Communication, Journalism & Media Public Relations Concentration, B.S.

The public relations concentration prepares students for careers in public relations, strategic communications, content marketing and promotion within a multitude of organizations, corporations, governmental agencies and more. The concentration focuses on development of a broad range of strategies to achieve organizational goals and objectives, with students learning to research, write, create, design and implement strategic communication content for diverse audiences and a variety of media platforms. Students are introduced to writing news releases, public service announcements, blogs, newsletters, feature stories, white papers and social media content and to producing video and audio content for social media and websites. Using industry-standard software and technology, they design and produce promotional materials for online media, social media, print and television. Students also explore and produce public relations campaigns for not-for-profit and for-profit organizations.

48 crs.

All students must complete 48 credits in the major to qualify for graduation. The major consists of five core courses (15 credits), four courses in a professional concentration (12 credits), and seven elective courses (21 credits).

Theory and Writing Core (15 crs.)

Majors/minors must achieve a C or better grade in COMM 112 before taking any other COMM courses:

COM 445 & Professional Practicum

All majors are required to complete three semesters of practical experience in one of the four student media organizations (PRSSA, SUTV, The Slate or WSYC) advised by the department as outlined below:

Students will be required upon acceptance into the major to sign a form committing them to working in a student media organization for one semester by the end of their second year, a second semester by the end of their third year, and a third semester by the end of their first semester of their last year.

Students who will be enrolled in COMM 445 their senior year must have proven experience working for a student media organization and produced documentation that they fulfilled the obligation as well as examples of the work that they produced. Faculty academic advisers will meet during scheduling advising to ensure that students are meeting the commitment and coordinate with the faculty who serve as student media organization advisers to guide students.

This will provide flexibility for students who wish to explore and gain experience with different media. Students who have not completed their student media practical experience in their sophomore or junior years and have not progressed in producing tangible materials for a professional portfolio will not be permitted to schedule COMM 445 until they have completed the practical experience. Transfer students who join the major as juniors will be required to perform three semesters of practical experience in their junior and senior years in order to schedule COMM 445 .

Public Relations Concentration (12 crs.)

Elective Courses (21 crs.)

All students must select seven (7) elective courses, three (3) of which must be at the 300/400 level, to complete the major.

Note

COMM 395 and COMM 396 may be scheduled through the department secretary by qualified juniors/seniors who have a 2.5 QPA and who have written approval from the department’s internship coordinator. Only 6 credits of internship count towards the major; additional internship credits available only by departmental permission.

Foreign Language Requirement

All students in the Communication, Journalism & Media major, all concentrations, are required to attain proficiency in a foreign language. Proficiency may be satisfied by completing a language class at the 103 (intermediate) level or three years of any one foreign language in high school. Students may also meet this requirement through AP testing or CLEP testing.

General Education

General Education Requirements

General Education Program

General Education Specific for this Major

Quantitative (Q): MATH 117 or MATH 217
Diversity (D): COMM 245
Citizenship (R): COMM 111 grade of C or better required