Public Relations

Welcome,

With over 300 majors, both the Advertising and Public Relations programs are attracting smart and creative students who want to excel beyond the norm. We offer a challenging, yet supportive environment.

Our slogan is "Think Out Loud." We encourage our majors to look at problems in fresh and novel ways. Our majors also have the best tools to help them innovate. We are housed in a new $18 million state-of-the-art building with easily accessible technology.

We embrace new media. Real world and hands-on. I mean really hands on! We also have a professionally managed Ad+PR agency called Imagewest. Our majors can cop class credit for doing real projects for real clients. We also participate in student competitions and stage real events to apply classroom material.

Want experience and a degree? This is the place. Look over the site. If you have any questions, please e-mail the Ad+PR Program coordinator, Clif Shaluta, directly at cliff.shaluta@wku.edu . You can schedule a tour by clicking here for WKU TOURS http://www.wku.edu/Info/Admissions/newtours.html have admissions set up a campus tour.

Major in Public Relations  (reference #763) rev. 1/09,  10/11

Public relations is a planned process to influence public opinion using strategic communications. The public relations program at WKU emphasizes research and measurement; strategic planning; professionally designed, written, and targeted communication tactics; and ethical practice. We prepare students for an exciting career in public relations with skills in critical thinking, writing, technology, research, program planning and management, creative problem solving, and relationship building with key publics. Those publics include media, consumers, employees, government and other regulatory bodies, opinion leaders, and communities.

Virtually all segments of the public and private sectors throughout the world draw employees from public relations graduates. Our graduates work as communications tacticians, strategic planners, and management counselors. They may specialize in employee relations, community relations, crisis communication, public affairs, media relations, or several other disciplines within the professional arena.

Curriculum requirements effective fall 2006

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Prospective majors may take no more than 18 hours in the major before admission.

Students must meet the following requirements before admission:

1.Completion of 48 hours of coursework applicable to the baccalaureate degree with a minimum overall grade point average of 2.5.Required courses include COMM 161, HIST 119 or 120, the university math requirement, and at least a 'C' ENG 100.

2. Completion of the following courses with at least a'C': JOUR 201, 202, and 232.

CURRICULUM:  The major in Public Relations requires a minimum of 39 semester hours and leads to a Bachelor of Arts Degree. The major requires a broad program of study. In addition to general education requirements of the University and 39 hours in the major, students must select an appropriate minor or second major. Generally, students may select any minor outside of the School of J&B as long as the public relations faculty advisor approves it and 80 hours are taken outside the major area of journalism and mass communication with no fewer than 65 hours in traditional liberal arts and natural sciences.

A grade of 'D' in any course will not be accepted toward the major. Refer to the University Undergraduate Catalog for additional information.

REQUIRED COURSES (Prerequisites are in parentheses)

For students declaring a PR major in fall 2006 and thereafter.

JOUR 201Media and Society

JOUR 202Intro. to Media Writing

JOUR 232Electronic Technologies for Journalism

JOUR 355Fndmntls of Public Relations (JOUR 201, 202)

BCOM 325Survey Writing for TV, Radio (JOUR/BCOM 201)

JOUR 323News Editing (JOUR 201, 202)

JOUR 358PR Writing & Production (JOUR 201, 232)

One of the following two law courses

JOUR 301Press Law & Ethics (JOUR 201, 202, junior standing)

BCOM 301Mass Law & Ethics (PS 110, JOUR/BCOM 201)

JOUR 300 Research in Ad & PR (spring)(MKT 220, stats, JOUR 201,202,232; AND 341 or 355)

JOUR 354 International PR (fall) (Junior Standing)

JOUR 454 PR Strategy & Planning (fall) (JOUR 323,355 and 358)

JOUR 456 Public Relations Management (spring) (Capstone) (JOUR 300, 454)

Restricted Electives

Select one 3-hour restricted elective, with faculty advisor consultation.

JOUR 131Digital Photography (effective spring 09)

JOUR 231Introduction to Photojournalism (not available after fall 08)

JOUR 325Feature Writing (effective fall 09 JOUR 302, 323 or permission)

JOUR 341Principles of Advertising (JOUR 201, 202)

JOUR 343Print Design/Production/Typography (JOUR 201, 202, 232)

JOUR 443Advertising Interactive Design (effective fall 09 JOUR 343, 348 or permission)

JOUR 458PR Internship/Practicum (18 hours in major & permission)

JOUR 481Problems in Mass Communication

JOUR 495Collaborative Journalism (JOUR 358)

BCOM 264Digital Video Production

COMM 346Persuasion

ENG 306Business Writing (ENG 100)

MKT 322Integrated Marketing Communication (MKT 220)

PSY 371Psychology of Sales Behavior (PSY 100)

Courses required outside the major:

COMM 161Business and Professional Speaking

ECON 203Principles of Macroeconomics

GEOG 110World Regional Geography

PS 110 American National Government

MKT 220 Basic Marketing Concepts (sophomore standing)

One Course in Statistics: ECON 206, SOCL 300, MATH 183*/203, PSY 201/301*, or AMS 271 *number change effective fall 2011

Recommended minors for a major in Public Relations:

International Business    Entrepreneurship    Psychology    Sociology    Foreign Language    Marketing    Economics    Political Science      Health Care Administration    Business Administration    American Humanics    Tourism

All 4-year tracks require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. If you do not have Acrobat Reader installed on your browser, simply click the image below for a quick and easy FREE install. Public Relations- 4-year Track

The Public Relations program is located in Mass Media and Technology Hall, based out of the School of Journalism & Broadcasting in Office 216 and faculty may be reached at (270) 745-4144, or by fax at (270) 745-5835.