Public Relations Degrees

Closely related to journalism, marketing and advertising, public relations is a multi-faceted field that bridges the communication gap between organizations and the publics they serve. Students who choose to get a public relations degree at either the associate, bachelor’s or graduate level will be prepared for a range of steadily growing careers. This guide outlines the field of public relations, including the education, skills, and experience a public relations degree can bring.

Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level.

Because the public relations sector of any business plays a crucial role in regulating the satisfaction of the company’s customer base, there are a variety of schools throughout the country offering programs in public relations to fill this need. Students studying in one of these programs will develop skills in marketing, advertisement, and even elements of journalism in order to facilitate a company’s success. By looking at a school’s statistics including student success rates, student population, and cost of tuition, we’ve found the best schools available throughout the country. Check out our ranking for the 2017 school year below, and find the best public relations program for you.

Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level.

Students and professionals following the public relations path have to become masters of multiple specialties. Public relations is founded on strong communications, and combines elements of marketing, advertising, journalism and other media to build an organization’s image, reach out to the public and ensure that a mutually beneficial relationship remains between the two.

Similarly, many public relations degree programs are generally feature a curated mix of courses from other specialties within a school’s journalism and communications departments. Principles of advertising and design, media writing, business practices and sociology may all be addressed along with courses specific to public relations.

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People tend to think PR is taking something that’s not good and making it
look a little better. That may have been the case in the past, but today we live in an age of transparency. If the goal is to build mutually beneficial long-term relationships between the organization and its stakeholders, if you do anything that undermines trust, you’re going to hurt that relationship.

Matthew Cabot, San Jose State University

If one aspect of public relations stands out more than the others, consider checking into one of these related degree programs.

All public relations degrees can help give students the skills needed to enter the PR field, but different degree levels will open students up to varying careers. While the field overview gained by an associate’s degree in public relations can help students get their feet in the door with entry-level PR jobs, an established professional looking to change careers or take a higher position may be more suited for a master’s degree program.

Type of Schools:Community colleges, two-year colleges

Time to Complete:Two years

Career Opportunities:Entry-Level Press Relations, Marketing Assistant, Publicist, Political Campaign Worker

A public relations associate degree program may provide theoretical and practical study through a combination of courses that introduce students to the principles of public relations and practicum or internship courses where students can apply what they’ve learned in real-life settings. Students who earn an associate degree in public relations will be prepared for entry-level PR jobs, or they can continue their educations at the bachelor’s level.

The courses offered in public relations associate degree programs can vary, but typically they provide students with an overview or introduction to various aspects of the field.

INTRODUCTION TO MASS MEDIA

An introduction to communication theory and practice, the history of mass media and an examination of the business side of mass media in the U.S. Advertising and public relations will also be introduced.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND THE MEDIA

An exploration of the diverse cultures and gender issues within the U.S. media, racial and gender roles that shape the media and media roles that influence U.S. race relations and racial change.

MEDIA WRITING

The introduction and practice of different styles of writing for print, broadcast and web media as well as advertising copy and public relations materials. Students will learn about legal implications of media writing and how to write for specific audiences, gather information and check for accuracy.

PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTICUM

A practical, on-campus public relations experience. Students will have the opportunity to write media releases, produce promotional materials, plan events, write scripts and create presentations.

Type of Schools:Four-year universities

Time to Complete:Four years

Career Opportunities:Public Relations Specialist, Media Relations Specialist, Marketing Research Analyst

Public relations bachelor’s degree programs tend to go more in-depth than associate degree programs. Students will have the opportunity to explore PR-related topics in more depth and may be exposed to specific components of PR, such as writing for different audiences, graphic design, broadcasting, management or business. Strong research skills are very helpful in bachelor-level PR programs, and students should be prepared to apply their classroom skills and knowledge to practical settings through group projects, internships or study abroad opportunities.

Bachelor’s degree programs may have a greater range of topics than associate degree programs, giving students the opportunity to take more subject-specific courses related to

PR.PUBLIC RELATIONS ETHICS

A look at ethical concepts and issues on the societal and individual levels in relation to public relations and advertising. Personal and professional ethics based on traditional teaching, modern codes and other guidelines will be studied.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Prepares students to meet the demand for PR and communication professionals who understand related business and economic principles. Traditional and emerging business models for PR agencies will be explored along with the business aspect of managing communications in corporate, government or nonprofit settings.

PUBLIC RELATIONS RESEARCH

An introduction to research techniques, paying particular attention to applications of strategic planning, opinion research, message evaluation and theory testing. Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be addressed, along with data analysis.

WRITING FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS

An intensive hands-on writing course designed to provide students with an understanding of proper writing styles, keeping in mind different goals, situations and media. Writing mechanics, grammar, headlines, structure and the ability to express information clearly to an intended audience will all be honed.

Type of Schools: Four-year universities

Time to Complete: Two or more years, depending on thesis requirements

Career Opportunities: Public Relations Director, Marketing Director, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, College Professor

Master’s and doctoral degree programs in public relations tend to have much more hands-on work than undergraduate programs. Practical applications, examinations of case studies, and delving deeper into topics addressed in undergraduate courses may be the focus, giving graduate students the opportunity to build off of their previous education, which is typically required. There may be more student-led discussions in class rather than an instructor-led lectures in graduate courses as well. Students pursuing graduate degrees in public relations should see more opportunities for advanced careers in public relations and related fields.

At the graduate level, PR students have the option to take classes such as the following:

PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGEMENT

Use theory and practice to create public relations campaigns and programs for clients in a variety of contexts. Methods include research, planning, implementation and evaluation of plans.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR THEORIES

A look at behavioral sciences as they apply to consumer decision-making and the application of theories to develop consumer behavior research studies, advertising and public relations programs.

CRISIS COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT

An introduction to crisis communication and management from a strategic, theory-based approach. Relevant historical and business case studies will be examined.

INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS

A study of the history, theory and practice of public relations on a global level.

Before diving in to a public relations degree program, students can ask themselves a few questions to make sure they choose one that is right for them.

I think there’s never been a better time to get into PR because the role of the public relations professional has expanded. Only 10 or 15 years ago, the role of the PR person was a little bit more limited in terms of gaining publicity and doing promotion work. Today, that role has expanded greatly, partly because of new media and social media.

Matthew Cabot, San Jose State University

Projected Job Growth (2014-2024): 6%

Annual Salary (2014): $55,680

Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

Public relations specialists help execute plans to develop and maintain an organization’s positive image. They may use various media, from social networking to newspapers, to promote their organization and communicate the organization’s image to the public. Public relations specialists can also tackle unfavorable situations an organization may face, draft speeches and press releases and use media to evaluate the public’s opinion of the organization.

Projected Job Growth (2014-2024): 7%

Annual Salary (2014): $101,510

Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

Public relations managers help organizations develop their identity. They plan, create and execute campaigns to express this identity to the public and maintain a positive public image. Public relations managers create press and media releases and supervise other PR staff to make sure campaigns are effective and well-executed.

Projected Job Growth (2014-2024): 9%

Annual Salary (2014): $123,450

Typical Education: Bachelor’s degree

Closely related to public relations, these managers create campaigns to generate interest in products or services. They use print, radio, television and online media to promote their companies or products through advertisements.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014)