Public Relations, B.A.
Overview
From overseeing relationships between the public and organizations, to helping to promote an event for a nonprofit, or developing a social media campaign that converts clicks into customers, you will learn to shape public perception of your company through public relations.
Keystone’s innovative BA in Public Relations teaches you the concepts and techniques of public relations, and advances your knowledge of the creative strategies and the legal and ethical issues associated with the profession. You will emerge prepared to enter into a career in public relations, and equipped to navigate the ever-changing media and communications landscape.
When you earn your public relations degree from Keystone, you can position yourself for a career that makes an impact. You will hone your skills in branding, crisis communication and reputation management, internal communication, media relations, social media, speechwriting, and more.
Hybrid Program Benefits
This program includes online courses as part of the curriculum through our partnership with Rize. These online courses offer students cutting-edge curriculum, greater scheduling flexibility, access to nationwide experts in the field, and access to even more resume-ready skills.
In this program, you will learn about:
- Working with clients to set goals and assess risk tolerance
- Risk management and insurance planning
- Investing in the securities market, risk/return, stocks, bonds, options, futures
- Tax consequences and lawful tax-minimizing tactics
- Financial planning for retirement
- Tax and non-tax considerations in estate planning
Contact
Sherry Strain, Ph.D.
Program Director
570-945-8490
Sherry.Strain@xcslscl.com
Program
Giant Careers for PR Professionals
Jobs in Public Relations are expected to grow by 9% over the next decade – faster than the national average, which means that people who study in the field can expect a lot of excellent options to choose from when they graduate. Our cutting-edge new Public Relations degree teaches the soft skills that’ll get you hired and the hard skills that’ll get you paid.
Social Media Director
Builds a company’s brand and creates social media-based campaign strategies using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other emerging platforms. They often work with the marketing, sales, and customer service departments.
$63,500
Median salary
Communications Director
Responsible for assisting agencies and companies in crafting their message and delivering it to the public. They serve as media contacts, issue press releases, arrange press conferences, and coordinate media campaigns.
$72,500
Median salary
Press Secretary
Serves as the liaison between government officials or other entities and the media. They respond to press requests, pitch reporters on interviews for print and electronic media as well as write press releases.
$72,500
Median salary
Chad Jones II, class of 2023, now works as a Senior Marketing Associate at Philadelphia Insurance Companies. As an undergraduate at Keystone College, Chad was student editor of The Plume, and he was on the football team. He also was a public relations intern with Keystone’s Office of Communications, where he wrote press releases and web features, and took photographs for several departments on campus.
Curriculum
Some courses in this program are taught virtually through Rize Education.
Course Requirements
In addition to a strong foundation of communication, research, and cultural diversity courses, students complete a core of Public Relations courses dedicated to providing you the knowledge and experience needed to be a Public Relations professional. These courses include:
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- PBRL 1110 Strategic Public Relations
- PBRL 2110 Public Relations Tactics
- PBRL 2145 Public Relations
- PBRL 3110 Crisis Communications
- PBRL 4910 Public Relations Capstone
FAQs
Do I really need a degree to work in Public Relations?
No, but you may need one to get hired, and having a degree in Public Relations provides a massive advantage in earning potential and salary. People with a bachelor’s degree also have a 50% lower rate of unemployment, and on average they make an additional $630,000 to $900,000 over their lifetime, even more in high growth fields like this one.
Was this program really created with corporate partners?
Yes! The only way to make sure our program gives you the skills you need to get hired and teaches you to work through real-world problems that actually matter is to partner with the people out there who are actually doing it. Our collaboration with Fortune 500 companies and subject matter experts means that their multi-billion-dollar expertise is reflected in everything you’ll study here.
What will my career look like?
Public Relations is huge, and our graduates can use their coveted skills to secure many different kinds of high-growth employment. If the idea of building a brand’s image appeals to you, you may want to work as a marketer at a corporation. If you want to shape the narrative about the biggest names out there, you may point towards being a public relations specialist. As a Public Relations grad, the high-paying possibilities available to you across industries are essentially endless.
How do I know if I’m interested in this major?
If you are interested in building brands and shaping narratives, if you have a passion for creative problem solving, if you are looking for a degree that opens a ton of doors to different high-growth careers, if you want to have a job that never gets boring, and if you want to gain a skill set that makes you more and more valuable as your career progresses, you should consider this major.
What does live class optional mean?
Flexibility. Optional live sessions mean our courses can be completed asynchronously, but you will still have the ability to attend live sessions with your instructor. Many students prefer learning that comes with live interactions, while other students love the flexibility of doing them whenever they fit into their schedule.
Who will be in my class?
This major is part of an exclusive partnership between Keystone College and Rize Education, which means you’ll be learning with students from your campus, as well as students from a selective consortium of schools across the country. The goal is to help you begin building a national network of people in your industry before you’ve even graduated.
Can Public Relations grads only work in Public Relations?
Nope! Although pursuing a career as a public relations specialist is an incredible option, graduates also have the option of entering sales, marketing, and many other high-growth fields. Rest assured that this major leaves the door of opportunity wide open!
Program Goals
- Write clearly, effectively, and persuasively.
- Analyze the media and public relations needs of a given situation.
- Demonstrate ability to interact with media.
- Develop effective messaging.
You Belong at Keystone
Become part of the Keystone family!