2020-2021 Graduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2020-2021 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Public Relations, MA (0604)


Iona’s graduate programs in Public Relations train such professionals, as attested by accreditation from the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACE JMC), the leading body in higher education for the discipline.

The Iona curriculum in public relations is designed to both meet the communication needs of modern organizations as they interact with their many constituencies and to provide the foundation for professionals to grow and develop new skills throughout their careers. The program changes in response to requirements of the industry, as well as input from alumni and communications professionals, who teach part-time or serve on the department’s professional advisory council. 

Seven core courses (21 credits) provide both theoretical underpinnings of public relations and practical applications at levels designed to demonstrate accomplishments comparable to those in agencies and corporate communication departments. Specialization courses and opportunities for individualized study and internships emphasize professional experience and networking opportunities.

Requirements for the MA in Public Relations


Total: 21 Credits


Total: 9 -15 Credits


Thesis/Final Project Courses:


Total: 6 Credits


Total: 36 Credits


Students may choose to focus in three areas by taking specific courses in addition to core courses:

Degree completion options:


A. Thesis/Project Track


Complete seven core courses, three electives and PR 980 - Thesis/Project Preparation  and PR 981 - Thesis/Project .

Additional information on the master’s thesis is available from the program director. Also see section of this catalog on general thesis requirements.

Course Descriptions Number of Courses (3 credits each) Totals
Core courses 7 21 credits
Elective courses 3 9 credits
Thesis/Project Prep and Writing 2 6 credits
Total   36 credits

Culminating Experience


Students may elect a culminating experience in place of the Thesis/Professional project. The culminating experience consists of two parts:

  1. Written Major Exam - Students synthesize learning from their course work in response to situations and cases provided.
  2. Focus Paper - Students produce a paper on a major topic in Public Relations, the subject of which will be agreed upon by the student and the graduate program director.

Completion of the sequence requires an oral defense of the final project before a committee of faculty and industry professionals.

B. Comprehensive Exam and Final Paper


Course Descriptions Number of Courses (3 credits each) Totals
Core courses 7 21 credits
Elective courses 5 15 credits
Comprehensive exam and focus paper  
Total   36 credits