Public Relations Course Descriptions
PRL 1990-4990. Independent Studies (1-3). Courses designed with a professor for independent study purposes. MDS 2990 Gen. Ed. Designation: EL (S – Service Learning).
PRL 1895-4895. Special Topics (1-3). Special Topics or pilot courses.
PRL 1180. Introduction to Public Relations (3). A study of the profession of public relations, including the historical and theoretical underpinnings of the field and an examination of the range of career opportunities available to PR practitioners. This course will introduce students to what public relations is and how they can have a career in the field.
PRL 2180. Public Relations Writing and Production (3). The skills-based course teaches students how to write and produce public relations materials, including news releases, backgrounders and talking points, media kits, advertising copy, fund-raising letters, grant proposals, speeches, and other promotional copy.
PRL 2650. PR Fundraising (3). This course will provide a foundation for operating a devleopment program, including how to find donors, manage the fundraising process, write grants, and other financial skills needed in the public relations arena. Gen. Ed. Designation: EL (S – Service Learning)
PRL 2710. Social Media in Public Relations (3). This course will explore emerging social media technologies and examine their application in public relations practice. Through scholarly and professional literature, reading, research, critical analysis and practical application, students will discover how organization-public relationships can be created and maintained through social media.
PRL 2810. Public Relations Cases (3). Prerequisite: PRL 1180. Analytic study of guiding public relations principles illustrated by current and historical public relations cases. Emphasis on strategic managment, ethics, and two-way organizational communication. Oral and written analysis of illustrative cases; application of principles in service-learning projects.
PRL 2820. Public Relations Design & Production (3). This computer-based course will equip students with the knowledge and technical skills to conceptualize, design, produce andmanage various print and digital media that are commonly integrated in public relations campaigns.
PRL 2960. International Public Relations (3). This course will analyze the growing impact of international public relations – one of the fastest growing aspects of the field in the 21st century.
PRL 3180. Public Relations Research (3). Prerequisite: PRL 2180 or permission of the instructor. This course will focus on research areas necessary to be an effective public relations practitioner, including informal research techniques, such as record keeping, key contacts, focus groups, casual monitoring, and formal research techniques, such as content analysis, survey research, experimental research, and sampling methods. The course also will explore measuring public opinion and identifying publics, among other related areas.
Gen. Ed. Designation: EL (R – Undergraduate Research).
PRL 3710. Event Planning (3). Prerequisite: PRL 2180 or permission of the instructor. This course will focus on an area of specialization within the public relations profession. Students will learn how to plan, promote, implement, and evaluate events, including news conferences, fund-raisers, concerts, community sponsorships, and more. Gen. Ed. Designation: EL (S – Service Learning)
PRL 3800. Media Relations (3). Prerequisite: PRL 2180 or permission of the instructor. This course will go beyond writing news releases and speeches to how to conduct full-fledged publicity campaigns. The course will focus on media management techniques and strategies.
Gen. Ed. Designation: EL (C – Community Based Research).
PRL 4190. Public Relations Campaigns (3). Prerequisites: PRL 1180, PRL 2180, and PRL 3180. Capstone course involving extensive team-based research, planning, implentation, and evaluation of a public relations campaign on behalf of an assigned real-world client. Oral and written presentation of the project; service-learning applications. EL (S – Service Learning).
PRL 4910. Public Relations Internship (1-3). On-the-job training in a media organization / public relations setting. Student assignments will be consistent with vocational objectives. Normally taken during the junior or senior year.
Gen. Ed. Designation: EL (I – Internships, Clinicals, Practica).