Public Relations (BA)
Public Relations (BA)
This program offered by School of Communications/
Communications and Journalism Department
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PBRL 2920 Writing for Public Relations (3 hours)
PBRL 3500 Public Relations Research (3 hours)
PBRL 3600 Public Relations Cases, US & Global (3 hours)
PBRL 4250 Media Relations (3 hours)
PBRL 4300 Crisis Communications and Issues Management
(3 hours)
• PBRL 4920 Public Relations Campaigns* (3 hours)
• MEDC 4950 Internship (3 hours)
or PBRL 4620 Senior Overview (3 hours)
Program Description
The public relations major combines a strong base in academic
study with opportunities to test concepts through projects with
actual clients. Writing proficiency is a necessary element of the
major, as writing and knowledge of target audiences form the
basic foundation of good public relations.
Students learn theories and gain hands-on experience in
creating strategic information programs, internal communications
plans, media relations, and special events as they build their
professional portfolios using all available formats of media (print,
video, radio and television, and digital and electronic applications).
Students learn from practicing professionals who are their
professors, lecturers, mentors, and clients, bringing a real-world
substance to the major. Internships augment the experience.
*Capstone Course
In addition, a minimum of 9 credit hours from the
following:
(Although any combination of these courses can be taken to fulfill
the 9-hour requirement, courses are grouped by topic for those
students who want to focus on a particular track by taking multiple
classes in that area of study.)
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Learning Outcomes
Successful graduates of this program will be able to:
Visual Communications
• ADVT 1940 Introduction to Marketing Communications (3
hours)
• ADVT 3500 Visual Communications for Advertising and
Public Relations (3 hours)
Business and Management
• MNGT 3700 Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Small
Business Management (3 hours)
• BUSN 3710 Entrepreneurial Financial Management (3 hours)
• MNGT 3720 Entrepreneurial Marketing (3 hours)
Portfolio Review Course Requirements
• PBRL 1010 Fundamentals of Strategic Communications and
Public Relations (3 hours)
• EPMD 1010 Introduction to Production for Journalism (3
hours)
• PBRL 2920 Writing for Public Relations (3 hours)
• PBRL 2800 Organizational Internal Communications (3
hours)
Degree Requirements
A minimum of 128 credit hours consisting of the following:
• 42 required hours in the Public Relations program
• 18 required hours in the Communications and Journalism
Department
• 30 Applicable University Global Citizenship Program hours
• Electives
• Successful passing of Portfolio Review
Speech Communications
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Required Courses in the Department of
Communications and Journalism
In addition to the 42 credit hours required in the Public Relations
program, the following 18 credit hours are required to provide all
students with a solid foundation in communication and journalism
theory and applications.
• EPMD 1010 Introduction to Production for Journalism (3
hours)
• MEDC 1010 Introduction to Mass Communications (3 hours)
• JOUR 1030 Fundamentals of Reporting (3 hours)
• MEDC 1050 Introduction to Media Writing (3 hours)
• MEDC 2200 Ethics in the Media (3 hours)
• MEDC 4100 The Law and the Media (3 hours)
Required Courses
• PBRL 1010 Fundamentals of Strategic Communications and
Public Relations (3 hours)
• ADVT 2350 Introduction to Visual Communications for
Advertising and Public Relations (3 hours)
or INTM 2350 Digital Production Tools (3 hours)
• PBRL 2400 Public Relations and New Media: Content
Creation and Management (3 hours)
• PBRL 2800 Organizational Internal Communications (3
hours)
SPCM 1280 Interpersonal Communications (3 hours)
SPCM 2200 Group Communications (3 hours)
SPCM 2400 Persuasion (3 hours)
SPCM 3500 Presentations for Media Professionals (3 hours)
Minors Encouraged
Public Relations students are strongly encouraged to pursue a
minor (18 hours). Academic programs of particular relevance to
the Public Relations BA are:
Webster University 2016-2017 Undergraduate Studies Catalog DRAFT
• Advertising/Marketing Communications
• Business
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Majors
• Apply research practices and methodologies to gather
information that informs public relations target audience
analysis and organizational public relations problem solving
and decision-making.
• Create public relations plans that use correctly defined goals,
measurable objectives, strategies, tactics and evaluations.
• Create, package and edit public relations message content
and distribute it through appropriate media to select target
audiences of business and non-profit organizations.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of public relations plans in
meeting their defined goals and objectives.
• Conduct themselves with professionalism in project
management, client relationships, portfolio development,
presentations, and work relationships.
MEDC 2800 Cultural Diversity in the Media (3 hours)
PBRL 3150 Topics (1-3 hours)
MEDC 3260 International Communications (3 hours)
PBRL 4050 Special Events (3 hours)
PBRL 4700 Professional Development in Public Relations (3
hours)
Public Relations (BA)
Public Relations (BA)
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Journalism
Management
Political Science
Psychology
Speech Communications
Webster University 2016-2017 Undergraduate Studies Catalog DRAFT