Public Relations – Zielgruppengerechte Krisenkommunikation (B.A.)
DIPLOMA Hochschule Hamburg · Online, Germany
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
The program specialization Public Relations – Zielgruppengerechte Krisenkommunikation is designed for students in the Bachelor’s degree program Krisenmanagement im Bevölkerungsschutz (B.A.). It focuses on crisis communication training, including how to handle different audiences and respond competently to critical questions.
According to the official program page, the specialization teaches how to communicate quickly, clearly, and credibly in crisis situations, helping to avoid panic and misinformation while supporting trust and organizational reputation management.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- You build crisis-communication fundamentals, including how to communicate quickly, precisely, and transparently in exceptional situations.
- You learn how professional crisis communication helps avoid panic and misinformation and supports trust and credibility.
- You train to address different audiences appropriately, from authorities and employees to the public.
- You specialize in crisis PR: handling (social) media in crisis situations, formulating clear messages, and responding confidently to critical questions.
- You develop skills for managing stakeholder communication so cooperation with authorities, partners, customers, and staff stays coordinated.
- You practise handling the media, including interviews and public statements, as part of reputation protection in crises.
- You consolidate your target-group focused crisis messaging approach for expert teamwork and responsible participation.
- You prepare to protect organizational reputation through effective communication strategies during critical incidents.
Curriculum
The 180 ECTS part-time curriculum combines emergency-service preparation, legal and strategic crisis management, communication, operational leadership, psychosocial support, risk analysis, logistics, a Public Relations specialisation, practical experience, and the bachelor thesis. The practical phase is normally completed during Semesters 4 and 5.
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | ECTS / CP | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | 2 modules | Lehrgang Rettungssanitäter – Theorie: Handlungsfeld Krankentransport und Notfallrettung; Erstversorgung nach standardisierten Untersuchungsmethoden; Versorgung spezieller Krankheitsbilder; Einführung in die psychosoziale erste Hilfe | 12 | 24 ECTS |
| Lehrgang Rettungssanitäter – Praxis: Praxisausbildung Klinischer Teil; Praxisausbildung Rettungswache; Prüfung zum Rettungssanitäter / zur Rettungssanitäterin | 12 | |||
| Semester 2 | 3 modules | Rettungsdienstliche Maßnahmen zur Gefahrenabwehr: Strukturen des Rettungsdienstes und Katastrophen- sowie Bevölkerungsschutzes; Algorithmen und Einsatzkonzepte | 6 | 24 ECTS |
| Rechtliche Grundlagen für Krisenmanagement: Grundlagen des nationalen Rechts in Krisensituationen; Gesetzliche Anforderungen und rechtliche Befugnisse im Zivil- und Katastrophenschutz | 8 | |||
| Kommunikation, Interaktion und Beratung im Einsatzfeld: Interdisziplinäre Strukturen und Maßnahmen der Einsatzleitung; Grundlagen der Einsatzkommunikation; Psychologische und soziologische Aspekte der Krisenberatung | 10 | |||
| Semesters 3–4 | 4 modules | Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten: Ankommen im Studium und in der Profession; Methodenlehre; Empirische Sozialforschung | 8 | 39 ECTS |
| Crisis Communication Management: Interkulturelle Kommunikation; Konfliktmanagement; Crisis Communication | 9 | |||
| Krisenmanagement und Strategischer Bevölkerungsschutz: Krisenmanagement; Akteure im (inter-)nationalen zivil- und militärischen Bevölkerungsschutz; Krisenmanagement im Bereich von Schutzzielen für KRITIS; Grenzen und Abhängigkeiten rechtlicher Planstrukturen | 12 | |||
| Einsatztaktik und -führung: Allgemeine Führungsgrundlagen und -vorgänge (DV 100); Sicherheit im Einsatz CBRN, LbEL-Lagen; Führungskräfte- und Simulationstraining | 10 | |||
| Semesters 4–6 | 3 modules | Psychosoziale Aspekte des Notfall- und Krisenmanagements: Grundlagen psychischer Notfall- und Krisenpsychologie; Umgang mit dem Themenfeld Psychotraumatologie; Fachberatung PSNV in Krisenstäben; PSNV in besonderen Einsatzlagen/-indikationen | 12 | 33 ECTS |
| Risikoanalysen für Bund und Länder nach BBK-Methode: Risikomatrix zur Gefährdungsanalyse von Schadensausmaßen; Risikoanalyse auf unterer Verwaltungsebene; Umsetzung exemplarischer Risikoszenarien im Praxistraining | 10 | |||
| Betriebswirtschaftslehre im Krisenmanagement: Betriebswirtschaftslehre im Gesundheitswesen; Kostenrechnung; Bedarfsplanung für unterschiedliche Krisenszenarien | 11 | |||
| Semesters 6–7 | 3 modules | Stabsarbeit in Bevölkerungsschutzlagen: Grundlagen von Stäben und Stabsarbeit; Vertiefung taktischer Lagekarte und Lagekartendarstellung; Human Factor Resources im Bevölkerungsschutz | 8 | 30 ECTS |
| Resilienz und Beschaffungslogistik in der Gefahrenabwehr: Resilienzstrategien des Bundes; Versorgungswesen im Krisenfall; Beschaffung / Logistik; Strukturen und Umgang mit Seuchenprävention | 12 | |||
| Public Relations – Zielgruppengerechte Krisenkommunikation: Krisenkommunikation mit internen und externen Zielgruppen; Experten-Laien-Kommunikation in der Öffentlichkeitsarbeit; Social Media in der Krisenkommunikation | 10 | |||
| Semesters 4–5 | 1 practical module | Praxisphase | 18 | 18 ECTS |
| Semesters 6–7 | 1 final module | Bachelor-Thesis und Kolloquium | 12 | 12 ECTS |
| Total | Core modules, Public Relations specialisation, practical phase, bachelor thesis and colloquium | 180 ECTS | ||
Career outcomes
- You graduate with crisis-communication skills tailored to Public Relations, so you are ready to support crisis management teams with clear, targeted messaging.
- This specialization prepares you for roles that involve communicating with multiple audiences in high-pressure situations, including authorities and internal stakeholders.
- You gain practical competence in handling (social) media during crises, helping you reduce misinformation and prevent communication escalation.
- You develop confidence for media-facing communication, including interviews and public statements, which is crucial for reputation protection.
- You build a profile suitable for organizations that need professional crisis communication, including public institutions, aid organizations, and training/advisory settings.
Employability rate
For public relations and crisis communication roles linked to crisis management, graduates in Germany typically see an employability rate of around 82% and an unemployment rate of about 18%, reflecting steady demand but competitive hiring for specific employers and specialties.
Together, these figures indicate a reasonably stable outlook when you build relevant crisis-communication competence and apply to the right public, institutional, and organizational sectors.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| School-leaving qualification or equivalent for entry to Bachelor's studies | International applicants must meet the listed entry options for the DIPLOMA Bachelor programme, including general higher education entrance qualification, subject-restricted higher education entrance qualification, a university of applied sciences entrance qualification, a master craftsman’s examination or comparable vocational advancement certificates, or a secondary school leaving certificate plus a qualifying completed vocational training programme (with the grade condition stated by the university). For foreign qualifications, the university states that equivalence is checked and applicants receive a university entrance qualification decision if the evaluation is positive. |
| Credential review for foreign education | The university states that foreign educational certificates must be evaluated by the responsible authority in Hesse (Hessisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst). If the assessment is positive, applicants receive university entrance qualification for all German universities. |
Language requirements
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | EUR 2124 / per year | Equivalent to the officially published starting tuition of EUR 177 per month for the Public Relations – Zielgruppengerechte Krisenkommunikation specialisation. The final total depends on the selected instalment model. |
| Examination fee | EUR 695 / one time | One-time examination fee published by DIPLOMA for the underlying Krisenmanagement im Bevölkerungsschutz programme fee models. |
Proof of financial resources
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A | N/A |
| Semester begins | October 01, 2026 | April 01, 2027 |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | October - Winter intake | April - Summer intake |
|---|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Apply online and complete the application form
Submit your application through the DIPLOMA online application form and provide the required details and documents. If your qualifications are outside Germany, ensure your foreign certificates are ready for the required equivalence assessment steps mentioned by the university. Keep copies of everything you upload for your records.
Credential evaluation for foreign qualifications
For applicants with foreign educational certificates, the university states that the equivalence is checked for admission and that foreign certificates are evaluated by the responsible authority in Hesse. If the assessment is positive, the applicant receives university entrance qualification. Start this process early because evaluation can take time.
Meet language basics and prepare for study start
The university indicates that international applicants are expected to have basic German language knowledge that allows them to complete their studies. Before starting, confirm what language support or requirements apply to your study path with the study service. Plan your documents and preparation according to your intended start date.