Highlights

  • Learn how to manage communication around issues and crises, engage with stakeholders, communicate effectively with different audiences, counter misinformation, address distrust, improve reputation, and drive positive social impact.
  • Gain skills in conducting meaningful research to help inform the recommendations you make and the decisions you reach.
  • Develop digital competencies and in-demand transferable skills in analytical thinking, decision-making, communication and problem-solving.
  • Master the art of communication and learn how to write and share well-crafted and compelling messages.
  • Work with real-world clients to develop a portfolio of work to show potential employers.
  • Gain practical experience working with consultancies, government, corporate settings, and/or community groups through QUT's Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program.
  • Graduate with an accreditation from the Public Relations Institute of Australia and receive free student membership while you study at QUT.

Highlights

  • Learn how to manage communication around issues and crises, engage with stakeholders, communicate effectively with different audiences, counter misinformation, address distrust, improve reputation, and drive positive social impact.
  • Gain skills in conducting meaningful research to help inform the recommendations you make and the decisions you reach.
  • Develop digital competencies and in-demand transferable skills in analytical thinking, decision-making, communication and problem-solving.
  • Master the art of communication and learn how to write and share well-crafted and compelling messages.
  • Work with real-world clients to develop a portfolio of work to show potential employers.
  • Gain practical experience working with consultancies, government, corporate settings, and/or community groups through QUT's Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program.
  • Graduate with an accreditation from the Public Relations Institute of Australia and receive free student membership while you study at QUT.

Explore this course

What to expect

Public relations has evolved substantially over the past few years, but its main objective has remained the same: to foster good relations with key organisational stakeholders and protect, repair, and maintain organisational reputations.

If you're looking to become a public relations expert with industry-ready skills and the experience that employers are looking for, consider studying QUT's public relations major.

What makes QUT's public relations major different is our close relationship with industry. Throughout this course, you will not only be taught by leading, internationally renowned public relations academics and researchers; but you will also work with industry clients to solve real-world problems; and gain valuable practical experience with consultancies, government, corporate settings, and/or community groups.

Our public relations course is co-designed with national and international industry experts to ensure you learn industry-relevant and up-to-date information and practices.

This course will teach you traditional PR skills such as crisis communication management and stakeholder engagement, as well as in-demand skills for the modern PR practitioner including knowing how to counter misinformation and address distrust.

Excellent and effective communication is vital in public relations, and with the help of our world-class academics and industry experts, you will graduate with strong skills in communication, as well as analytical thinking, decision-making,  and problem-solving.

Technology has rapidly transformed the global communication landscape, and in today's world, there are more channels than ever before to communicate and engage on. As part of this course, you will learn how to  monitor your client's operating environment, use social media platforms to gather information, reach different audiences, and write well-crafted messages tailored to each channel’s nuances.

Finally, our public relations course prepares you for the real world, and at the end of this course, you will graduate with accreditation from the Public Relations Institute of Australia and a portfolio of work to demonstrate your skills and potential to employers.

Careers and outcomes

Careers and outcomes

Public relations practitioners play a vital role in developing and implementing the communication that supports an organisation’s reputation and its relationships with stakeholders. The relevance of QUT’s public relations course to real world needs means our graduates are in continuous high demand both nationally and internationally.

Graduates of this course will enter a profession with an established network of QUT graduates working around the world in community relations, stakeholder engagement, government relations, corporate communication, media and communications, digital media, financial and investor relations, fundraising, and media and publicity.

Professional recognition

This course meets current industry standards and is accredited by the industry’s peak professional body, the Public Relations Institute of Australia. QUT maintains strong links with this body and several staff members have held executive positions.

Possible careers

  • Brand communication coordinator
  • Digital experience coordinator
  • Marketing communications specialist
  • Media adviser
  • Press secretary
  • Public affairs manager
  • Public relations officer/consultant
  • Publicist
  • Stakeholder engagement adviser
  • Stakeholder engagement manager

Details and units

Requirements

ATAR/selection rank threshold
70.00

These thresholds are the lowest adjusted scores to which QUT made an offer in Semester 1, 2024.

Don't have a ATAR/selection rank?

Find out other ways you can apply

Course code
BS05
QTAC code
413021
CRICOS code
003491G
Delivery
  • Online
  • Gardens Point
Delivery
  • Gardens Point
Duration
3 years full-time
6 years part-time
Duration
3 years full-time
Entry
February and July
Entry
February, July and November
Deferment

You can defer your offer and postpone the start of your course for one year.

Assumed knowledge

Before you start this course, we assume you have sound knowledge of the subject/s listed below. If you don't have the subject knowledge, you can still apply for the course but we strongly encourage you to undertake bridging studies to gain the knowledge:

  • English, or Literature, or English and Literature Extension, or English as an Additional Language (Units 3 & 4, C)

More about assumed knowledge

Year 12 early offer scheme

If you're a current Queensland Year 12 student, you may be eligible to receive an offer for this course on the last day of Queensland Year 12, before receiving your ATAR or selection rank.

Find out more about the QUT Year 12 Early Offer Scheme

Helping you to get into your course

If you don't think your ATAR or selection rank is high enough to get into this course, you can guarantee your entry with guaranteed advanced standing by upgrading through one the following programs which you can select as one of your QTAC preferences:

QUT College Diplomas

As a QUT College Diploma in Business, Entrepreneurship (business pathway), or Esports (business pathway) graduate you will automatically receive an offer to start the Bachelor of Business within one week after completion of the diploma. You will also automatically receive up to 1.0 year (96 credit points) credit transfer and be able to complete the degree in 2 years as a full-time student (or equivalent part-time).

Find out more about the QUT College Diploma in Business

Find out more about the QUT College Diploma in Entrepreneurship

Find out more about the QUT College Diploma in Esports

 

Offer guarantee

If you achieve an ATAR or selection rank of 70.00 or higher (including any adjustments) and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course.

VET guarantee

If you have completed an AQF certificate IV, diploma or higher, and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course.

Advanced standing

If you have prior studies or work experience, you may be eligible for advanced standing (credit). You can apply for advanced standing once you've been accepted to QUT. If you're in your first semester of study, you must apply for advanced standing within 10 days of receiving your offer.

More about advanced standing

Deferment

You can defer your offer and postpone the start of your course for one year.

More about deferring your offer

Adjustments to your ATAR/selection rank

Any adjustments you receive to your ATAR or selection rank will be applied to this course.

Find out if you’re eligible for an adjustment to your ATAR or selection rank

Offers we made to school leavers in Semester 1, 2024

The figures listed in the tables below reflect the offers that were made to recent ATAR students. The entry thresholds box at the top of this page shows the lowest adjusted ATAR/selection rank required to receive an offer for all applicants for the most recent January QTAC offer round.

Excluding adjustments Including adjustments
Highest ATAR/selection rank
to receive an offer
Selection rank 98.40
Selection rank 99.95
Median ATAR/selection rank
to receive an offer
Selection rank 81.05
Selection rank 82.95
Lowest ATAR/selection rank
to receive an offer
Selection rank 63.30
Selection rank 70.05

You can find out more about your fellow students’ backgrounds with this course’s student profile.

Other admission options

If you are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, you may be eligible for admission through our Centralised Assessment Selection Process (CASP).

Select the country where you completed your studies to see a guide to the grades you need to apply for this course.

If your country or qualification is not listed, you can still apply for this course and we will assess your eligibility.

I completed secondary school in Australia

ATAR/selection rank
70.00
Offer guarantee

If you completed secondary school in Australia and achieve an ATAR/selection rank of 70.00 or higher (including any adjustments) and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course.

VET guarantee

If you have completed an AQF certificate IV, diploma or higher, and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course.

Minimum English language requirements

Select the country where you completed your studies to see a guide on meeting QUT’s English language requirements.

Your scores and prior qualifications in English-speaking countries are considered. Approved English-speaking countries are Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, United States of America and Wales.

If your country or qualification is not listed, you can still apply for this course and we will assess your eligibility.

We accept English language proficiency scores from the following tests undertaken in a secure test centre. Tests must be taken no more than 2 years prior to the QUT course commencement.

English Test Overall Listening Reading Writing Speaking
IELTS Academic / One Skill Retake 6.5 6 6 6 6
Cambridge English Score
You must share your results with QUT through the Candidate Results Online website.
176 169 169 169 169
PTE Academic 58 50 50 50 50
TOEFL iBT 79 16 16 21 18

Don't have the English language score you need? We can help!

We offer English language programs to improve your English and help you gain entry to this course.

When you apply for this course, we will recommend which English course you should enrol in.

Fees

Your actual fees may vary depending on which units you choose. We review fees annually, and they may be subject to increases.

2025 fees

2025: CSP $17,300 per year full-time (96 credit points)

2025 fees

2025: $36,400 per year full-time (96 credit points)

2024 fees

2024: CSP $16,300 per year full-time (96 credit points)

2024 fees

2024: $33,700 per year full-time (96 credit points)

Student services and amenities fees

You may need to pay student services and amenities (SA) fees as part of your course costs.

Find out more about undergraduate course fees

HECS-HELP: loans to help you pay for your course fees

You may not have to pay anything upfront if you're eligible for a HECS-HELP loan.

Find out more about government loans

Scholarships

You can apply for scholarships to help you with study and living costs.

Browse all scholarships

QUT Excellence Scholarship (Academic)

QUT's premier offering for students with outstanding academic achievement.

Scholarship eligibility
Academic performance

Faculty of Business and Law Excellence Scholarship

A scholarship for future undergraduate students who want to study business, property economics or law.

Scholarship eligibility
Academic performance

Laurie Cowled Indigenous Scholarship for Business Students

A scholarship for future and current Indigenous female students enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate studies in business.

Scholarship eligibility
Indigenous Australian; Struggling financially; Women

Equity scholarships scheme

A scholarship for low-income students studying in any faculty.

Scholarship eligibility
Struggling financially

QUT Elite Sport Scholarship

QUT's premier offering for students with outstanding sporting achievement.

Scholarship eligibility
Sporting excellence

International Merit Scholarship

A high achievement scholarship for future international undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Scholarship eligibility
Academic performance

QUT Budding Entrepreneur Scholarship

A scholarship for innovative individuals who are engaged in their passion for entrepreneurial action.

Scholarship eligibility

QUT Real World International Scholarship

A scholarship to cover tuition fees, with eligibility based on your prior academic achievements.

Scholarship eligibility
Academic performance

Applying guide

When you're preparing your application, make sure you have all the important information. This includes understanding the entry requirements, and checking if you're eligible for advanced standing (credit).

How to apply


QTAC code

You'll need to know this course's QTAC code when you apply through QTAC.


Ready to apply?

If you've already read about the best way to apply, you can apply directly through QTAC.

Apply now with QTAC

How to apply

Follow our step-by-step applying guide to make sure your application is complete, giving you the best chance of getting in.

How to apply


Ready to apply?

If you're ready for the next step, apply online today.

Apply now

Ready to apply?

If you're ready for the next step, apply online today or contact our MBA Program Manager +61 468 575 146 or mba@qut.edu.au

Apply now

Ready to apply?

If you're ready for the next step, apply online today or contact our MBA Program Manager +61 468 575 146 (Brisbane),
(02) 6198 3098 (Canberra), emba@qut.edu.au

Apply now

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