Public Relations

Mission and Learning Outcomes of the Public Relations Program

The mission of the Public Relations minor is to foster student development of the knowledge and skills necessary to manage the relationships between an organization or individual and its publics through effective communication and persuasion, media and organizational relations, and legal and ethical decision-making practices.

Specific objectives of this program include:

• To understand communication and persuasion concepts and strategies as they apply to organizations and individuals
• To understand public relations principles and theories as they relate to organizational problem-solving, crisis management, industry practices and strategy development
• To foster the development of research and analysis skills specific to the field of public relations
• To provide an awareness of legal issues as they relate to today’s mediated and professional environments
• To promote ethical consideration of public relations decision-making and practices
• To apply public relations knowledge and skills in a real-world setting