Anyone done CIPR diploma?

I've never heard of it, but have just googled and it looks interesting. Might have to finish my MSc before i look at anything else though ?

Have you also thought about marketing diplomas? (seeing as a lot of what you do could be considered science marketing? a friend I had when working in KT had a marketing qual of some description, and she said it was very useful)

Am sort of seeing what's out there.

New Director asked me today if I had any comms qualifications and I had to say no, which is a bit galling when I'm actually the expert in science comms in my organisation ?

But she's right that for career development it would be good to beef that up for talking to the "other side". Opens doors I guess.

Have you looked at the OU courses I'm doing? You wouldn't have to do the full MSc - you can get a cert or dip after one or two courses I think. My first two were "Communicating Science" and "Science and the Public" which may be of use to you.

CIPR only focuses on PR which is just one part of communications. Take a look at the CIM courses as they are more rounded. CIPR is a good choice though if you want to specialise in PR.

I reckon I can probably claim the science comms expertise OK, it's more to show I have the standard comms skills - strategic planning, media planning la la la

I don't think it's rocket science tbh and fear I may have done myself down in my discussion because I do a lot of this already, but a formal qualification wouldn't be a bad idea. But not if it's just doing Who What Where When Why a hundred times over ?

Sounds better - I don't want to focus solely on PR! I do a lot more stuff other than just that.

I am 3 quarters of the way through my CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing. It has been really useful for me as I moved from a sales job to a specific marketing role 3 years ago (although the 2 overlap!!!). It touches on PR in the Marketing Comms unit, however the whole comms unit has been invaluable as it shows how PR be enhanced by using other comms methods. The other units cover Marketing Planning, Marketing Research and Marketing Management. Its not cheap but they have a good rep so most employers should support it. CIM themselves are a wee bit unorganised (ironically) though.

I started it in 2007 and took a break last year when I got married and was learning how to drive. The Diploma can be quite timeconsuming (its a 3 hour session once a week for each unit - I made the mistake of doing 2 at the same time in my first semester) and they do expect a bit of studying. You have the option of a 3 hour written exam or an assignment. I went down the exam route as that was what my study centre recommended. What a shock to the system!!! You also have to pay to be a studying member of the CIM - about £10 a month on direct debit.

Let me know if you need any other inside info!!!!

I looked at it but my boss wouldn't support me at all, financially or time wise. shocking, isn't it, for such a kindly member of the human race? ?

I agree that there are better quals for someone in your kind of comms role.

In that case, I can definitely recommend the CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing. I completed mine in September last year and I certainly think it's the way to go if you want a well rounded education compared to just concentrating on PR. As Penguin mentions, PR is covered in the MarComms module of the Professional Diploma and covers the role of PR in the overall Communications plan. It takes a year, and is hard work, but very rewarding at the end. I'd been working in Marketing for 5 years and had previously studied for a degree in marketing, but I actually really enjoyed the Diploma as I found it more rounded, plus as I was using a real company and fitting the scenarios to the company I worked for, it really 'fitted' and felt more transferable to my working life IYSWIM.

The Diploma is a level 6 education so it means you get the edquivalent to a bachelor degree at the end of it. The Profressional Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing, which is the next level, is then equivalent to a masters and they've just brought out another level which 'tops up' on the Postgraduate which effectively comes out equivalent to a Phd.

I agree with Penguin, CIM themselves are a bit of a shambles when it comes to organising themselves, The problems I've been having with just changing my email address so that I can access their online facilities, you wouldn't believe. But other than that, I'd really recommend their courses.

Me too!!! I had that exact same problem - muppetry of the highest order!!!! I'm foreseeing problems as I am going back to do my MMIP unit this September at a different study centre to where I did the other 3. Thats just going to blow their minds. I also have to change my last name too. ?

Well done wifeylind for doing it in a year - you must have been very dedicated!! I did Planning and Research in one term and by god it was hard alongside a full time job - no idea how I passed!!! I made the mistake of doing Comms and MMIP the following term whilst settling into a new job - what a mistake - I failed both. Retook Comms though and on its own it was fine. Just MMIP to go now!!!! I guess its great that you can do it in a year or spread it out. Think you have 5 years to pass all to get the qualification!!!!

Good point made about it fitting in to your own scenario. Think that makes it much easier to understand the theory!!!!

I did the diploma at a study centre when I was still living in Guernsey. It meant that they'd fly over a tutor for 3 days and we'd compact all the learning into those 3 days and then after that, we'd have 6 weeks in which to complete our assignments and hand them in. TBH, that really worked for me as it got my butt in gear. Had I done it purely under my own steam I would have floundered. Of course, we were also paying for the tutor to be brought over and their living expenses paid, so of course we had to pay a bit extra. I definitely couldn't have done two modules in one go, although I know others who did it with me that did. I'd get myself mixed up with the tasks on one module when thinking about them, without adding a whole other module to the mix!! ? For me MP had been really easy (it's what I did at uni for 3 years so was like riding a rusty old bike), Research was a struggle but I worked hard on it to get a good grade. I loved MarComms, it just clicked for me and was so easy to write. but the MMIP just stalled. Part of my problem is that I moved countries part way through of doing the assigment so I ended up with 2 weeks off and really struggled to pick it up again. But I got there in the end, and I'm really proud of myself. More recently I've actually ended up helping/advising an ex colleague of mine who is currently doing the diploma, as she hasn't found the support at work.

I would actually like to do the Postgraduate diploma but the exams freek me out so I'm waiting to see if there are going to be more assignments in it when they re-release it. Plus, there are no study centres here in Denmark so that's a bit of a stumbling block too.

Sorry hazel, didn't mean to hijack your thread! ?

If you are looking for Marcoms rather than general marketing, check out the CAM qualifications. https://www.sacredsoundsyoga.com/

I started my working life as a scientist working in marketing (I guess that is still what I do, although I went from marketing agency to in-house marcoms x 3 jobs to freelance marcoms consultant), and I have to say the knowledge I gained from this totally shaped my career. I did the cert. in marketing and the diploma specializing in PR (I think they have changed it now so there is only one diploma - you used to focus on either PR or advertising). It was back in the mid 90's that I did it [old fart icon]. Back then it was an intensive weekend course. I did it while working approx 50 hours a week in a full time job (but had no kids or husband at the time!