The Postgraduate Certificate in Political Communications offers teaching that is critical, innovative and diverse. It combines theory with practical, applied elements, and draws on a range of research and contemporary examples.The programme covers political communication from national and international level, down to the local and personal – from governments and parties, to NGOs and local acitivist groups. You'll have the opportunity to engage with cultural, alternative and digital, interactive communication as well as traditional mass media.The Department of Media, Communications and Cultural Studies has been ranked second in the UK for 'world-leading or internationally excellent' research (Research Excellence Framework, 2021) and 16th in the world (third in the UK) in the 2024 QS World Rankings for communication and media studies.Develop your critical thinking:This dynamic programme offers critical engagement, asking difficult questions about politics, economic policy, society and the media.You will not only gain an understanding of the forms and impacts of political communications, it will help you contextualise that knowledge in relation to the structures, institutions and actors that are at the heart of politics and media.Practical application:Alongside skills-based components, you'll also be offered several applied options. Practice-based options such as Campaign Skills are taught by professionals in the field. There are also several speaker series running each year with guests from the worlds of politics, journalism, business and campaigning coming to talk.