations is the foremost Public Relations qualification in Ireland, held by one in four senior communications professionals in Ireland (PRIICensus25).
Delivered and accredited by the Public Relations Institute of Ireland (PRII), the professional membership body for Irish communications and public relations practitioners, the PRII Diploma in Communications & Public Relations is the longest established and most widely held Irish public relations qualification.
Format
Part-time, online, or blended learning
To ensure you have future ready skills, we will add additional workshops on artificial intelligence and content creation.
Key Dates
The course runs from September 2026 until May 2027, which includes examination time
- Application Deadline: 5pm on Friday, 04 September 2026
- Course Start Date: Monday, 21 September 2026
Course Prospectus
With over a decade in public policy, I wanted a programme that would further expand my skillset and refine my strategic perspective. The PRII Diploma delivered exactly that. The syllabus combines robust theory, practical examples, and the real-world experiences of accomplished PR professionals, across a diverse range of topics. From the outset, this programme gave me insights that I could immediately apply to my daily work. The balanced curriculum and inclusive teaching style ensure that professionals, at any stage of their PR journey, can find immense value in the course.
The PRII Diploma has equipped me with a modern and impactful toolkit for stakeholder engagement, effective communications, and project leadership. For any professional looking to build their career and drive impact within public affairs, I highly recommend this programme.
Course Structure
The PRII Diploma in Communications & Public Relations provides the knowledge, critical understanding, and skills required for entry-level and early career positions in public relations and communications organisations, as well as public relations practitioners seeking recognition for their professional attainment.
The knowledge component encompasses the theoretical and practical understanding of public relations and communication and is consistent with the objectives and values of the public relations profession.
Skills and abilities are the practical application and demonstration of this knowledge, developed through learning, reflection, practice, and experience.
Assessment & Examination
The course is assessed through a combination of ongoing project work and campaign-based assignments along with written examinations held in May. Project work allows students to apply practical skills and demonstrate understanding of key concepts. Campaign assignments encourage strategic thinking and creativity, while the written examination evaluates theoretical knowledge, critical analysis, and the ability to clearly communicate ideas.
To support our students who are based across the entire country, our exams are held online and are supported by our proctoring partner, TestReach who is widely used across the training and higher education sector.
Entry Requirements
You must be aged over 18 and have passed a minimum of five subjects in the Leaving/Senior Certificate or hold a qualification at Level 7 on the National Framework of Qualifications. These requirements can be waived if you have a minimum of two years of professional experience in a public relations or communications role.
Relevant work experience in PR or communications is advantageous.
How much does it cost?
Course fees for 2026/27 are as follows:
- PRII Members: €2,600
- Non-Members €3,000
- If a Full Member of the PRII provides a letter of recommendation a discounted fee can be offered to non-members.
A non-refundable deposit of €900 is required to secure a place.
Easy Payment Plan (Interest-free)
- PRII Members: €900 deposit, plus 4 equal payments of €425
- Non-Members: €900 deposit, plus 4 equal payments of €525
Note: All fees must be paid in full before 28 February 2027.
Company Discount
If two or more students from the same employer undertake the Diploma course, a discount will be applied, provided that the employer pays the fees for all against the same invoice. Don't hesitate to get in touch with us for more information.
Who delivers the course?
Industry experts, PR professionals, academics, and guest lecturers all present and contribute to the course, ensuring that everything you learn is up-to-date and relevant to this dynamic and ever-changing profession.
Dr Martina Byrne FPRII
Barbara Gormley MPRII
Marie Lynch MPRII
Gerry Mullins
Mr Niall Quinn FPRII
What will I learn?
You will gain a complete understanding of all aspects of the industry, both academic and professional.
You will:
- Develop in-depth knowledge of the role and practice of external and internal communication in any organisation
- Learn how to devise, develop and implement comprehensive PR strategies
- Understand how the media works and how to develop effective relationships with key players
- Learn how to write and perfect all types of effective PR material
- Appreciate the ethical and legal issues around public relations
- Gain insight into the other professions central to the work of PR practitioners
- See how business, politics and society interact and understand the role of PR in that process
- Understand how AI can be leveraged for content creation, productivity gains and more.
How is the course delivered?
The PRII Diploma is delivered using a blended approach. This incorporates a variety of delivery methods: video lectures; live online tutorials, revision lectures and self-directed learning.
This allows participants to undertake the course remotely from anywhere around the globe.
Learning materials available to students include:
- Dedicated Diploma Portal resource webpage hosting video lessons, notes, readings and references.
- Introductory and revision lectures for each module.
- Video lectures on key module content.
- Live two-hour online seminars each week (Monday evening 6:30 – 8:30 pm) to discuss and develop upon material covered in video lectures.
I came to the PRII Diploma with a strong grounding in advocacy from my background in law and policy. What the course really gave me was a clearer sense of how to ‘turn the dial’, how to translate that work into strategic, effective communications that actually make an impact.
Completing the diploma built my confidence in using the skills I already had, while also helping me develop new ones. I really valued the chance to connect with people from different industries, all bringing their own perspectives and insights.
It’s definitely a challenging course, you really earn the diploma, but that’s what makes it so rewarding.
I still find myself thinking back to advice from the lecturers in my day-to-day work, and I feel much more equipped now to deliver advocacy that’s both strategic and impactful.
