Program: Advertising and Public Relations, Public Relations Concentration, B.S. - Middle Tennessee State University

Apr 04, 2025

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Journalism and Strategic Media
615-898-2814
Matt Taylor, program coordinator
Matthew.Taylor@mtsu.edu

Public relations is a “strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics,” according to the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). The major in Advertising and Public Relations with a concentration in Public Relations program teaches coursework consistent with this industry standard in order to prepare students for successful careers in the corporate and nonprofit sectors, education, entertainment, government and politics, social media, and sports. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects public relations to experience “faster than average” job growth through 2031.

Areas covered include strategic communications, media relations, corporate communications, crisis communications, entertainment public relations, healthcare public relations, international public relations, and research methods.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Advertising and Public Relations, Public Relations Concentration, B.S., Academic Map

Degree Requirements

True Blue Core (TBC)	41 hours
Major Requirements	48 hours*
Minor	15-18 hours
Electives	13-19 hours
TOTAL	120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the True Blue Core curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill True Blue Core requirements, the number of elective hours will increase.

True Blue Core (41 hours)

True Blue Core (TBC) requirements (shown in curricular listings below) include courses in the Foundational Skills areas of Written Communication (WC), Information Literacy (Info Lit), Non-Written Communication (NWC), and Quantitative Literacy (Quant Lit). Knowledge Domains include Human Society and Social Relationships (HSSR), Scientific Literacy (Sci Lit), Creativity and Cultural Expression (CCE), and History and Civic Learning (HCL), which include Discovery and Explorations categories. Students must choose at least one course from each Discovery category.

The following courses required by the major meet True Blue Core requirements:

EMC 1020 /JOUR 1020 /RIM 1020 (HSSR)

Major Requirements (48 hours)

Minor (15-18 hours)

Selected from outside the School of Journalism and Strategic Media with advisor approval; students may wish to consider a minor in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business.

Electives (13-19 hours)

Students in the School of Journalism and Strategic Media (SOJSM) must complete 50 hours in liberal arts and sciences including True Blue Core requirements and one minor from outside SOJSM. Students must select at least nine hours of liberal arts/social sciences (beyond True Blue Core); at least six hours of liberal arts/social science electives must come from courses at the 3000-level or higher.

Curriculum: Advertising and Public Relations, Public Relations

Majors must have a C (2.00) or better in all Media and Entertainment courses.

Freshman

JOUR 1020 - Introduction to Media and Entertainment 3 credit hours (HSSR) OR
EMC 1020 - Introduction to Media and Entertainment 3 credit hours (HSSR) OR
RIM 1020 - Introduction to Media and Entertainment 3 credit hours (HSSR)
JOUR 2880 - Careers in Journalism and Media 1 credit hour
Written Communication 3 credit hours
Information Literacy 3 credit hours
Non-Written Communication 3 credit hours
History and Civic Learning 3 credit hours
Quantitative Literacy 3 credit hours
Creativity and Cultural Expression 3 credit hours
Scientific Literacy 4 credit hours
Elective 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 29 Hours

Sophomore

Creativity and Cultural Expression Literature 3 credit hours
History and Civic Learning 3 credit hours
Scientific Literacy 4 credit hours
Minor course 3 credit hours
Human Society and Social Relationships 3 credit hours
Creativity and Cultural Expression 3 credit hours
JOUR 2710 - Media Writing 3 credit hours
JOUR 2720 - Digital Media Practices 3 credit hours
JOUR 3090 - Reporting 3 credit hours
PR 2040 - Public Relations Principles 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

JOUR 3660 - Strategic Communication Research 3 credit hours
PR 3360 - Strategic Communication Writing for Public Relations 3 credit hours
PR 3380 - Public Relations Publications 3 credit hours
VCOM 2950 - Visual Communication Applications 3 credit hours
Elective 3 credit hours
Minor courses 12 credit hours
JOUR conceptual requirement 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

PR 3400 - Case Studies in Public Relations 3 credit hours
PR 4740 - Public Relations Campaigns 3 credit hours
JOUR 4250 - Media Law 3 credit hours
JOUR 4880 - Professional Development 1 credit hour
JOUR 3580 - MC Practicum 1 to 3 credit hours (1 credit hour required) OR
JOUR 4000 - MC Internship 1 to 3 credit hours (1 credit hour required)
Professional Topics requirement 6 credit hours
Electives 10 credit hours
Minor or elective course 3 credit hours

Advertising and Public Relations, Public Relations Concentration, B.S.

Academic Map

Degree Requirements

True Blue Core (41 hours)

Major Requirements (48 hours)

School of Journalism and Strategic Media Core (15 hours)

Writing/Design Requirements (9 hours)

Conceptual Requirements (9 hours)

Choose one:

Professional Topics (12 hours)

Choose two:

Senior Capstone (3 hours)

Minor (15-18 hours)

Electives (13-19 hours)

Curriculum: Advertising and Public Relations, Public Relations

Freshman

Subtotal: 29 Hours

Sophomore

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

Subtotal: 30 Hours