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. Qualifications include an educational background or three years professional experience in this area. All students entering this program are required to consult with a media communications academic advisor prior to registration. Qualifications and prerequisite courses will be discussed at that time. Students without an educational background or three years experience in public relations are required to enroll in 6 credit hours of prerequisite coursework. This degree is theory and application based. It is not intended to be production-oriented and therefore, students interested in developing a creative portfolio may wish to consider undergraduate coursework in public relations.
Faculty
The Public Relations program springs from 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. Other instructors have been recruited specifically for their national or international reputation and expertise in their areas of specialty. All have extensive professional experience and adhere to the same rigorous academic standards.
Public Relations Curriculum and Course Syllabi
The M.A. in Public Relations requires satisfactory completion of 36 graduate credit hours (12 courses). Of these, 7 courses are core (required). The remainder are emphasis (elective) classes that can be selected based on the student’s academic or professional interests.
Core Courses
Click on the course number to view the syllabus. The course of study for students working towards an M.A. in Public Relations is as follows:
- MEDC 5000: Media Communications (Requisite Course)
- MEDC 5310: Media and Culture
- PBRL 5322: Public Relations
- PBRL 5342: Writing for Public Relations
or
PBRL 5344 Speechwriting - MEDC 5350: Media Organization and Regulations
- MEDC 5360: International Communications
- MEDC 6000: Seminar in Media Communications
Emphasis Courses
A minimum of 15 credit hours must be completed from the following:
- MEDC 5300: Strategic Communications
- MEDC 5010: Introduction to Graduate Studies: Advanced Thinking and Writing
- ADVT 5321 Advertising-Decision Making (special prerequisites)
- PBRL 5323: Organizational Communications
- PBRL 5342: Writing for Public Relations (if not used as core course)
- PBRL 5344 Speechwriting (if not used as core course)
- MEDC 5345 Writing for Media Communications: Journalism
- MEDC 5400: Media Production Management
- MEDC 5430: Media Communications Technology
- PBRL 5451: Communication Strategies for Investors and Financial Stakeholders
- PBRL 5452: Commication Strategies for Public Affairs and Government Relations
- PBRL 5453: Communication Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations
- MEDC 5460: Media Research
- PBRL 5465: Crisis Management Communications
- 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 5770 Multinational Public Relations
- PBRL 4190: Public Relations Research
- PBRL 4800: Media Relations
View the Graduate Course Catalog for complete descriptions of these courses and the Graduate Courses in Communication Management.
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