Public Relations

To read more about our academic offerings or to view full course descriptions, please refer to our University Catalog.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Design and perform research to aid in addressing an organization’s communication needs.
• Demonstrate ability to identify communication problems and issues/opportunities and implement strategic management plans.
• Evaluate situations and determine appropriate professional ethical principles, communication law, and work ethics.
• Apply various communication theories and communication models used in PR efforts.
• Understand business literacy and the role of PR in meeting business goals and advocating for the expansion of the discipline in business ventures.

Travel & Learn

PR students travel multiple times a year to national and regional conferences. Students also travel for site visits, to explore special topics, or to visit media firms or companies. Recently, seven members of PRSSA traveled with Dr. Amiee Shelton, PR Program Lead, to PRSSA's annual national conference ICON!

Hosted in Anaheim, California, Dr. Shelton worked closely with students to curate an expanded trip in Los Angeles that exposed young PR professionals to various PR career paths, industries, companies, and positions. These experiences expanded skills learned on our Bristol campus. 

From connecting with alumni and visiting iconic landmarks to exploring topics like Tourism, Lifestyle PR, and Entertainment PR, the students made connections to the curriculum and challenged the new ideas they explored! While networking, taking notes during keynote speeches, investigating internships, and attending breakout sessions during ICON, students actively applied what they learned in real-time, such as thinking about generating social media content, promoting their experiences, and crafting compelling stories. The seven students got creative sharing updates with peers back on the East Coast to further inform their fellow hawks of the unique impact that experiential learning has on RWU's PR students!

PRSSA

The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is the foremost organization for students interested in public relations and communications. The organization advocates rigorous academic standards for public relations education, the highest ethical principles, and diversity in the profession. RWU earned its national charter in 2004 and maintains the coursework recommended by the national organization. 

The RWU PRSSA Chapter earned student relationship-building opportunities the prestigious Star Chapter Award for the 2023-24 academic year. This esteemed award recognizes chapters that demonstrate excellence in programming, leadership, and relationship-building opportunities for students, setting a high standard for other chapters nationwide.

The RWU Chapter's mission is 1) to serve our members by enhancing their knowledge of public relations and providing access to professional development opportunities, 2) to serve the public relations profession by helping to develop highly qualified, well-prepared professionals, and 3) to encourage RWU students to make the world a better place through social change. Because PRSSA is a recognized club on campus, our members receive extraordinary funding opportunities.  Therefore, our student members attend conferences, travel for tours, and present papers nationally.

A Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

In the Public Relations major,  we seek to connect citizens to the world around them through ethical, just communication. We recognize that diversity and inclusion are more than a box to check or a target to hit. Our program was created as a center for excellence in training and preparation of future communicators. This means our community of students and faculty embraces diversity, promotes tolerance, expands access, and creates systemic change in communication practices.