Our Public Relations MA is a well established course, accredited by both of the UK’s professional PR bodies, the Chartered Institute of PR (CIPR) and the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA). Along with our close links and regular consultation with leading professionals working in industry, including members of our course team, our course maintains it’s relevance to the PR industry.

We spoke with Jon Cope, Course Leader for the Public Relations MA, about his impressive professional and academic experience and why you should study the Public Relations MA at Westminster.  

1. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? 

I was born and raised in Lewisham, South London and moved to Brighton to study English at Sussex University in the ’90s. While there, I managed the university’s radio station, interviewing bands that played in the city. Following graduation, I interned at the University Press Office, gaining insight into both the celebratory and challenging aspects of university life. 

Returning to London, I worked in various press office roles before transitioning into freelance PR consulting and journalism, serving diverse clients from McDonald’s to children’s threadworm treatment. About 18 years ago, I started a career in university teaching.

I now live in Kent and enjoy cycling in my spare time. 

2. As a professional and academic working within the PR industry, what have been some of your career highlights? 

In my professional career as a PR consultant and journalist, some of my highlights have included writing features for the Guardian newspaper, collaborating with celebrities (and experiencing Glastonbury festival) to promote safer sex among young people, and organising a trip for journalists to witness the manufacturing process of a ground-breaking HIV drug in Colorado.  

In my academic career, I’ve found great fulfilment in establishing a new undergraduate degree program in public relations in Cornwall and traveling globally to educate students in Sweden, China, India, and beyond. Furthermore, I have authored two books on fashion promotion and PR, which was a proud and exciting moment in my career.  

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3. Your diverse PR roles in freelancing, senior agency and in-house positions span across consumer, healthcare, and fashion sectors. Could you tell us more about these experiences and how you successfully adapt your skills to each project? 

Most PR practitioners will probably agree that the PR skills needed for different sectors have a lot in common. Of course, there are some highly distinctive elements, such as the legal framework around healthcare communications and the phenomenon of fashion shows, but broadly speaking, the ability to spot a story and present it in a compelling way to media and the public are at the heart of good PR practice. 

4. During your career you’ve worked on and delivered many successful campaigns. Could you tell us about one that stands out for you? 

One of the most challenging campaigns I worked on was the UK launch of Cialis, a competitor to Viagra, one of the best-selling and best-known drugs of all time. The level of creativity and innovation required to bring what was essentially a virtually identical drug into public consciousness was unparalleled for me, and I was fortunate enough to work alongside one of my Westminster colleagues, Stuart Mayell, who is a creative powerhouse. Our campaign involved engaging celebrities as spokespeople, despite their reluctance to discuss their sexual health, and orchestrating the world’s first 24-hour press conference. 

5. What’s the most exciting aspect of teaching Public Relations at Westminster?  

I think it’s probably the sense that, within very broad parameters, you are left to decide what to teach and how to teach it, based on your knowledge and experience. While there is specific content we must teach to maintain our CIPR and PRCA course accreditations, the topics and international scope of our teaching is very flexible. It’s also fantastic to work among such a diverse student body, which gives the course teaching team some incredible insights into cultural difference and how the PR industry works in different countries. 

6. What do you think makes the Public Relations MA at Westminster stand-out? 

I think any course is only as good as the team responsible for planning and teaching. The Public Relations MA course team comprises a highly dedicated and experienced group of academics and practitioners, all of whom bring a different perspective to their teaching as well incredible contacts, facilitating a diverse range of guest speakers and networking opportunities for students.  

We place creativity at the centre of our teaching and we strive to create not only highly skilled, but also highly reflective PR practitioners who graduate fully prepared to innovate and lead the PR industry. 

7. Can you tell us a bit about some of the graduate successes that have come from the Public Relations MA? 

We have so many successful graduates it’s hard to pick just a handful. Currently, our graduates are working as the Director of Communications for the ultra-luxury watch brand Patek Philippe, Director of Communications for the French beauty brand Caudalie; Communications Manager at The Economist, and Health PR Operations Director at Edelman. 

8. What would your advice be to aspiring PR professionals who would like to pursue a career within Public Relations?  

I think it’s important to be curious, to take notice of what’s going on around you and to ‘look up’ occasionally. The best PR practitioners never stop trying to understand what makes people stop, think, and talk to each other.  

Students and graduates should always keep networking, building their contacts and putting themselves forward for whatever challenges arise. Westminster runs an excellent mentoring scheme, but if you meet successful professionals and they offer to help you, take them up on it! 

If you’re interested in studying Public Relations MA at the University of Westminster, visit our course page to apply. If you have any further questions about the application process, contact our course enquiries team at course-enquiries@westminster.ac.uk.

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About Westminster

As one of the most diverse universities in the UK, we are a global university with London energy, with more than 19,000 students from 169 countries. Visit our website to find out more about our Media and Communication courses

_{Header image: Fashion Promotion in Practice by Jon Cope and Dennis Maloney}