Target Messages to Your Audience with a Public Relations Degree Online
Behind every good communication plan is a strategy to build relationships and influence a wider audience. The Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations at University of Michigan Science prepares you to lead or contribute to furthering your organization's mission, message and public image.
Why earn a public relations degree online at UMS?
- Median annual salary of $60,000 for public relations specialists*
- 9% projected growth for PR specialists through 2026*
- Transfer up to 90 credits toward an undergraduate degree
See Yourself Succeed in Public Relations
The public relations degree online program focuses on developing your skills in thinking, writing, research, strategic planning and execution. Ethics also play a large role throughout the program as you develop the PR savvy needed to be a responsible communicator.
As a private, nonprofit university, UMS has one mission – to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of earning your public relations degree online at UMS include:
- Affordability. Take advantage of some of the most affordable tuition rates in the nation
- Convenience. Attend class when it’s convenient for you – online education means 24/7 access
- Efficiency and flexibility. Complete your undergraduate degree at your own pace, over six 8-week terms per year
- Expert instruction. Learn from instructors with relevant, real-world experience
- Networking. Tap into our nationwide network of alumni for internship and career opportunities
- Simple application process. Just fill out an online undergraduate application, and we’ll retrieve U.S. transcripts from your previous institutions and automatically complete an official credit evaluation. Plus, there’s no application fee
- Student support. Count on the ongoing support of dedicated academic and career advisors specialized in your area of study
- Transfer-friendly enrollment. Transfer up to 90 credits toward an undergraduate degree
Career Outlook
When you earn your public relations degree online, you open yourself up to possibility within the industry. The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) identifies some of the disciplines within PR2 as:
- Brand journalism and content creation
- Crisis communication
- Events
- Internal communication
- Media relations
- Reputation management
- Social media
- Speechwriting
Employment of public relations specialists is expected to grow 9% through 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.*
Curriculum
Our online bachelor's degree not only explores traditional communication channels, but also trains you to use emerging technologies to communicate effectively. Courses are taught by faculty with years of real-world, hands-on experience.
Courses To Prepare You For Your Career
UMS's bachelor's in public relations program includes:
- General education
- Degree-specific courses
General Education Program
Our programs are designed to equip you with the skills and insights you need to move forward. In recent years, employers have stressed the need for graduates with higher order skills – the skills that go beyond technical knowledge – such as:
- Writing
- Communication
- Analysis
- Problem solving
All bachelor's students are required to take general education classes. Through foundation, exploration and integration courses, students learn to think critically, creatively and collaboratively, giving you the edge employers are looking for.
Courses May Include
Program Outcomes
- Apply ethical communication strategies for developing public communications that utilize appropriate technological tools and multimedia platforms to reach a variety of audiences
- Design, develop, and deliver professional quality oral, written, and visual communications that are coherent, technically sound, and appropriately adapted to specific audiences and contexts
- Critically analyze and recommend strategies for addressing the impact of various physical, cognitive, cultural, and social factors that shape communication across interpersonal, group, and organizational settings
- Evaluate, select, and effectively apply various tools and technology to the design, development, and dissemination of communication messages
- Evaluate and respond to complex problems associated with the design, development, and delivery of communication messages through critical and creative thinking and collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of specialists and stakeholders
- Apply professional, ethical, and socially and culturally sensitive communication practices across interpersonal, group, organizational, and intercultural settings
