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Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Corporate Communication

The Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Corporate Communication is a programme that provides specialised study of PR and corporate communication strategy. Offered at universities in Kenya, the programme prepares graduates for careers managing organisational reputation and corporate communication.

The curriculum covers public relations strategy, corporate communication, internal communication, media relations, crisis management, reputation management, stakeholder communication, corporate social responsibility, strategic planning, digital communication, research methods and a research project. Students develop skills in managing both internal and external organisational communication.

Kenya's corporate sector growth, the increasing importance of corporate reputation and the demand for professional communication create demand for graduates. The programme is offered through lectures, case studies, practical projects and industrial attachment.

Graduates are prepared for careers as corporate communication managers, PR managers, internal communication officers, reputation managers, CSR officers, spokespersons, communication consultants and media liaison officers. They work in corporate organisations, PR agencies, government, NGOs and consulting firms.

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Admission requires KCSE mean grade C+ with C+ in English or Kiswahili.

Prospective students should have strong analytical skills, a commitment to continuous learning, and an interest in contributing to Kenya's socio-economic development. The programme provides a solid foundation for further postgraduate study and professional advancement in related fields.

Duration
4 years
Public, up to
Ksh 283,000
Private, up to
Ksh 242,800
Job market
High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode
Full-time, Part-time
Attachment
3 months
Average class
35 students
Award
Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects
  • Public Relations Strategy
  • Corporate Communication
  • Internal Communication
  • Media Relations
  • Crisis Management
  • Reputation Management
  • Stakeholder Communication
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Strategic Planning
  • Digital Communication

Modules

10 in the programme

  • Public Relations Strategy

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Strategic PR planning. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester e...

  • Corporate Communication

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Corporate communication management. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-...

  • Internal Communication

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Employee communication. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester ...

  • Crisis Management

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Crisis communication. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester ex...

  • Reputation Management

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Managing organisational reputation. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-...

  • Stakeholder Communication

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Engaging stakeholders. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester e...

  • Corporate Social Responsibility

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    CSR strategy. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester examinations.

  • Digital Communication

    Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

    Digital corporate communication. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-...

  • Strategic Planning

    Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore

    Communication strategy. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester ...

  • Research Project

    Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore

    Final year research project. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-seme...

Specialisations

  • Reputation Management

    Organisational reputation. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

  • CSR

    Corporate social responsibility. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

  • Crisis Management

    Crisis communication. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

  • Internal Communication

    Employee communication. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

A day as a student

A typical day involves attending PR and corporate communication lectures, developing communication strategies, writing corporate communication materials, analysing case studies, planning CSR initiatives, managing mock crisis scenarios, and working on strategic communication projects.

The trade offs

In its favour

  • High demand for corporate communication professionals
  • Strategic role in organisational management
  • Diverse career paths across sectors

Against it

  • High-pressure during crisis situations
  • Competition from general communication graduates
  • Some organisations undervalue communication functions

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 106 media & communication courses
Public153k to 283k
153k at Kenyatta University283k at University of Nairobi
Private105k to 243k
105k at Mount Kenya University243k at Daystar University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KU 153K, UoN 283K/yr; Daystar 242.8K, MKU 105K (educationnewshub). USIU unverified.

HELB loans are available for eligible students. County bursaries and NGAAF provide additional support.

Funding options

  • HELB Loan

  • County Bursaries

  • NGAAF Bursary

Scholarships

5 recorded

  • Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan

    LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan

    Kenyan undergraduate students

  • County Government Bursaries

    BursaryKsh 30,000Kenyan

    Kenyan students from participating counties

  • Higher Education Fund (HEF)

    BursaryKenyan

    Kenyan undergraduate students placed by KUCCPS in public universities

  • Media Council of Kenya Journalism Training Fund

    BursaryKenyan

    Journalism and communication students accredited by the Media Council of Kenya

  • Nation Media Group Journalism Graduate Trainee Programme

    ScholarshipKenyan

    Recent journalism, media and communication graduates with strong digital skills

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade
C+
Alternative entry
KCSE mean grade C+ with C+ in English or Kiswahili. Diploma in PR, communication, media studies or related field from a recognised institution.

  • English or Kiswahili

    C+

How you are assessed

4 components

  • End of Semester Examinations

    Written examination50% of the mark

    End of semester written exams

  • Continuous Assessment Tests

    Cat30% of the mark

    Regular tests, assignments and case studies

  • Industrial Attachment

    Practicum10% of the mark

    3-month attachment at communication department

  • Research Project

    Project10% of the mark

    Final year research project

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Admission requires KCSE mean grade C+ with C+ in English or Kiswahili.

Accredited by

  • Commission for University Education

    AcademicRequired

    Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

  • PR Manager

    Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 350,000

    Managing PR departments

  • Reputation Manager

    Low demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 280,000

    Managing organisational reputation

  • Internal Communication Officer

    Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 200,000

    Employee communication

  • Corporate Communication Officer

    High demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 250,000

    Corporate communication

  • CSR Officer

    Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 200,000

    Corporate social responsibility

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as corporate communication managers, PR managers, reputation managers and CSR officers in corporate organisations, PR agencies and NGOs.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

  • Adobe Premiere Pro

    Editing softwarePrimary

    Film editing.

  • DaVinci Resolve

    Editing software

    Colour grading and editing.

  • Adobe Photoshop

    SoftwarePrimary

    Image editing and graphic design software for creating visual content for print, digital media, and social media platforms.

  • WordPress

    Software

    Content management system for web publishing, blog management, and online content creation used by media houses and corporate websites.

  • Hootsuite

    Software

    Social media management platform for scheduling posts, monitoring engagement, and analysing social media performance across multiple platforms.

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

  • Corporate communication is just about sending emails.

    The programme covers strategy, crisis management, reputation, CSR and stakeholder engagement.

  • PR and corporate communication are the same as marketing.

    They focus on reputation and relationships, not direct selling.

  • Corporate communication has no strategic value.

    Corporate communication is a key strategic function in modern organisations.

  • The field is only for large companies.

    Organisations of all sizes need professional communication management.

Related courses

Further reading

Keep this

Fees and entry marks for Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Corporate Communication are restated every intake. Save it and the app keeps this version, so you can see what changed when it does.

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