This program is designed to teach public relations and strategic communication theories and practices, with an emphasis on enhancing the ability to promote the image and mission of an organization or business.
Students study various facets of PR from brand promotion, content creation, and social media to crisis communication, media relations, community relations, reputation management, and marketing communications. A particular focus will be on sophisticated training in the latest communication techniques including social media, web communications and videography, as well as data analytics and data-driven storytelling.
Program graduates will be equipped with the technical skills they need to break into the PR field and the management skills they need to advance in the professional arena. The needs for these skills have increased exponentially in recent years as diverse organizations understand that they need to develop effective messaging communicated in visual, textual, and audio form through multi-, online-, and social media. The goal of the program is to empower students to promote the public agenda of employers ranging from industry leaders, to mission-driven organizations, to strategic communications groups and political consulting firms.
Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.
Universitywide Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.
BA Language Requirements
All BA students are required to complete the BA degree language requirements, for a total of 12 semester hours of language study or demonstrated equivalent proficiency, as described in Additional Requirements for BA students. Successful demonstration of proficiency does not reduce total minimum semester hours of study required to earn the BA degree.
NUpath Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to College | ||
| COMM 1000 | Communication Studies at Northeastern | 1 |
| or JRNL 1000 | Journalism at Northeastern | |
| Foundation Courses | ||
| COMM 1113 | Business and Professional Speaking | 4 |
| COMM 3625 | Public Relations Practice | 4 |
| or JRNL 3625 | Public Relations Practice | |
| JRNL 5311 | Design for Storytelling | 4 |
| JRNL 5480 | Research for Media Strategy | 4 |
| A grade of C or better is required for the following: | ||
| COMM 3445 | Public Relations Principles | 4 |
| or JRNL 3425 | Public Relations Principles | |
| JRNL 2200 | Writing for Public Relations | 4 |
| Introductory/Intermediate Electives | ||
| Complete two of the following (and any required corequisites): | 8 | |
| Persuasion and Rhetoric | ||
| Communication Theory | ||
| Principles of Organizational Communication | ||
| Communication in a Digital Age | ||
| Global and Intercultural Communication | ||
| Social Media Analytics | ||
| Journalism 1: Fundamentals of Reporting and Writing and Journalist’s Toolbox | ||
| Understanding Today’s News | ||
| Visual Storytelling in Journalism | ||
| Advanced Electives | ||
| Complete three of the following (other courses may be proposed in consultation with your academic advisor): | 12 | |
| Political Communication | ||
or COMM 6320 | Political Communication | |
| Advocacy Writing | ||
| Environmental Issues, Communication, and the Media | ||
or COMM 6500 | Environmental Issues, Communication, and Media | |
| Health Communication Campaigns | ||
or COMM 6102 | Health Communication Campaigns | |
| Crisis Communication and Image Management | ||
| Digital Storytelling and Social Media | ||
| Ethics and Issues in Journalism | ||
| Media and Advocacy in Theory and Practice | ||
| Public Relations Strategies for Managing Scandal in Business and Politics | ||
| Subject Expertise | ||
| Complete three electives in the subject of your interest (e.g., public health, computer science, biology) in consultation with your advisor. | 12 | |
| Capstone | ||
| COMM 4608 | Strategic Communication Capstone | 4 |
Program Requirements
60 semester hours in the major
128 overall semester hours required
Sample Plan of Study
Four Years, Two Co-ops in Summer2/Fall
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | COMM 1113 | 4 | Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| JRNL 1000 or COMM 1000 | 1 | JRNL 2200 | 4 | Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| JRNL 3425 or COMM 3445 | 4 | Foreign language | 4 | ||||
| Foreign language | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 17 | 16 | 8 | 8 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| JRNL 3625 | 4 | EEAM 2000 | 1 | Elective | 4 | Co-op | 0 |
| Foreign langauge | 4 | JRNL 5480 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| PR introductory/intermediate elective | 4 | PR introductory/intermediate elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Subject expertise | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 17 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Co-op | 0 | PR advanced elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | Co-op | 0 |
| PR advanced elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Subject expertise | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| Co-op | 0 | COMM 4608 | 4 | ||||
| JRNL 5311 | 4 | ||||||
| PR advanced elective | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 130 | |||||||