Public Relations Major
Public relations is a proactive, strategic function that strives to mesh the interests of an organization and its publics. Public relations professionals build and maintain those relationships that are essential to the organization’s success—or failure—by applying strategic thinking and effective writing. In fact, according to PRWeek’s 2006 Career Guide, effective writing was rated the top skill needed by college graduates entering the public relations field. Strategic thinking was rated as the second most important skill. As a public relations professional, you could work in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, as well as in government. You also could work in a variety of industries, such as transportation, sports, entertainment, education, technology, environmental, energy/public utilities, politics, health care, travel/tourism, financial, or advocacy groups such as child welfare or animal rights. Depending on your job, you might address particular areas of relationship building, such as community relations, consumer relations, investor relations, employee relations, government relations, media relations, and issue and crisis management. Or you could work for a public relations firm that represents a variety of clients or that specializes in a particular area. The kind of work you do will include research (e.g., surveys, focus groups, communication audits); planning and implementing strategic campaigns; writing, designing, producing, distributing newsletters, white papers, billing or paycheck inserts, brochures, in-house magazines, fliers, bulletins, posters, annual reports, speeches, presentations, news releases, tip sheets, pitch letters, fact sheets, media kits, video news releases, online communications (such as Web sites, Web casts, podcasts, blogs), and premiums (such as t-shirts, key chains, coffee mugs, mouse pads); and organizing and producing (from the guest list to the napkins, menu, speakers, and centerpieces) award ceremonies, dinners, or community, media, or legislative special events. Our PR program is one of only 13 university programs in the nation to be Certified in Education for Public Relations (CEPR) by the Public Relations Society of American, the leading professional association. The PRSA Certification report in 2003 described the PR program as “one of the most successful in the country.” To be assigned an adviser you must officially declare the major (see below). Once you have an adviser assigned to you, you must complete the following steps before making an appointment with him or her:
To officially declare the advertising or public relations major, go to 412 Reese Phifer to complete a major form. Once your major form has been completed, you will be assigned an APR adviser and entered into the College’s checksheet system, which will help you and your adviser plan your coursework.
Preprofessional requirementsThe APR department requires MC 101, APR 231, and either a foreign language or computer science sequence. Students must receive a “C-“ or above in MC 101 and APR 231.
Special requirementSpecial requirement courses will broaden your background and allow you to sample a variety of upper-level courses. These required courses depend on which catalog you are under, as follows.
Minimum grade requirement“C-” is the minimum grade requirement in major courses and prerequisites in order to continue in your major.
Major courses/Minimum GPA requirementYou must have a 2.0 GPA or higher in order to enroll in any course in the major numbered 300 or above. And you must earn “C-” or better in these courses in order to graduate.
APR 300 Visual Communication JN 311 Reporting APR 332 Public Relations Writing APR 419 Advanced Public Relations Development or APR 432 Public Relations Management APR 433 Public Relations Campaigns Check the list of prerequisites before you enroll in any of these courses.
Upper-level MC requirementAfter you have 61 hours, have completed MC 101, and have at least a 2.0 GPA you are eligible to take two (2) upper-level MC courses. Either MC 401 Mass Media Law and Regulation or MC 407 Mass Communication Research is required. You might want a MC 400-level course to re-use in a W designation, but only some MC courses have W designations. To fulfill the MC requirement only, you may take both MC 401 and MC 407 or select either MC 401 or MC 407 and one of the following: MC 403 Survey of Communication Theory MC 405 Mass Communication Ethics MC 409 Mass Communication History (W) MC 411 International Mass Communication MC 413 Communication and Diversity (W) MC 415 Mass Communication Processes and Effects MC 417 Mass Communication and Public Opinion MC 421 Political Communication (W) MC 425 Media Management (W) MC 495 Special Topics. Check with your adviser to see if the special topic you select will apply toward the MC 400-level requirement. Some topics may not. Required communication elective (APR/JN/MC/TCF) You must choose one 3-hour communication elective in APR, JN, MC, or TCF. You may choose two other communication electives (6 additional hours) in these areas, if you’d like to have 36 hours in the major. For a list of suggested communication electives, click here.
Note: For students under catalogs prior to 2004-06, the required communication elective replaces MC 102, which is no longer offered. A certain number of general electives is needed in order to fulfill graduation requirements. This number is variable for every student, depending upon the number of hours required for minors, hours transferred, and hours taken in the major (such as Core requirements). Although you may take general electives at any time, we advise you to save your general elective hours for your junior and senior years, when such courses can be chosen to enhance your major and minor areas of study. General electives should not be confused with communication electives (see above). General electives fall outside of courses offered by the College of Communication and Information Sciences, with the exception of communication studies (COM) courses. Advertising and public relations students are required to have a minor. To declare the minor, go to 412 Reese Phifer. Once the department that houses the minor has completed the form outlining the minor curriculum, you must return it to 412 Reese Phifer for it to become official and entered the College’s checksheet system. For specific questions about coursework in the minor, see an adviser in the department that houses the minor. Selecting a minor can be a tough decision. We suggest choosing a minor that complements your major, that prepares you for your future employment goals, or that simply interests you. Minors that complement the advertising and PR majors include English, creative writing, art (with studio areas such as graphic design/digital media and photography), general business, management, psychology, English, political science, sociology, and history. You may choose a minor that enhances your major with a relevant area of study, such as a foreign language, African-American studies, women studies, American studies, philosophy, and international studies. Or perhaps you might select a field where you might find employment as a technical writer, such as the natural sciences, computer science, theater, health care management, etc. If you have a second minor, one of your two minors must be in the College of Arts and Sciences. The second minor in A&S will have courses at the 300 and/or 400 level that may be used to double-satisfy the special requirement and the W Core requirement. Thus, completing a second minor within a four-year college career can be easily achieved with good planning. You will broaden your educational experience, and your resume will look more impressive. If you have a second major, the first consideration is where your “home” department will be (and thus which UA college will confer your degree). If your home department is APR, then your second major must be in the College of Arts and Sciences or you may double major in communication studies within the College of Communication and Information Sciences. The second major in A&S or COM will have courses at the 300 and/or 400 level that may be used to double-satisfy the special requirement and the W Core requirement. If your home department is elsewhere, then your second major in public relations will include the full sequence of major courses, including campaigns, the 400-level MC requirement, the 12-hour special requirement, the literature sequence, EC 110, and COM 123. Double-majoring usually requires at least five years of coursework in the fall and spring semesters, or a full load of coursework in summer terms within a four-year college career. However, this financial and time investment in your education can bring more job opportunities upon graduation. Suggested course plan for the major Independent study is an analysis of advanced theoretical issues in commercial persuasive communication, under the supervision of an advertising or public relations faculty member. For more information, click here.
|
