The Influence of Writing Centre Support in Developing Academic Literacies among Public Relations Students: A South African Perspective

Within the Public Relations (PR) discipline, the ability to read analytically and write persuasively is not merely an academic requirement but a cornerstone of professional practice. PR students must interpret complex case studies, craft media releases, and engage with evolving industry standards, all of which demand nuanced genre-specific competencies and critical thinking. University Writing Centres that understand the conventions of PR discourse can play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world application in the workplace. This study, therefore, examined how writing centre interventions support the development of academic literacies among undergraduate PR students. An interpretative, qualitative case‐study research design was used to collect data through interviews and focus-group discussions with first-year students, lecturers, and writing centre staff from a selected university in South Africa. Grounded in the Academic Literacies Model, which conceptualises literacy as a socially situated practice, this research examined how writing centre reading and writing interventions mediate access to the ‘hidden curriculum’ of PR discourse. Thematic analysis highlighted that writing centres not only operate as collaborative spaces for students’ learning, but also cultivate critical thinking essential for evaluating real-world PR scenarios and develop students’ critical agency to transfer literacy practices into academic and industry contexts. Recommendations include deepening collaboration with PR lecturers to embed writing centre workshops directly into core modules such as campaign planning and media relations, and implementing sustained and contextualised engagement, ultimately contributing to student success in higher education.