• Skip to Content
  • AZ Index
  • Catalog Home
  • Institution Home
Northeastern University

Academic Catalog 2023-2024

  • Home›
  • Undergraduate›
  • College of Arts, Media and Design›
  • School of Journalism›
  • Public Relations, BA

Public Relations, BA

2023-2024 Edition

  • Undergraduate
    • Admission
    • Information for Entering Students
    • Financial Information
    • Academic Policies and Procedures
    • University Academics
    • College of Arts, Media and Design
      • School of Architecture
      • Art + Design
      • Communication Studies
      • School of Journalism
        • Journalism, BA
        • Journalism and Communication Studies, BA
        • Journalism and English, BA
        • Journalism and International Affairs, BA
        • Journalism and Political Science, BA
        • Media and Screen Studies and Journalism, BA
        • Public Health and Journalism, BA
        • Public Relations, BA
        • Theatre and Journalism, BA
        • Computer Science and Journalism, BS
        • Criminal Justice and Journalism, BS
        • Data Science and Journalism, BS
        • Economics and Journalism, BS
        • Environmental and Sustainability Sciences and Journalism, BS
        • Journalism and Interaction Design, BS
        • Journalism Practice, Minor
        • Journalism Studies, Minor
        • Photojournalism, Minor
        • Public Relations, Minor
        • Sports, Media, Communication, Minor
      • Music
      • Theatre
      • Interdisciplinary Programs
      • Accelerated Bachelor/​Graduate Degree Programs
    • D'Amore-​McKim School of Business
    • Khoury College of Computer Sciences
    • College of Engineering
    • Bouvé College of Health Sciences
    • College of Science
    • College of Social Sciences and Humanities
    • Student Handbook
    • Faculty
    • General Information
  • College of Professional Studies Undergraduate
  • Graduate
  • Course Descriptions
  • Catalog Archives
  • Overview
  • Program Requirements
  • Plan of Study

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

Course List
Code Title Hours
Introduction to College
COMM 1000Communication Studies at Northeastern1
or JRNL 1000 Journalism at Northeastern
Foundation Courses
COMM 1113Business and Professional Speaking4
COMM 3625Public Relations Practice4
or JRNL 3625 Public Relations Practice
JRNL 5311Design for Storytelling4
JRNL 5480Research for Media Strategy4
A grade of C or better is required for the following:
COMM 3445Public Relations Principles4
or JRNL 3425 Public Relations Principles
JRNL 2200Writing for Public Relations4
Introductory/Intermediate Electives
Complete two of the following (and any required corequisites):8
COMM 1210
Persuasion and Rhetoric
COMM 1225
Communication Theory
COMM 1231
Principles of Organizational Communication
COMM 1255
Communication in a Digital Age
COMM 2303
Global and Intercultural Communication
COMM 2510
Social Media Analytics
JRNL 1101
and JRNL 1102
Journalism 1: Fundamentals of Reporting and Writing
and Journalist’s Toolbox
JRNL 1150
Understanding Today’s News
JRNL 2301
Visual Storytelling in Journalism
Advanced Electives
Complete three of the following (other courses may be proposed in consultation with your academic advisor):12
COMM 3320
Political Communication
or COMM 6320
Political Communication
COMM 3409
Advocacy Writing
COMM 3500
Environmental Issues, Communication, and the Media
or COMM 6500
Environmental Issues, Communication, and Media
COMM 4102
Health Communication Campaigns
or COMM 6102
Health Communication Campaigns
COMM 4631
Crisis Communication and Image Management
JRNL 3610
Digital Storytelling and Social Media
JRNL 4650
Ethics and Issues in Journalism
JRNL 5400
Media and Advocacy in Theory and Practice
JRNL 5420
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 4608Strategic Communication Capstone4

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
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
ENGW 11114COMM 11134Elective4Elective4
JRNL 1000 or COMM 10001JRNL 22004Elective4Elective4
JRNL 3425 or COMM 34454Foreign language4  
Foreign language 4Elective4  
Elective4   
 17 16 8 8
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
JRNL 36254EEAM 20001Elective4Co-op0
Foreign langauge4JRNL 54804Elective4 
PR introductory/intermediate elective4PR introductory/intermediate elective4  
Elective4Subject expertise4  
 Elective4  
 16 17 8 0
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
Co-op0PR advanced elective4Elective4Co-op0
 PR advanced elective4Elective4 
 Subject expertise4  
 Elective4  
 0 16 8 0
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
Co-op0COMM 46084  
 JRNL 53114  
 PR advanced elective4  
 Elective4  
 0 16  
Total Hours: 130
  • Boston Opens New Window
  • Arlington Opens New Window
  • Burlington Opens New Window
  • Charlotte Opens New Window
  • London Opens New Window
  • Nahant Opens New Window
  • Oakland Opens New Window
  • Portland Opens New Window
  • San Francisco Opens New Window
  • Seattle Opens New Window
  • Silicon Valley Opens New Window
  • Toronto Opens New Window
  • Vancouver Opens New Window

360 Huntington Ave., Boston, Massachusetts 02115 Opens New Window | 617.373.2000 | TTY 617.373.3768 | Emergency Information
© 2023-2024 Northeastern University | myNortheastern Opens New Window

  • Facebook. Opens New Window
  • Twitter. Opens New Window
  • Youtube. Opens New Window
  • Linkedin. Opens New Window
  • Instagram. Opens New Window
  • Snapchat. Opens New Window

Privacy Policy Opens New Window

Back to top

Print Options

  • Send Page to Printer

    Print this page.

  • Download Page (PDF)

    The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

  • 2023-24 Undergraduate Day PDF

  • 2023-24 CPS Undergraduate PDF

  • 2023-24 Graduate/Law PDF

  • 2023-24 Course Descriptions PDF