Major in Strategic Communication: Public Relations (BA/BS)
Students will be guided by the outline of baccalaureate degrees, the University Core Curriculum and the program outline listed below. Students majoring in the School of Journalism and Strategic Communication are encouraged to meet with an advisor in the school within the first semester of the program. Prior to graduation, students must complete an exit exam. Instructions on exam completion will be sent to students during the final semester of enrollment.
Students are encouraged to select a second major or minor that will complement their Strategic Communication: Public Relations major. Some program areas in the School of Journalism and Strategic Communication may not be combined. Students must complete a primary concentration in either Leadership or Strategic Communication in Sports. Students may wish to consider optional add-on concentrations in Communication Studies, Emerging Media, Event Planning and Management, Journalistic Narrative Writing, Media Analytics, Media Presentation and Design, Photographic Storytelling and Sports Public Relations. Not all concentrations are available in all areas. Please check with an advisor in the school before selecting a complementary major, minor or concentration.
51 credits
Required Courses
Students pursuing a public relations major must complete at least three credits in JOUR 369 (Internship).
Required Concentration
Students must select either the Leadership Concentration or Strategic Communication in Sports Concentration.
Leadership Concentration, 21 credits
| EMDD 103 | Introduction to Media Design | 3 |
| JOUR 250 | Introduction to Advertising | 3 |
| JOUR 348 | Social Media Management and Practice | 3 |
| JOUR 397 | Public Relations Topics | 3-9 |
| JOUR 485 | Strategic Communication Processes | 3 |
| NEWS 105 | Journalistic Storytelling: Introduction | 3 |
3 credits from EMDD, JOUR or NEWS
| 3 credits from 100, 200, 300 or 400-level courses in EMDD, JOUR or NEWS | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 21 |
Strategic Communication in Sports Concentration, 21 credits
| CCIM 125 | Fundamentals of Sports Content Creation | 3 |
| COMM 355 | Communication and Sports | 3 |
| JOUR 122 | Sports Media and Strategic Communication | 3 |
| JOUR 314 | Strategic Communication I: Esports and Sports | 3 |
| JOUR 322 | Sportswriting and Reporting | 3 |
| JOUR 414 | Strategic Communication II: Esports and Sports | 3 |
| MDIA 383 | Digital Sports Seminar | 3-6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 21 |
Optional add-on concentrations
Communication Studies, 12 credits
Select 12 credits from:
Not open to students minoring in communication studies
Emerging Media, 12 credits
Required Course
9 credits from:
Not open to digital media minors.
Event Planning and Management, 12 credits
Journalistic Narrative Writing, 12 credits
Media Analytics, 9 credits
Media Presentation and Design, 15 credits
Required Courses
3 credits from:
3 credits from:
| JOUR 332 | Photojournalism Managing and Editing | 3 |
| EMDD 345 | Data Analysis and Visualization | 3 |
Photographic Storytelling, 12 credits
Required Course
| EMDD 212 | Introduction to Photographic Storytelling | 3 |
9 credits from:
| JOUR 332 | Photojournalism Managing and Editing | 3 |
| JOUR 335 | Expanded Photographic Storytelling | 3 |
| JOUR 437 | Advanced Photographic Storytelling | 3-12 |
Sports Public Relations, 12 credits
Students enrolled in the Strategic Communication in Sports program may not pursue an optional concentration in Sports Public Relations.
| JOUR 314 | Strategic Communication I: Esports and Sports | 3 |
| JOUR 322 | Sportswriting and Reporting | 3 |
| JOUR 414 | Strategic Communication II: Esports and Sports | 3 |
| SPTA 190 | Introduction to Sport Administration | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 51