Marketing Management - Public Relations

Associate Certificate Part-time School of Business + Media

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Overview

BCIT's Public Relations Associate Certificate prepares students for dynamic and rewarding careers in PR across diverse sectors. This program equips students with the critical skills needed to navigate today's fast-paced media landscape, including expertise in strategic communication, media relations, crisis management, and digital PR strategies.

Public relations professionals are essential across nearly every industry, from government agencies to corporations and non-profit organizations. Today, organizations increasingly recognize the value of maintaining professional public relations to enhance their reputations and build meaningful stakeholder relationships.

This program is designed by industry professionals to prepare you with the most up-to-date PR strategies and best practices that can be applied to any industry.

This specialized program provides hands-on training in a flexible format. You’ll develop the ability to manage diverse communication projects, create marketing and public relations campaigns, deliver impactful media interviews, and integrate emerging trends such as data-driven storytelling.

Whether you’re launching a new career or advancing in your current role, this program ensures you’re ready to meet the demands of the modern public relations landscape.

About the program

Can take this program completely online
Specialized package for students with or without prior experience looking to specialize in PR

Interested in how this program prepares you for your career in public relations? Find out in the Program Details.

Who should complete the Public Relations Associate Certificate?

This program might be right for you if:

You have strong written and oral communication skills
You work effectively in a team
You enjoy creative challenges
You want to specialize your career in public relations, whether you have marketing experience or not

If this sounds like you, visit the Entry Requirements page to learn more!

What grads can do

Because public relations is a key component of almost every organization, including business, fundraising, and government, you’ll have options for employment in a variety of industries and locations. By focusing intently on the key concepts in public relations, you’ll be prepared with the skills and confidence to begin or advance a successful career.

In addition to being prepared for the workplace with job-relevant skills, you’ll also have the option to continue your education for more advanced training in other BCIT programs that can lead to additional opportunities.

To learn more about the exciting opportunities available to you, visit the Graduating and Jobs page.

Entrance Requirements

About Flexible Learning

Part-time courses are offered in various scheduling formats, including at night or on weekends, flexible daytime delivery, or you can opt for distance or online learning. If you meet the prerequisites and there’s space available, you can register for a course immediately. Courses are offered in each of three terms: Fall (September), Winter (January), and Spring/Summer (April).

Application processing

Applications are accepted throughout the year with intake options available during the following periods:

Winter (January) intake: open February 1* and close January 2*
Spring (April) intake: open May 1* and close April 1*
Fall (September) intake: open October 1* and close September 1*

*or next business day

Intakes may fill before the deadline. If you are currently registered in a course or planning to start, submit your application early to secure your spot in the program.

Entrance requirements

Applicants must meet all entrance requirements and will be accepted on a first-qualified basis as long as space remains.

English language proficiency: Category 2 – English Studies 12 (67%) or equivalent

International applicants

Note: The Flexible Learning Spring/Summer 2025 intake is now closed for new applications from international applicants. Domestic applicants may continue to apply. The Flexible Learning Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 intakes are open to applications from both international and domestic applicants.

This program is available to international applicants.

Study permit: A valid BCIT study permit is required prior to starting the program.

Post-graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility: This program does not meet the eligible field of study requirement (CIP) and is therefore not eligible for students to apply for a PGWP.

(CIPC: 9.0902)

Program declaration

Declaring your Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) program ensures that BCIT is aware of your intent to complete a program as it is currently outlined and provides you the opportunity to apply for transfer credit.

To submit your declaration:

Answer all questions completely.
If required, convert transcripts and documents to PDF files.
Have a credit card ready to pay the application fee.

Declare Now

Upon approval, a program plan letter will be sent to you confirming your program of study. Please allow approximately eight weeks for processing.

Learn more about program declaration

Scheduled Intakes

Ongoing Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) intakes: January, April, and September.

Costs & Supplies

Bring your own device

Most courses and programs in the School of Business + Media are BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). Please ensure you bring a laptop to every class. Plug-in outlets will be provided at most stations in classrooms, but not in all classrooms, so please ensure you have at least 2 hours of battery life available at the beginning of each class. Check the following recommended computer requirements prior to the start of class. If a program or course does not require you to provide your own device, that information will be provided by your instructor or indicated in the course outline.

For online classes, it is important you have a stable and consistent internet connection to access course content.

Tuition fees

Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) tuition is charged on a course-by-course basis. Please see the Flexible Learning Tuition & Fees page for more information.

Courses

Important updates to Flexible Learning

English Requirement: Find out more.

These courses are designed to give you a fast track to a career in public relations. With the option to take a few elective courses to suit your individual career goals and interests, you’ll focus specifically on the essential fundamentals of public relations to get your skills job-ready as quickly as possible.

Please note: part-time programs and courses are open enrolment and although we make every effort to accommodate demand, course registration cannot be guaranteed in every semester. High demand courses fill quickly and may result in students unable to register for a course that semester. Courses may also be cancelled due to low enrolment.

Program matrix

Check current availability of courses for this program.

1. Required Courses:			Credits
	MKTG 1019	Media Relations Covers the basic media process; developing media strategy; news room realities; packaging your message; the media as messenger, interview techniques and critiques; and crisis communications. The media is a business like any other. Their product is controversy. By knowing the rules of the game, astute managers can make the media work for them. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline	3.0
	MKTG 1102	Essentials of Marketing Marketing 1102 is an introduction to the fundamentals of marketing. In addition to the "four Ps" of marketing—product, price, place, and promotion—students will be introduced to how marketers create customer-driven marketing strategies based on their research and understanding of the marketing environment and customers. Students will plan a strategy for and compete in an online marketing simulation. After the simulation, students will evaluate their performance and deliver a marketing plan for their simulation company, which will be assessed on students' application of marketing terminology and processes and in the professionalism of their work. Additionally, students will complete assignments, quizzes, and exams. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline	3.0
	MKTG 1352	Digital Marketing The focus of this course will be to provide the student with e-Marketing techniques and strategies that can help any forward-thinking organization be competitive in today's business environment. Key areas that promise to leverage the power of Internet are: customer relationship management (CRM); 1:1 marketing; permission-based e-mail marketing; viral marketing; attributes of a good Website and Website marketing goals; Website promotion/search engine positioning/ranking, and key Internet technologies/terminologies/acronyms. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline	3.0
	MKTG 3321	Public Relations In this course, students will explore a variety of concepts, tools, and techniques to generate publicity and earned media opportunities in an increasingly complex digital world—including building and leveraging relationships with the press and traditional/broadcast media, influencers, and customers—for B2B, B2C, and not-for-profit organizations. Students will analyze and plan public relations campaigns across communication channels, considering established digital and social platforms, emerging media environments, events and experiential marketing. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline	3.0
	MKTG 3325	Consumer Behaviour Students will explore buyer behavior and motivation using key theories from various social sciences including Anthropology, Sociology, and Psychology. They will apply these theories to contemporary marketing situations. This course will cover many different aspects of consumer behavior including the inner workings in the mind of a consumer and the external influences on the consumer driven process. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline	3.0

2. Complete 6.0 credits from the following list of electives:			Credits
	MKTG 1126	Live Entertainment Events and Festivals This course examines all facets of live entertainment events such as music concerts and festivals. Students will explore the world of live entertainment from promotion all the way to production. Classes will focus on topics such as ticketing and promotion, community involvement, site and venue development and production. The course will include individual and group project work, industry panel speakers and site visits. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline	3.0
	MKTG 1146	Introduction to Sustainable Marketing Businesses around the globe are waking up to the importance of sustainability. This course frames marketing in the context of a more sustainable world and challenges marketing students to think differently about marketing to transform the discipline into a force for good with a zero-tolerance approach to greenwashing and purpose-washing. To do this, marketers need to adapt and be more socially and environmentally conscious. This course provides foundational knowledge about current sustainability challenges, explores the principles and practices of sustainable marketing, and examines how to effectively integrate sustainability into the marketing mix to create a more sustainable marketing plan. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline	3.0
	MKTG 1323	Effective Presentation Skills This course emphasizes the principles of effective oral communication and the development of public speaking skills. You will research, organize and deliver a variety of speeches for specific purposes. Non-verbal communication, visual aids, and the effective use of supporting technology will be addressed. Instructor and peer feedback, and video analysis will be used to improve speech design and delivery. To be successful in this course, you must be able to communicate well in English. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline	3.0
	MKTG 1550	Social Media Essentials Learn about current social media platforms and how to use them strategically to market your business. With a heavy emphasis on tactical, experiential, hands-on learning, as well as case studies, students will gain experience creating business accounts for several leading social media platforms and how to apply best practices for content creation on each platform. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline	3.0
	MKTG 1552	Social Media Strategies In this course you will explore how to develop social media marketing initiatives that are designed to meet business objectives. With a heavy emphasis on real-life case studies, best practices, and data-driven techniques, you will learn how to create a strategically-focused social media marketing plan that integrates with other marketing activities and helps you establish and maintain an effective online presence (that goes beyond Facebook and Twitter). Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline	3.0
	MKTG 2202	Introduction to Marketing Communications This course provides the opportunity to develop a complete communications plan from the situation analysis to creative solutions. It reviews the role of strategic planning as it applies to media, creative, sales promotion and research, and examines those areas of promotion where each fit in the promotional mix and when would each best be applied. Prerequisite(s): 50% in MKTG 1102 50% in COMM 1100 for students in the full-time program course outline	4.0
	MKTG 2352	Content Planning Every company that leverages a website, blog, video channel, podcast, email newsletter, and/or social media needs effective and efficient content planning. By learning a multi-step, iterative, content planning process, students build new digital skills that can be applied in real world contexts. Content planning saves time, creates more professional content, enhances brand consistency, and assists in building relationships with customers. The focus of this course will be to provide the student with content planning strategies and content creation techniques to fuel the digital marketing efforts of any organization. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline	4.0
	MKTG 2452	Search Engine Marketing: SEO and Paid Search Search engines create opportunities for businesses to attract more traffic and more customers to their website, product or service pages, videos, social media, and even to their brick-and-mortar location. In this course, students will learn about organic or unpaid search engine marketing, known as search engine optimization or SEO, and paid search engine marketing, often called SEM or pay-per-click PPC or just Google Ads (since Google is the dominant search engine). This course covers the foundations of SEO and SEM, starting with an understanding of search engines and the business case for SEO. Students will then use various tools to conduct SEO audits, research keywords, and create and present strategies for on-page SEO, technical SEO, and link building. After exploring the organic side of search, students will learn the value of paid search. Using a company of their choice as a case study, students will create and present a paid search campaign, including a well-structured account, budget, keyword strategy, and effective ads. Students will create and pitch both an SEO and a paid search plan for a local business or not-for-profit organization of their choosing. (For online and asynchronous courses, these presentations will be recorded and posted on the Learning Hub for the class to view and discuss.) Prerequisite(s): 50% in MKTG 1352 OR relevant industry experience course outline	3.0
	MKTG 2552	YouTube Marketing Did you know that more video content is uploaded to the internet in a single month than network television has produced in three decades? And most of it is uploaded to YouTube. As the world’s second largest search engine (and owned by the world’s largest), YouTube is a powerful driver of website traffic. Marketers use video as the primary media for their content strategy, creating YouTube channels for presentations to drive leads and sales, for explainer videos to increase product and service understanding, for advertising, and more. This course will introduce students to the basics of setting up a YouTube channel, learning how to create content that is optimized for search, managing the analytics to hone and tweak successful YouTube performances, and using YouTube to deliver on business objectives. Prerequisite(s): 50% in MKTG 1352 OR relevant industry experience course outline	3.0
	MKTG 2909	Fundamentals of Marketing Research This course explores the fundamentals of marketing research – what it is, how it is used, why it is used, and its role in and importance to the marketing function. Secondary, qualitative, and quantitative research methods and tools will be explored. Particular emphasis will be placed on identifying and locating online sources of secondary data; evaluating and selecting appropriate methods for conducting primary research; the proper design of qualitative and quantitative data gathering tools; conducting effective survey fieldwork; understanding the nature and use of basic quantitative data analyses; and the proper reporting of research findings. Students will be taken through the steps of a major multi-method marketing research project. Prerequisite(s): No prerequisites are required for this course. course outline	3.0
	MKTG 3554	Brand Strategy This course will provide insight into the strategies behind successful brands. The focus will be on analyzing company, industry, consumer and competitive information to provide a sound foundation for developing a brand strategy. Additionally, students will learn the components of branding and how to use brand development tools. Students will learn how to position and brand products and services in order to prevent them from being turned into commodities and understand that all marketing campaigns serve the larger mission of developing a brand. Prerequisite(s): (50% in MKTG 1102 and 50% in MKTG 1352) or 50% in MKTG 2202 course outline	3.0

Total Credits:			21.0

Check current availability of courses for this program.

Transfer credit

Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.

Program Details

This program is designed to give you a fast track to a career in public relations. The course topics have been created specifically to benefit both students without any post-secondary education or experience and also students who have academic credentials such as degrees or diplomas in non-marketing areas and wish to gain additional certification and job-related skills.

In this program, you’ll work closely with industry professionals to develop a strong understanding of public relations and how you can use it in your own career. Some of your courses include digital branding, social media, effective public speaking, media relations, and live entertainment.

By earning your associate certificate at BCIT, you’ll be earning the necessary skills public relations employers in government, corporations, and fundraisers are looking for.

Program delivery

Blended: This program is delivered partly on campus and partly online.

Program location

Courses may be offered at the following locations:

Burnaby Campus
3700 Willingdon Avenue
Burnaby, BC

Downtown Campus
555 Seymour Street
Vancouver, BC

Distance and online learning

Graduating & Jobs

By earning your associate certificate, you’ll have an enticing qualification to include on your resume and the skills and confidence to deliver on the promise that holds to your future employers. Your experience at BCIT with practical knowledge for the workplace prepares you both for a new career and future growth and achievement.

Some opportunities include:

Public Relations Assistant
Marketing Coordinator
PR Coordinator
Junior Copywriter
Public Affairs Consultant

You may choose to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation, or you might also consider continuing your education for even more advanced skills and access to more career options. The course credits you earn in this program may be transferrable to other programs within the BCIT Marketing Management department.

Apply for graduation

Upon successful completion of all program requirements, complete an Application for BCIT Credential [PDF] and submit it to Student Information and Enrolment Services.

Allow approximately six to eight weeks for processing.

All financial obligations to the Institute must be met prior to issuance of any credential.

Accelerated Learning Options

Accelerated Learning provides an opportunity for students to complete their Associate Certificate in a shorter period of time.

Students will advance their knowledge in rapidly changing topics, such as Digital Marketing, Sustainable Event Management, or one of several other programs with the ultimate goal of being job-ready in only three months. To complete a program in a single term, students are expected to immerse themselves fully in their course work, devoting 100% of their time to learning, and should have a minimum C+ in English 12 to take part in this option. We will work with you to create a program that suits your personal schedule, be that one course per term, two or more, or the entire program.

Please email Candace Marrington at candace_marrington@bcit.ca to determine if Accelerated Learning is right for you.

Contact Us

If you have questions that you could not find the answer to online, or if you require further assistance, please contact us: mktgpts@bcit.ca.

Candace Marrington – Student Inquiries
Program Assistant
Tel: 604-432-8723
Email: Candace_Marrington@bcit.ca

Tracey Renzullo
Flexible Learning Program Head
Tel: 604-451-7033
Email: Tracey_Renzullo@bcit.ca

Contact a Flexible Learning Program Advisor with the BCIT program name in the subject line if you have a question about:

Course selection and program planning
Declaring your program
Making changes to your approved program plan
Applying for transfer credit and advanced placement
Laddering options
Job placement and graduate outcomes
Student life

Questions or comments?

Programs and courses are subject to change without notice.