PR specialists are skilled strategic communicators who help build an organization’s public image. These public relations degrees may help launch your career.
Have you ever wanted to use your writing skills to help businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations get the public’s support? You may want to consider a career as a public relations specialist. And one top path to this role is an online public relations degree. The public relations field continues to evolve in the age of digital media, and specialists remain in demand across industries. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that between 2020-30, public relations specialist employment will grow by 11%. Read on for our rankings of the top online bachelor’s degrees in public relations, plus our guide on what to expect from this degree. Before perusing our rankings, please take a moment to look over ZDNet’s ranking methodology. Our custom algorithm weighs each program’s affordability, academic merit, and reputation. Unless otherwise indicated, data is drawn from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, College Scorecard, and each program’s website. An online bachelor’s in public relations is a four-year degree that prepares learners for public relations specialist or low-level manager roles in advertising, marketing, and nonprofit sectors. The degree emphasizes practical coursework — you will study strategic communication, PR ethics and law, social media, and digital PR campaigns. The curriculum usually culminates with a capstone project in which you must present your own PR campaign. To succeed in your public relations bachelor’s program, you need strong writing skills. Many programs feature major and elective courses in grant writing, advertising writing, and marketing copy. It also helps to possess good social skills for networking with teachers and peers. Connections you build in college can benefit your future career. Most public relations bachelor’s programs focus on a few key topics: Mass communications/media, strategic/business communication, and writing. Your program’s curriculum will make you a more savvy business communicator who is prepared for work in the advertising, marketing, journalism, and nonprofit industries. The following courses are common offerings at accredited public relations degree programs nationwide. Writing for strategic communication This course overviews principles of writing for public relations specialists.
