Master of Arts in Public Relations

Welcome to Webster University's online program in public relations. This degree is intended for students who have both an interest and background in public relations. It 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 determined at that time. Qualifications include a strong educational background or a minimum of three years of relevant professional experience in public relations. A résumé may be requested to determine professional experience. Students without a strong educational background or three years of relevant professional experience in public relations are required to enroll in six credit hours of prerequisite course work.

Students must earn a grade of "B" or better in the prerequisite courses, if required, before they are allowed to enroll in graduate courses. The prerequisite courses are not counted towards the 36 hours required for the degree, nor are they considered as part of the credit hours required for advancement to candidacy.

Our degrees are theory and application based and are not intended to be production-oriented. Students interested in developing a creative portfolio or acquiring tactical production skills may wish to consider undergraduate course work in public relations.

Faculty

The public relations program reflects Webster University's tradition of academic excellence and innovation in delivering career-oriented education to working professionals. The same distinguished faculty members who teach the traditional classroom courses also teach many of the online courses in the public relations program. Instructors are recruited specifically for their reputation and expertise in their areas of specialty and adhere to the same rigorous academic standards.

Public Relations Curriculum and Course Syllabi

The MA in public relations requires satisfactory completion of 36 graduate credit hours (12 courses). Of these, seven courses are core courses (required). The remainder are elective courses that can be selected based on the student's academic or professional interests.

The course of study for students working towards an MA in public relations is:

Core Courses

(Click on a course link to view the syllabus.)

These courses are taught online and in the classroom:

Elective Courses

A minimum of 15 credit hours must be completed from the following:

These courses are taught in the classroom:

ADVT 5321 Advertising-Decision Making (special prerequisites)
MEDC 5430: Media Communications Technology
MEDC 5550: Topics in Media Communications (if relevant to degree and approved)
MEDC 5600: Introduction to Interactive Communications
MEDC 5650: Special Topics in Interactive Media
PBRL 4800: Media Relations
PBRL 5344 Speech Writing
PBRL 5451: Communication Strategies for Investors and Financial Stakeholders
PBRL 5452: Communication Strategies for Public Affairs and Government Relations
PBRL 5453: Communication Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations

Not all courses listed above will be available to students at all locations.

View the Graduate Studies Catalog for complete descriptions of these courses and the graduate courses in Communication Management, Media Communications, and Media Literacy.

Getting Started

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