M.A. in Public Relations and Advertising

Program Description

The Master of Arts (MA) degree in Public Relations and Advertising is intended for students who have both an interest and background in public relations. The MA in public relations is a specialized concentration available to individuals who qualify for the program.

All students entering this program are required to consult with a School of Communications academic advisor prior to registration. Qualifications and prerequisite course requirements will be discussed at that time. Qualifications include a strong educational background or a minimum of three years of relevant professional experience in this area. A résumé may be requested to determine professional experience.

Fall Semester

Advanced Thinking and Writing 3

MEDC 737 — Writing for Media Communications: Scriptwriting — 3

Spring Semester

Summer Classes

PRL 746 — Communication Strategies for Public Affairs and —

Government Relations 3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

ADVT 700: Advertising Decision-Making

This course examines case studies that cover decision making in all aspects of advertising management: target and audience identification, strategic planning, objective-setting, creative strategy, media planning, budgeting, research, and agency/client relationships.

MEDC 700: Media Communications

Students examine communications theory and its application to mass media. The course introduces students to the graduate program and describes program expectations as well as introduces research methodologies used throughout the program and discusses academic preparation for Seminar in Media Communications. Therefore, students must take this course even if they have academic and/or professional experience in media communications. Prerequisite: Students should have an educational background or professional experience in media communications, or they must enroll in 6 credit hours of additional preparatory undergraduate coursework, as determined by an academic advisor.

PRL 722: Media Relations

Students learn effective verbal and nonverbal communication techniques and apply these concepts to a series of "real-world" simulations in which they learn to attract, work with, and be interviewed by radio, television, and newspaper reporters.

PRL 734: Public Relations

This course integrates communications strategy with organizational mission statements, demonstrates stakeholder and issues management techniques, and considers ethical dilemmas in public relations situations. Public relations cases are examined in order to learn effective strategic and tactical answers to public-perception problems and opportunities.

PRL 735: Organizational Communications

This course considers the relationship of organizational mission, employee values, organizational cultures, and motivation. Both formal and informal communication networks are studied as they pertain to appropriate use of media to communicate with employees or volunteers. Students examine case studies showing proactive employee information efforts.

MEDC 710: Introduction to Graduate Studies: Advanced Thinking and Writing

This course is an introduction to graduate studies that provides students with knowledge and skills in three important ways to maximize academic success as a graduate student. The course will focus on critical thinking and advanced analysis skills, basic information on academic research and library searches, and advanced writing. The course will also offer a brief introduction to effective online learning.

MEDC 737: Writing for Media Communications: Scriptwriting

This course helps students develop several styles of nonfiction video scriptwriting for broadcast and non-broadcast media, including corporate scriptwriting, news-feature writing, and documentary-style scripting.

MEDC 738: Writing for Media Communications: Journalism

Writing for journalism is intended to give the student an understanding of the various genres of journalistic expression, including the hard-news story, feature story, and investigative story, as well as interpretive and explanatory journalism. Additionally, students are introduced to the trends of journalistic writing, from yellow and tabloid journalism to muckraking and the new civic journalism. Students can expect a number of writing/reporting assignments in this course.

MEDC 732: Strategic Communications

This course is taught from a top-management perspective regarding the strategic role of communications, and the communications manager, in achieving the company mission and measurable bottom-line results. It introduces students to an integrated approach to managing all communications functions, including all direct and indirect communications requirements for both internal and external audiences and intermediaries, such as customers, suppliers, distributors, employees, shareholders, competitors, politicians, analysts, journalists and lobbyists. It encompasses the functional areas of marketing communications, organizational communications, media relations, investor relations, government relations and corporate branding.

PRL 721: Public Relations Research

Students learn the basic concepts of public relations research using the Internet for instruction and assignment. Students learn how to gather and apply data to public relations program design and evaluation. The course presents primary and secondary data collection methods used in PR research, as well as basic statistical concepts for data analysis. Students also learn to interpret, to report, and to apply findings to specific public relations cases and situations.

PRL 742: Writing for Public Relations

This course applies public relations strategies and theories to writing for specific stakeholder audiences in a variety of complex public relations situations. Various persuasive techniques are applied to specific target audience needs, as indicated by audience analysis. Students examine professional copy and produce their own advanced public relations writing for inclusion in their portfolios. Topics include news releases, social media/viral PR, pitch letters, brochures, newsletters, blogs websites, speechwriting, and other communications forms.

PRL 743: Speechwriting

Students review and create organizational and business speeches, with special emphasis on assessing the audience, incorporating the organizational mission, researching the speech, and writing for the ear.

PRL 744: Communication Strategies for Investors and Financial Stakeholders

This course addresses the specific communication requirements of the financial stakeholder audience, including discussion of legal communication requirements, annual reports, annual meetings, analyst meetings, analyst information programs, and shareowner communications.

MEDC 744: Media Organization and Regulations

The student examines the legal structure of the media communications industry. The course focuses on the formation, rationale, and implications of policies that form the basis of media law and regulation.

PRL 746: Communication Strategies for Public Affairs and Government Relations

This course focuses on managing public relations strategies and tactics used in conducting public affairs, lobbying efforts, political campaigning, and government public information functions.

PRL 730: Communication Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations

This course addresses the specific public relations strategies needed to effectively manage the communications function within the nonprofit sector of organizations. The challenges of meeting the communication needs of volunteers and donors will be addressed as well as fund-raising communication techniques.

PRL 751: Crisis Management Communications

A specialized function of the public relations practice is the management of crisis communications. Students in this course study the relationship of the organization and its culture to the external environment in times of crisis. Risk assessment, preparation of a crisis plan, and use of appropriate media in addressing crisis communication needs are studied.

PRL 757: Multinational Public Relations

This course focuses on the challenges and opportunities in public relations in a global environment. Students analyze case histories from both U.S.-based multinational companies and non-U.S. multinationals. Study is also directed toward differences in cultures and audiences on each continent. Special attention is given to questions such as: What kind of media works best where? What cultural expectations inform audience decisions and responses? Which techniques are accepted globally? Pitfalls and common errors are examined. Review of major worldwide media is included. Students develop global public relations strategies and communication plans.

MEDC 752: Media Communications Technology

The student explores new technologies in mass communications and the choices that these technologies present in the area of media communications. Course content focuses on the impact of computer technology, artificial intelligence, and wireless technology on business and government and the increasing reliance on the management and communication of information. Future applications, active media technology, E-commerce and Web services, and Web-based social networks are also considered.

MEDC 784: Media Research

This course introduces students to the major research methodologies, communication theories, and topics of study within media research. Theories, models, and methods are applied toward the development of research projects. Students discuss and examine qualitative and quantitative methods of media research employed by various aspects of the media.

MEDC 733: Media and Culture

This course examines the mass media as it reflects and influences the attitudes, values, behaviors, myths, and preoccupations that define a given culture. The course considers the functions of mass media in society and the effect on the individual.

PRL 799: Thesis