Kennesaw State University (KSU) offers a public relations major program and a public relations minor program. The question is: which program of study is right for you? Let’s break it down.
The public relations major at KSU is a 120-credit hour program (including general education credit hours). A student pursuing a B.S. in public relations will take 18-credit hours of lower division courses that cover topics such as researching, writing, public speaking, visual design, ethics and an introductory course that correlates with the students major (for me, this course was Intro to Mass Communications). Once the lower division courses are completed, the student will have the opportunity to be admitted into the School of Communication and Media, where they will take the classes necessary to complete their degree. The upper division coursework is broken down by required courses (i.e. Public Relations Cases, Public Relations Campaigns), major electives (i.e. Digital Publication Design), upper division electives (i.e. Interviewing), related studies (usually used toward a minor or certificate program), and free electives (any course in the university curriculum).
Overall, the PR major is a nice mix of structure and flexibility. The required courses provide a well-rounded curriculum for student to draw knowledge from, and the courses prepare students for professional careers in the public relations industry. The flexibility to choose electives in the PR major help students to narrow their focus on specific aspects of PR. The downside of the major, like with any other major, is that it is a big time commitment.
The public relations minor at KSU is a 15-credit hour program, meaning that the program consists of five classes total. The program consists of four required courses and one elective course. The required courses are: Public Relations Principles, Public Relations Cases, Persuasion Methods and Strategies and Crisis Communication. The student has the option to choose one of two courses for their minor elective. Those courses available for choosing are: Topics in Public Relations and Social Media for Strategic Communication.
The PR minor is great for anyone who is looking for additional knowledge of PR and does not have the time to dedicate their PR studies to a major program. However, the PR minor does lack certain key aspects that are important in the PR industry such as writing for public relations and campaign building for PR. A PR minor would be a great choice for anyone majoring in Journalism, Political Science, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, etc.
For more information about the public relations major and minor at Kennesaw State University, please visit the links below.
Kennesaw State University. (2021). Public relations, B.S. Retrieved from http://catalog.kennesaw.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=51&poid=6038&hl=public+relations&returnto=search
Kennesaw State University. (2021). Public relations minor. Retrieved from http://catalog.kennesaw.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=51&poid=6025&hl=crisis&returnto=search