Diploma in Public Relations is a diploma in Business Administration programme offered by Algonquin College in Ottawa, Canada. The programme runs for 2 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English.
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Business Administration
Duration: 2 years
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
We have no tuition fees on record for this programme yet — see the official programme page.
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Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
Overview Learn how to act as the bridge between organizations and the public, helping them navigate complex issues and protect their brand reputation. The two-year Public Relations Ontario College Diploma program, which blends theory with practical experience, emphasizes professionalism and attention to detail, effective planning, as well as creative and critical thinking in all public relations activities. In this program, you acquire both theoretical and applied knowledge, and gain real-world experience by working with not-for-profit organizations to help them reach their target audiences. Learn how to deliver strategically sound, creative and robust public relations solutions that make the most of the modern communications landscape. The program combines theory with hands-on experience in: writing editing visual communications communications planning time/resource management research and measurement public speaking teamwork media monitoring and social listening You also gain experience in design, content management, social media engagement and business basics. This prepares you for work with: all levels of the government national associations public relations agencies private companies not-for-profit organizations Improve your skills throughout the program, and gain valuable experience working on the annual charitable fundraising campaign. In the last semester of the program, you put your skills into practice by completing a 280-hour field placement or a PR project built around a simulated client need. Graduates from this program work across Canada and around the world, and have a thorough understanding of all media channels, from working with journalists and other influencers to managing digital media campaigns. Graduates may find employment in: public relations social media communications departments fundraising and advocacy Graduates may also consider self-employment, freelancing and contract work.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: College Eligibility requires an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, or Mature Student status (19 or older without a diploma, subject to a fee-based academic achievement test). Program Eligibility for this diploma is Grade 12 English (ENG4C or equivalent) at 70% or higher. International or non-Canadian transcripts are assessed through ICAS or WES, and the program's published English-proficiency scale is IELTS Academic overall 6.5 with no band below 6.0, OR TOEFL iBT overall 88 with a minimum of 22 per component for tests before 21 January 2026 (a rescaled overall 4.5 with a 4.5 component minimum applies to tests from that date), OR Duolingo English Test overall 120 with at least 120 in Literacy and no score below 105. If applications exceed seats, offers go by English proficiency.
Application Details
Start Date:Intake terms Algonquin lists for this program, read from its own availability table on 6 September 2026: Fall 2026 (AC Day 1 orientation 8 September 2026; Fall term classes start 9 September 2026). Term start dates come from the Registrar's Important Dates page, which also gives 11 January 2027 for the Winter 2027 term and 10 May 2027 for the Spring 2027 term. Availability changes as seats fill and an intake already under way may be closed, so check the program page before applying. Algonquin's academic year runs September to August.
Application Deadline:DOMESTIC APPLICANTS (Canadian citizens and permanent residents). Algonquin publishes no deadline unique to this program; the dates below are the college-wide Ontario colleges cycle and apply to every full-time day program. Applications go through ontariocolleges.ca, where 1 February is the equal consideration date each cycle: apply by then and your application is assessed alongside every other one received by that date, while applications arriving later are handled first-come, first-served for as long as places remain. For entry in Fall 2027 the ontariocolleges.ca application opened on 26 September 2026, colleges may begin issuing offers on 1 November 2026, the equal consideration date is 1 February 2027 and an offer must be accepted by 1 May 2027. The equal consideration date that governed the Fall 2026, Winter 2027 and Spring 2027 intakes was 1 February 2026 and has already passed, so those three starts are now first-come, first-served while seats last.
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS. Apply directly to Algonquin on the International Application Form in its International Application Portal (AC360) rather than through ontariocolleges.ca, with a CAD 135 application fee. There is no single fixed international deadline: Algonquin asks you to confirm the program is open before applying, warns that a program's status can change to waitlisted or closed before an admissions officer reviews the file, and publishes a closing-date sheet for each intake. For the Fall 2026 intake that sheet gives this program's own dates: 16 September 2026 is the last day to apply on the International Application Portal and receive an acceptance, and 21 September 2026 is the last day to register.
