Online Master of Arts in Mass Communication - Public Relations

While the study and application of public relations is structured around the process of strategic communication, this rapidly growing field incorporates elements of copywriting, graphic design, and business to design plans for brand awareness that will help any organization stand out. By crafting deliberate, planned, and sustained public relations campaigns, you can build mutual goodwill with your audience while sharing the right information to meet your client’s goals.

At UF CJC Online, we will teach you how to study, cultivate and maintain different types of professional relationships to manage information. How information flows, how it’s accessed, how it’s written, and how it’s presented can all mean the difference between a brand or campaign that meets with success or one that never gets off the ground.

The art and science of any strong public relations strategy is grounded in best business practices that are stakeholder-focused, an understanding of social media, the ability to create and manage content, and the practice of implementing an overall communication strategy. At UF CJC Online, we will teach you to approach public relations like a strategic conversation where you control the narrative to get the results your client needs.

University of Florida Online Master’s in Public Relations

The online Master of Arts in Mass Communication with a concentration in Public Relations includes 33 credit hours— 30 hours of coursework plus three final credits in the capstone course.

Unique Learning Experience

UF CJC Online programs are designed for students who crave:

• Courses that challenge them to grow as communicators through hands-on assignments where they receive detailed constructive feedback from peers and instructors
• The flexibility of online courses where pre-recorded lectures and live online meetings allow students to engage with their courses from anywhere in the world
• Networking opportunities with peers, alumni, instructors, and guest lecturers
• Professional growth and advancement opportunities
• Creative storytelling skills
• A transformative student-centered learning experience
• Personalized attention from highly engaged faculty
• An affordable and respected graduate degree from a top-10 public university

Core Courses of the Public Relations Concentration

• Digital Reputation and Brand Management
• Measurement and Evaluation
• Public Relations Theory
• Strategic Writing for Public Relations
• Strategy and Messaging
• Capstone: Public Relations and Communications Management

Careers in Public Relations

A career in Public Relations can truly take you anywhere you want to go, in business, advocacy, government, higher education, and virtually every career field you can name. Some well-known options for a career in this field are working in advertising and marketing, as an Account Executive, or as a Publicist, Spokesperson, or Public Information Officer for a business, agency, or organization.

The opportunities to work in this growing field are exciting and endless, as you can also work in the editorial, content creation, and copywriting space, in event planning, market research, investor relations, fundraising, or direct marketing. You will also be positioned to go into business for yourself as the head of your own firm.

Specific positions you may qualify for upon graduation include:

• Crisis Management Agent
• Communications Coordinator
• Event Coordinator
• Global Communications Manager
• Market Research Analyst
• Media Relations Manager
• Public Relations Director