Introduction

This lesson plan outlines the Advanced Level of the Professional Diploma in Communications and Public Relations. Building on the foundational skills from the Beginner Level, this stage equips learners to design, lead, and evaluate strategic PR initiatives at a high level. Participants will develop advanced planning skills, crisis communication expertise, digital PR strategies, community engagement approaches, and the ability to integrate AI tools into strategic communications. The Advanced Level also emphasizes leadership, ethics, emerging trends, and execution of a comprehensive capstone campaign.

Trainee Qualification Requirements and Prerequisites

• Completion of the Beginner Level of the Professional Diploma in Communications and PR or equivalent foundational experience.
• Strong writing, messaging, and toolkit creation skills.
• Familiarity with AI-assisted drafting tools and basic digital PR concepts.
• Commitment to applying PR strategies to complex, real-world challenges.

Training Delivery

The training will be delivered using a blended learning approach, combining:

• Expert-led sessions on advanced PR strategies and execution.
• Strategic workshops for campaign planning, crisis simulation, and digital engagement.
• Analysis of local and global PR case studies.
• Guest lectures from PR agency executives, media leaders, and digital communications experts.

Total Duration: The total duration of this course will take approximately 3 months, with pacing determined by project requirements and skill development needs.

Resources Provided: PC with internet access, access to AI analysis tools, digital PR scheduling platforms, and campaign planning templates.

Training Level

Designed for intermediate to advanced PR professionals aiming to take on strategic, leadership, and high-impact communication roles.

Training Objectives

By the end of the Advanced Level, trainees will be able to:

• Develop and implement comprehensive communication strategies for diverse audiences.
• Manage relationships with media and stakeholders, including during crises.
• Create and execute digital PR and content strategies across multiple platforms.
• Design engagement approaches tailored to both rural and urban communities.
• Integrate AI-powered media monitoring and sentiment analysis into PR work.
• Plan, budget, and evaluate multi-channel PR campaigns.
• Deliver professional public speaking and handle press interactions effectively.
• Apply ethical communication practices with cultural sensitivity.
• Adapt to and leverage emerging trends in technology and PR.
• Produce and present a capstone campaign to professional standards.

Training Subject Areas

The Advanced Level builds on core PR foundations to provide in-depth skills for managing large-scale communication initiatives, responding to crises, and staying ahead of industry trends. Each component addresses a strategic or specialized area of PR, preparing learners for leadership roles in the field.

• Strategic Communication Planning: Teaches stakeholder mapping, message matrix development, timing, channel selection, and budget planning. Includes a workshop on designing a full campaign for a local NGO or brand.
• Media Relations & Crisis Communication: Covers pitching to journalists, managing media interviews, and applying traditional conflict resolution in crisis response. Includes simulation exercises for running press conferences under pressure.
• Digital PR & Content Strategy: Focuses on social media messaging, influencer relations, and creating multi-platform content calendars. Introduces AI tools like Buffer and Notion AI for strategic content planning.
• Community Engagement & Indigenous Communication: Explores participatory communication, differences in rural and urban engagement, and leveraging local leaders as influencers. Case studies include health and education campaigns in Ethiopia.
• AI-Powered PR Strategy: Demonstrates how to use AI for media monitoring, sentiment analysis, and detecting misinformation. Trainees apply tools like Talkwalker and Brand24 to analyze real campaigns.
• Campaign Design & Execution: Guides trainees through end-to-end campaign planning, integrating ATL, BTL, and digital methods, with full budgeting and KPI tracking.
• Public Speaking & Media Handling: Builds voice control, body language, and press conference confidence. Incorporates AI-based practice tools like Yoodli and Synthesia.
• Ethical Communication in Africa: Discusses misinformation, transparency, cultural taboos, and the creation of ethical codes for rural and urban campaigns.
• Emerging Trends in PR & Communication: Reviews innovations like deepfakes, VR/AR, AI-generated influencers, and the implications for trust and authenticity.
• Capstone Project – “Africa Speaks”: Final project combining indigenous themes with AI tools to create a full PR campaign, including strategy, visuals, execution plan, and ethics review, presented to an external jury.

Assessment and Evaluation

• Case studies: Strategic analysis of PR campaigns with recommendations for improvement.
• Assignments: Campaign plans, crisis communication responses, and digital content strategies.
• Simulations: Press conference and crisis handling role-play.
• Capstone project: Fully developed and presented campaign evaluated by industry professionals.
• Peer reviews: Structured feedback sessions for project improvement.

Reference Resources

• Strategic Planning for Public Relations by Ronald D. Smith
• CIPR and PRSA advanced practitioner guides
• Harvard Business Review articles on leadership and crisis communication
• AI and digital PR tool manuals (Talkwalker, Brand24, Buffer)
• Case studies of African and global PR campaigns