Digital Communication Diploma
CIPR Specialist Diploma: Digital Communication
About this course
The CIPR Specialist Diploma: Digital Communication equips you with the knowledge you need to make social and digital media an effective, integral part of your digital PR and communication strategy. This digital PR course helps you to understand online behaviours and trends, planning for digital PR, data analytics and evaluation.
Our course includes live online sessions, tutorials and individual feedback on assignment topics, plus CIPR Professional Student Membership.
July offer: save 10% on tuition fees if you enrol by 31st July 2025. Fees displayed have the discount applied.
Course detail
Study Support Package
Live interactive online workshops
One to one tutorials
Individual feedback on your assignment idea
Online library with all the books you need
Study Hub: our bespoke online learning centre
Networking via our LinkedIn group
Easy tutor contact
Pay monthly
Initial fee: £253.80 (incl. VAT)
8 monthly instalments: £215 (incl. VAT)
A one-off initial fee is taken when you enrol. Instalments are collected monthly from the date you enrolled.
How we calculate your fee
Save 10% on tuition until the end of July
PR Academy tuition offer: £1,214 (+ VAT)
CIPR fees: £517 (no VAT)
Total: £1,731 (+ VAT)
VAT is calculated upon enrolment and is dependent on your location and situation.
VAT inclusive fee is £1,973.80
Download our course brochure for all the course details including:
- Full syllabus
- Assignment details
- Reasons to study
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Who is this course for?
PR and communication practitioners. You may be working in a PR or communication role and want to develop your expertise in social media and digital communication as part of your strategic communication.
Not just for PR. If you are responsible for digital communication in consultancy or in-house in a related discipline such as marketing, this course will help you make your digital PR effective.
Update your CV. Add a digital qualification to your CV and show that your practice is up to date. You may already hold the CIPR PR Diploma and want to add a new skill to your CV.
Master’s level. This is a Master’s level digital PR course, so make sure you are ready to study and be assessed at this level.
CIPR Specialist Diploma: Digital Communication Syllabus
- Manage, plan, monitor, measure and evaluate digital and social media activities and engagement with stakeholders and online communities, considering legal and ethical implications.
- Develop digital PR strategies that help organisations enhance and protect their reputation and achieve their strategic objectives.
- Get to grips with emerging technologies, digital strategies and social media platforms. Understand the disruptive and transformative impact of digital technologies on society, business, organisations and individuals.
Apply what you learn. You can choose to be assessed on a real work-related project which is great for employers, showing the practical relevance of the course.
Reviews from our graduates
Discover how our courses work
Ann Pilkington, co-founder of PR Academy explains how our courses work, demonstrates our Study Hub and explains the resources and support you will receive. Also hear from members of the PR Academy alumni.
Meet your course leader Kate Cartwright
Digital communication can seem daunting but it can be a force for good. One of the key themes we explore in the Digital Communications Diploma is how technology can impact society.
Stuart Bruce is your workshop leader and subject matter expert. Stuart describes himself as a PR Futurist – a thinker and doer in modernised PR and communications. As co-founder of Purposeful Relations he advises clients on topics including digital transformation and innovation for public relations, communication and corporate affairs.
Hear from others
Find out what it’s like to study with PR Academy.
Your questions answered
From 1 June 2025 you will need to be a member of the CIPR if doing one of their qualifications. This will be included in the cost of the course and applied at the time of enrolling.
The grade of membership is "Professional Student" at the time of writing this had not been added to the CIPR website but it is equivalent to Affiliate Membership - you can see the benefits on the CIPR website here.
The costs from 1 June are:
- £160 for a 2-year course (PR Diploma and PR Certificate)
- £80 for a 1-year course (Specialist Diplomas and Certificate)
- £38 for the Foundation course
We asked the CIPR and the answer is yes, this is what they said:
We recognise that some candidates may already hold an individual membership with the CIPR (and that this will not be at Professional Student Membership grade) at the time of registration. To ensure fairness and avoid duplication of charges, we propose the following:
- Membership Extension Offered Where a candidate has already paid for their own membership which overlaps with the qualification period, that existing membership will not be refunded. Instead, the individual will receive a free extension of their current membership by one or two years, in line with the length of their course. The same applies to Corporate Affiliate membership.
- Membership Grade During Qualification If you are an existing member you will remain on your existing membership grade throughout the course in order to retain any professional accreditations that you already hold e.g. Accredited PR Practitioner, Chartered PR Practitioner. You will continue to receive communications and services appropriate to your existing grade.
The CIPR Specialist Diploma (Digital Communications) will be of interest to PR practitioners working in public relations, corporate communication, marketing communication, internal communication, public affairs and media relations, who have experience or responsibility for digital communication, in consultancy or in-house, or in a related discipline within the strategic management framework. This qualification will equip the candidate with the knowledge and tools to contribute effectively to the organisation’s strategic management of digital communication and social media, while meeting what is expected of an ethical practitioner in complex situations.
Candidates will research and develop ethical digital communication and social media management strategies and plans that assist organisations to enhance and protect their reputation and to achieve their strategic objectives.
The assignment is an executive report and summary situation analysis on a case study of your choice. An analysis of the research and development of a digital communications strategy should form a substantial part of the report and include a set of measurable digital communications objectives (based on the findings and outcome of the research and analysis conducted) and a brief statement of how these objectives can be measured. An example topic could be: "Establishing an effective social listening function".
For CIPR courses, your course fee is a combination of the PR Academy tuition fee and the CIPR awarding body fee (like an exam fee), a CIPR registration fee and since 1 June 2025, CIPR Professional Student membership.
For the tuition fee, PR Academy provides all your tuition via our bespoke online learning centre - our Study Hub. It includes an extensive online library with around 60 books, all the resources you need for your course, tutorials, assignment idea feedback, live online sessions, plus we mark your assignments. Check out our Study Support Package.
You don’t really need to buy any books unless you would like to.
It definitely can. Many of our students are studying in order to increase their confidence and boost their CV and report a new role or promotion as a result of their qualification. In PR Academy’s 2023 research into PR education, respondents were asked - if they hold a professional qualification - has it led to career progression/promotion. This is a question that PR Academy has tracked since 2013. There is a consistent report of between 74 and 85 percent that a professional qualification has led to a career progression combined with confidence that it will.
Some organisations ask for qualifications when advertising PR jobs. While a PR qualification isn't essential it improves your CV and also shows your personal commitment to the profession and continuous learning. Check out our ‘Comprehensive Guide to CIPR Qualifications’ for more information.
If you are looking for a qualification in PR, then a professional qualification is a good option because you can study while you work. The syllabi for CIPR qualifications is very practical while still underpinned by theory so you can apply what you learn straight away.
Yes they are. We have practitioners from all over the world studying with us. The CIPR is the only chartered body for public relations which adds to the recognition of the qualification around the world.
There are CIPR qualifications at all levels. If you are just starting out the Foundation in PR is for you. If you are a few years into your career the Professional PR Certificate or internal communication certificate are designed for you. For more experienced practitioners there are diploma qualifications at approximately Master's level. If you aren't sure check out our Complete Guide to CIPR Qualifications or simply get in touch for a chat.
Our CIPR, PRCA and AMEC qualifications are designed for practitioners who want to advance their career with a stronger understanding of theory leading to more strategic campaigns. Many of our students say it boosts their confidence and they go on to better jobs or promotion.
Yes, we regularly speak to practitioners who are using a qualification as a way to refresh their knowledge, get up to date with latest practice and boost their CV. A qualification can be a great reminder of how much you already know boosting your confidence to get back into the PR job market. In our 2023 research into PR education, 84% of respondents said they were doing it to increase their skills.
