Overview
James Bowman, Chair of the Division of Literature, Communication, and the Arts
The study of public relations provides students with the knowledge and skills to communicate on behalf of companies and organizations in an increasingly complex environment. Through writing, design, research, and strategy, students learn to develop public relations campaigns, work with media professionals, and create messages with text, video, graphics, and sound for traditional and social media.
Through hands-on work, students develop public relations research, implementation, and evaluation skills that will enable them to design and manage integrated public relations work. Courses include social media management, PR writing, media relations, and PR research and strategy, along with required classes in video storytelling, media analytics, marketing, and media economics.
Our small class sizes allow for personalized attention in a liberal arts setting. The University's proximity to downtown Rochester provides students with opportunities to participate in multiple internships and class partnerships with local businesses and nonprofits.
The public relations major features two PR specific co-curricular offerings that provide exceptional experiential and networking opportunities for students. The PRIMA Group, our award-winning student-run public relations agency, gives students the chance to work with clients from the Rochester area and beyond. Our chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is a nationally-affiliated pre-professional organization for students interested in pursuing public relations.
Students also may choose to participate in Cardinal Television, our campus TV station, and Cardinal Courier, our online campus newspaper.