/Institutions/Messiah-College/json/2022-2023/Undergraduate-Catalog-local.json
/Institutions/Messiah-College/json/2022-2023/Undergraduate-Catalog.json
Public Relations (B.A.)
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates from Messiah’s Public Relations program can:
- Identify, interpret, evaluate, and apply best practices in public relations, media relations, and crisis communication (combining traditional and new media) for maintaining mutually beneficial relationships between organization and publics both routinely and in times of crisis.
- Identify and demonstrate commitment to ethical practice of public relations.
- Analyze, compare and evaluate models of public relations practice used in an organization and make effective recommendations for improvement.
- Display proficient to advanced competencies in four public relations related areas: writing, social media, crisis communication and marketing.
- Display proficient to advanced competencies in at least three specialty areas, depending on their major electives (e.g. fundraising, internal communication, event planning, campaign processes (research, action planning, communication/implementation/evaluation), visual communication, social and digital marketing persuasion).
- Explain how various media platforms work, how they produce meanings, how they are organized, and how to use them wisely and effectively.
- Explain how to form and maintain healthy relationships with diverse others.
- Construct discourse intended to inform, persuade, and entertain.
- Articulate ethical communication principles and practices.
- Explain research methods in communication.
- Communicate effectively, ethically, and appropriately through writing, interaction, and speaking in public, interpersonal, and group contexts.
- Display proficiency in one area of communication sufficient to pursue a career and/or continue education at the graduate level.
- Articulate an awareness of options for employment in a communication-related.
- Articulate how faith connects to the discipline and students’ area of specialization in Communication.
Major Requirements
Complete the following for your major:
COMM 105 | Fundamentals of Oral Communication | 3 |
COMM 107 | Introduction to Communication Seminar | 1 |
COMM 205 | Principles of Strategic Public Relations | 3 |
COMM 341 | Communication Theory | 3 |
COMM 351 | Writing for Strategic Public Relations | 3 |
COMM 353 | Crisis Communication and Media Relations | 3 |
COMM 359 | Rhetorical Theory | 3 |
COMM 493 | Communication Senior Seminar | 3 |
MRKT 130 | Marketing Principles | 3 |
COMM 341 and 359: Writing in the major requirement.
Three credits from the following media courses:
Three credits from the following interpersonal communication courses:
Three credits from the following major writing courses:
One of the following options, must be taken for letter grade (1-3):
INTE 394: Students may take INTE 394 for 4-12 credits. Three of those credits would count towards the major, additional credits count as free electives.
Nine credits from the following:
QuEST Requirements
Experiential Learning requirement |
0 |
QuEST requirements |
Credits |
First Year Seminar |
3 |
Oral Communication (COMM 105) |
met/major |
Created and Called for Community (W) |
3 |
Mathematical Sciences |
3-4 |
Laboratory Science |
3-4 |
Science, Technology & the World |
3 |
Two of the following (6 credits total):
Social Science
European History
United States History |
6 |
Literature |
3 |
Philosophy and Religion |
3 |
Arts |
3 |
First Semester of Language |
3 |
Second Semester of Language |
3 |
Third Semester of Language or Cross Cultural |
3 |
Non-Western Studies |
2-3 |
Bible |
3 |
Christian Beliefs |
3 |
Wellness course |
1 |
Ethics, World Views or Pluralism |
3 |
QuEST requirements |
54-57 |
Major requirements |
44-46 |
Free electives |
25-20 |
Total credits |
123 |