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

Core Courses (3 credits each):

PR 604 - Applied Communications Research Credits: 3
PR 605 - Legal and Ethical Challenges in Media Communication Credits: 3
PR 609 - Writing for the Media Credits: 3
PR 615 - Public Relations: Principles and Practice Credits: 3
PR 616 - Innovative Communication Campaigns Credits: 3
PR 617 - Media Relations Credits: 3
PR 629 - Converged Technology Applications for Public Relations Credits: 3

Total: 21 Credits

Elective Courses (3 credits each):

Three courses from the following:

PR 601 - Theories of Communication Credits: 3
PR 611 - Corporate Communication Credits: 3
PR 613 - Organizational Communication Credits: 3
PR 618 - Public Relations for Non-Profit Organizations Credits: 3
PR 621 - Writing for Organizations Credits: 3
PR 622 - Electronic Graphics and Publication Design Credits: 3
PR 623 - Fund Raising for Institutional Development Credits: 3
PR 624 - Business and Professional Presentations Credits: 3
PR 625 - International Communication Credits: 3
PR 628 - Public Relations for Entertainment and Sports Credits: 3
PR 631 - Integrated Marketing Communications Credits: 3
PR 638 - Investor Relations Credits: 3
PR 639 - Community and Government Relations Credits: 3
PR 691 - Special Topics in Communication Credits: 3
PR 692 - Special Topics in Communication Credits: 3
PR 693 - Special Topics in Communication Credits: 3
PR 694 - Special Topics in Communications Credits: 3
PR 699 - Internship in Communications Credits: 3
PR 799 - Independent Study in Communication Credits: 3

Total: 9 -15 Credits

Thesis/Final Project Courses:

PR 980 - Thesis/Project Preparation Credits: 3
PR 981 - Thesis/Project Credits: 3

Total: 6 Credits

Total: 36 Credits

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

Corporate communications: take PR 611 and PR 613 and PR 638 .
Nonprofit communications: take PR 613 , PR 618 and PR 623 .
Entertainment and sports: take PR 628 and PR 629 .

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:

Written Major Exam - Students synthesize learning from their course work in response to situations and cases provided.
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