Communication, Public Relations Concentration, B.A.

The Public Relations concentration focuses on the knowledge and skills required to develop and maintain mutually beneficial relationships between organizations or individuals and their publics. Students learn the skills, concepts and theoretical background to enable them to plan, implement and evaluate communication programs directed toward relationship building.

Requirements for the Communication Major - 45 Credits

Required Major Core - 27 Credits

COMM 0101 - Introduction to Mass Communication Credits: 3
COMM 0102 - Introduction to Human Communication Credits: 3
COMM 0201 - Introduction to Communication Technology Credits: 3
COMM 0204 - Writing for the Media Credits: 3
COMM 0207 - Communication Ethics Credits: 3
COMM 0209 - Global Communication Credits: 3
COMM 0221 - Communication Theory Credits: 3
COMM 0307 - Communication Law Credits: 3
COMM 0320 - Foundations of Communication Research Credits: 3

Note:

STUDENTS MUST ELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CONCENTRATIONS: Communication and Culture, Journalism, Public Relations, Media Arts and Analysis, or the Student-Defined Concentration. In addition to the required courses for each concentration, students are required to take electives, one of which must bear a COMM designation. If the concentration requires three or more electives, one of the remaining electives may be chosen from the approved elective list from any of the other concentrations.

Public Relations - 18 Credits

Required - 9 Credits

Students must take the following:

COMM 0203 - Principles of Public Relations Credits: 3
COMM 0336 - Advanced Public Relations Credits: 3
COMM 0342 - Public Relations Writing Credits: 3

Electives - 9 Credits

Students must choose any three elective courses from the following:

At least two must have a COMM designation.

COMM 0106 - Video Production I Credits: 3
COMM 0216 - Issues in Advertising Credits: 1-3
COMM 0220 - Communication and Conflict Credits: 3
COMM 0222 - Intercultural Communication Credits: 3
COMM 0223 - Web Page Design and Construction I Credits: 3
COMM 0230 - Audio Production I Credits: 3
COMM 0275 - Journalism I Credits: 3
or ENGL 0275 - Journalism I Credits: 3
COMM 0303 - Persuasive Communication Credits: 3
or ENGL 0303 - Persuasive Communication Credits: 3
COMM 0308 - Multimedia Journalism Credits: 3
COMM 0309 - Broadcast Journalism Credits: 3
COMM 0312 - Media Criticism Credits: 3
COMM 0316 - Special Topics in Communication Credits: 3
COMM 0317 - Health Communication Credits: 3
COMM 0318 - Social Media, Social Context Credits: 3
COMM 0321 - Political Communication Credits: 3
COMM 0322 - Professional Communication Credits: 3
COMM 0323 - Interpersonal Communication Credits: 3
COMM 0340 - Organizational Communication Credits: 3
ART 0228 - Graphic Design I Credits: 3
ART 0344 - Graphic Design II Credits: 3
ENGL 0103 - Speech Credits: 3
ENGL 0392 - Business and Technical Writing Credits: 3
MRKT 0231 - Marketing Management Credits: 3
MRKT 0307 - Marketing Research Techniques Credits: 3
MRKT 0328 - Principles of Advertising Credits: 3
POLS 0318 - Public Management Skills Credits: 3
PSYC 0200 - Industrial and Organizational Psychology Credits: 3
SOCI 0311 - Complex Organizations Credits: 3

Additional Graduation Requirements

All students must meet the University Graduation Requirements and complete a general education or common core of studies, distributed among the different academic areas as detailed in General Education: WISE or Common Core .

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Westfield State University