Communication
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Public Relations Major in Pennsylvania
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in public relations at Messiah University, one of the top Christian universities in the U.S., combines theoretical understanding with real-world best practices to prepare you to be a strategic and ethical communicator in a rapidly changing field.
Study Public Relations at a Christian University
In our top-ranked Christian university’s public relations program, you’ll take a range of specialized communication courses designed to give you the theoretical and practical knowledge needed for a public relations career in the non-profit or corporate world. Most importantly, you'll learn how to help organizations communicate through ethical, strategic, two-way communication that values perspectives from both company leaders and the people they serve.
As a public relations major or minor at Messiah University, you'll be able to:
- Double major or minor with other programs in department or areas like the humanities, social sciences, sports management, marketing and the arts. You can also pair this major with the B.A. in business administration as a secondary. Within your primary field of study in public relations, learning critical business skills can open up additional opportunities for you after graduation.
- Participate in The Pulse, Messiah University's award-winning student media hub, which includes PulseFM, an FCC-licensed FM radio station; in YBTV, the university’s weekly student-produced news broadcast; in the Swinging Bridge, the campus magazine; in The Clarion, the university’s yearbook; or in The Pulse’s thriving social media pages.
- Join the Messiah University chapter of PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America), allowing you to attend conferences and network with alumni in various major cities.
- Continue your education through a variety of graduate programs in public relations, communication, business, higher education, educational leadership and law.
- Take an event planning or strategic public relations campaign class and help plan communication strategies, traditional and social media tactics and exciting events for on- and off-campus organizations.
- Pursue on-campus work study positions allowing you to hone your skills and build a portfolio.
Graduates of the public relations degree program, you will be equipped to secure positions such as:
- Public relations director
- Campaign manager
- Brand ambassador
- Account executive
- Event planner
- Marketing associate
- Social media specialist
- Crisis manager
- Corporate writer
- Fundraiser
- Marketing coordinator
- Communications associate
- Community relations specialist
- Web content coordinator
- Event logistics coordinator
- Admissions counselor
- Marketing and public relations manager
- Marketing analyst
- Advancement representative
- Artist manager
- Promotions coordinator
For more information on career planning for the public relations program, visit the Messiah University Career and Professional Development Center.
Messiah’s nationally recognized internship program places students in a variety of public relations internships. A few examples of public relations internships include:
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Pavone
- JDK Group & Events
- Fulton Financial Corporation
- Inside-Out Creative
- Pennsylvania Department of State
- CURE International
- Time Warner Cable
- Washington National Opera
- Tierney Communications
- Bravo Group
- Pennsylvania Senate
- JPL Creative Inc.
- Suasion Public Relations
- Northeastern PA Red Cross
- Element Six Creative Group
Programs related to Public Relations
Marketing
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In the Public Relations program, you will take a selection of courses that successfully prepare you for a career in a related field. Hands-on experiences and classroom learning within the framework of Christian faith will give you the skills and knowledge to achieve your goals. Our programs offer a wide variety of courses that will not only help you excel in your future career, but challenge you to develop a deeper understanding of your field of study.
Course options for Public Relations:
Public Relations (B.A.)
Public Relations Minor
Careers and outcomes
Where our grads work
Graduates of this program work in positions of leadership in their places of employment, using the tools and knowledge a Messiah University education prepared them with. Each year, eager employers and some of the nation's best graduate schools welcome Messiah graduates into their organizations.
Where they work
- District Bliss/Pollyanna Events
- Flashtalking
- Pinnacle Health
- Heritage Hills Golf Resort
- Center for Nutrition/Activity
- Penn State Hershey Medical Center
- Edleman PR
- U.S. Marine Corp.
- National MS Society
- CURE International
- Harrisburg Regional Chamber
- U.S. Army
- Crosswalk.com
- Union University
- CCS International
- Crayola Factory
- Homewood Suites by Hilton
- Tierney Communications
- OneEleven Creative
- Rachel's Challenge
- Asbury Theological Seminary
- WebFX
- EA Games
What they do
- Event Planner
- East Coast Director of Campaign Management
- Manger of Grants
- Marketing Communications Specialist
- Account Executive
- Communications Officer
- Development Coordinator
- Development Officer
- Events Marketing Coordinator
- Linguist
- Senior Editor
- Dean
- Director of Embassy Relations
- Manager of Public Relations
- Writer
- Marketing/Communications Manager
- Manager
- Account Coordinator
- Owner/Designer
- Program Presenter
- Director of Admissions
- Web Content and Client Development
- Associate Producer
- Social Media and Community Specialist
Graduate school
- Harvard Law School
- Temple University
- Kent State University
- University of Maryland
- Northwestern University
- Baylor University
- Penn State University
- Villanova University
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
- Purdue University
- North Carolina State University
- Shippensburg University
95% of the Class of 2024 respondents were employed or in graduate school within 6-9 months of graduation.
Our Alumni
Regional and national employers seek out Messiah graduates for their academic preparation, work ethic and personal character. The transformation you experience at Messiah readies you to transform the lives of others through your chosen career path.
Practicing public relations
In addition to expert classroom instruction in the public relations degree program, experiential opportunities abound in such areas as campaign projects, off-campus internships (in-person and remote) and on-campus public relations activities. As a senior, you will manage a public relations campaign for a nonprofit client from start to finish including research, planning, implementation and evaluation.
Messiah's unique approach to hands-on learning
Learning in the classroom is important but actually applying that knowledge in a hands-on way can make all the difference. At Messiah University, the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) allows Messiah to take this hands-on learning to a new level by giving students the opportunity to apply what they have learned to various real world contexts--such as an internship/practica, service learning, off-campus program, holding a student leadership position, or participating in undergraduate research.
Job outlook
Messiah University is one of the few colleges in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) to offer a public relations major. Careers in public relations are expected to significantly increase from 2022-2032, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.