2020-2021 Catalog

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Public Relations, BA, BS

Degree Requirements

Students can earn a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Science degree with this major

Major Requirements: 13 courses, 49 credits

Core Requirements (11 courses, 41 credits)

ADPR-101Introduction to Advertising, Public Relations, and Social Media

4
ADPR-102Professional Development

1
ADPR-103Presentations Skills

4
ADPR-247Design Lab

4
ADPR-289Social Media

4
ADPR-297Web Design

4
ADPR-2277Public Relations I: Principles

4
ADPR-378Event Planning and Promotion

4
ADPR-3376Public Relations II: Research

4
ADPR-3377Public Relations III: Strategic Writing

4
ADPR-4477Public Relations IV: Campaigns

4

Note: All students should take ADPR-101, ADPR-102, and ADPR-103 during their first year. ADPR-101 and ADPR-102 should be taken during a student's first semester in the major.

Electives (2 courses, 8 credits)

Choose two of the following:
ADPR-257Advertising

4
ADPR-258Sports Public Relations

4
ADPR-309Grassroots Digital Advocacy

2
ADPR-317Principles of Branding and Visual Identity

4
ADPR-335Negotiation

4
ADPR-340Health Communication

4
ADPR-360Lifestyles PR: Entertainment

4
ADPR-361Lifestyle Public Relations: Fashion

4
ADPR-363Lifestyle Public Relations: Travel and Tourism

4
ADPR-365Nonprofit Promotion

4
ADPR-383Online Advertising

4
ADPR-409Content Management

4
ADPR-430Social Media Campaigns

4
ADPR-435Advocacy and Public Policy

4
ADPR-441Risk and Crisis Communication

4
ADPR-457Integrated Marketing Communication

4
ADPR-503Experiential Learning in Communication

1
ADPR-H506Honors Seminar

4

Residency Requirement Policy: In the College of Arts and Sciences, a two-course (8 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for completion of a minor and a four-course (16 credit) residency requirement must be satisfied for the completion of a major.

Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Degree in Communication

Degree Requirements

  1. Students admitted to this dual degree program must meet all the requirements of an undergraduate major offered by the department of Advertising, Public Relations, & Social Media or the department of Communication, Journalism, & Media.
  2. Students must also meet all requirements for the Master’s degree in Communication.
  3. Students will take two Communication graduate courses during their senior year; one during the fall semester and one during the spring semester. The two graduate courses taken during the senior year will count toward BOTH the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Credit hours will be awarded based on the graduate course description.
  4. The graduate courses taken during the senior year will be determined by the Communication graduate program director.
  5. Students are subject to the usual standards for academic standing, i.e., undergraduate standards for undergraduate courses and graduate standards for graduate courses.

Upon successful completion of all of the degree requirements, a student will receive a dual Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. The exact degree will be awarded based on the specific undergraduate program the student completes. A student may permanently exit the dual degree program and opt to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree if all the requirements for a Bachelor’s degree have been met. In this case, the graduate courses taken in the senior year will be counted as 4-credit courses applied toward the undergraduate degree requirements.

Honors

To complete requirements for honors in the major, a candidate must:

  1. Graduate with a major GPA of 3.5 or higher
  2. Graduate with an overall GPA of 3.3 or higher
  3. Complete ADPR-H457 or ADPR-H506 with a minimum grade of B+
  4. Pass a thesis defense
  5. CAS Honors Program students only: Present work from the senior honors experience at the Honors Symposium or Pecha Kucha event

To become a candidate for honors in the major, a student must:

  1. Have a major GPA of 3.5 or higher
  2. Have an overall GPA of 3.3 or higher
  3. Have completed a minimum of 7 ADPR courses
  4. Receive an invitation to take ADPR-H457 or ADPR-H506 from the honors coordinator before advising

Public Relations Major Learning Goals and Objectives

Learning goals and objectives reflect the educational outcomes achieved by students through the completion of this program. These transferable skills prepare Suffolk students for success in the workplace, in graduate school, and in their local and global communities.

Learning Goals Learning Objectives
Students will... Students will be able to...
Be prepared for professional careers in public relations, marketing communication, media relations, public affairs, and related fields, as well as for graduate study - Develop an understanding of the history, theory, and ethical practice of public relations
- Develop the specific skills of public relations, including research, writing, planning, organizing, speaking, and related activities
- Examine the interaction between public relations and broader political, social, and cultural contexts
- Develop an understanding of and ability to use public relations strategies/tactics
- Working as a team, students are able to construct and implement a public relations campaign
- Develop the ability to use various social media in the field of public relations
- Construct and deliver a presentation