Mar 28, 2024  
Mansfield University 2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
Mansfield University 2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Communication, Public Relations Concentration


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Offered by the Department of Communication


The Department offers a major in Communication with four concentrations: Electronic Media, Public Relations, Sports Information, and Organizational Communication.

The Public Relations program prepares students for a career managing the communication between an organization and it publics.  It provides students with a thorough understanding of how public relations functions within organizations.  Students design and develop a variety of communication materials for specific audiences and gain experience by working with actual clients as they plan and implement a public relations campaign and event for a community organization. 

A public relations graduate may secure employment as a PR Firm Executive, PR Director, Publicist, or Special Events Planner in various industries such as Corporate, Education, Entertainment, Music, Nonprofit, Political, and Sports.  Other public relations positions may be in the area of Advertising, Crisis Management, Marketing, Media or Community Relations, and Social Media.  The Public Relations concentration provides an academic background to prepare students to work in a multifaceted field.

Internship

Qualified students are encouraged to participate in the Department’s successful internship program. The intern applicant must have a 2.5 overall GPA and a 3.0 in the major to qualify. Addition experiences may be acquired through COM 2250/4450 Special Projects. Internships may be completed for 6-12 credits for the internship experience. A student may only complete one internship experience for credit.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Communication program is to serve our students, Mansfield University and our region through academic, extracurricular and cultural activities that promote the development of communication competence, critical analysis, an ethical foundation, respect for diversity, an understanding for the importance of research and recognition of the value of service, thus preparing our students for careers in their chosen fields.

Internship

Qualified students are encouraged to participate in the Department’s successful internship program. The intern applicant must have a 2.5 overall GPA and a 3.0 in the major to qualify.  Additional experiences may be acquired through COM 2250/4450 Special Projects. Internships may be completed for 6-12 credits for the internship experience. A student may only complete one internship experience for credit.

Program Objectives:

  • To foster student’s knowledge in the theory, practice, and application of communication
  • To develop and improve student’s written communication skills
  • To encourage students to use ethical and critical thinking skills as they apply to communication in various contexts
  • To develop and improve student’s proficiency in various technologies used in the field
  • To provide opportunities that expose and connect students to professionals and MU alumni working in the communication field

Learning Outcomes:

  • To be able to explain an organization’s public relations efforts and how the organization is portrayed in the media.
  • To be able to develop appropriate communication material to target specific audiences and media.
  • To be able to evaluate an organization’s use of social media.
  • To be able to evaluate a public relations campaign that they’ve implemented for an organization.

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