Master of Arts in Communication with a Public Relations Concentration

The University offers an online Master of Arts in Communication with a concentration in public relations. The program is designed to enable public relations specialists and media strategists currently working in the field receive additional training in cutting-edge public relations approaches and advance more quickly in their careers; to help business professionals enhance their knowledge of and facility with current research methods and practices; and to allow working professionals without an undergraduate degree in or professional experience with public relations to develop the skills and background to enter this rapidly-growing field. The program uses a dynamic online environment and small class sizes to help students develop a collegial relationship with their faculty and with other students. Students will regularly sharpen their professional writing, research, and analytical skills; develop approaches to handling public relations crises; and develop a principled approach to practicing public relations. This program is also designed to be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Program Objectives The Master of Arts in Communication with a concentration in public relations program is intended to offer students the opportunity to: Learn modern methods of analyzing the effectiveness of public relations strategies for both for- and non-profit organizations; Sharpen crisis management skills; Develop principled approaches to managing public relations campaigns; Learn how to design and execute public relations strategies for use in multiple media platforms; Develop writing skills necessary for effective public relations campaign management; and Become fluent in both qualitative and quantitative research strategies. Structure The program is designed for part-time participation; all courses are offered online. To complete the program, a student must take 10 courses, 30 credit hours, at least seven of which must be. The program uses the 11-week term calendar to include two courses per semester, summers included, with courses sequenced to run every two years/every three summers.