Public Relations, B.A.

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The Public Relations major provides students with the necessary skills to gain both theoretical and practical experience for the highly competitive practice of public relations. Using analytical and strategic planning, students gain strong writing practice, and experiential learning through internships, and the senior level capstone Campaigns class. The student-run Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter at YCP participates in a variety of activities, including the prestigious annual Bateman Team Case Study Competition.

Requirements for Graduation:

To be eligible for graduation, students majoring in Public Relations must complete a minimum of 120 credits, achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher, satisfy the College’s residency requirements, and complete the General Education Requirements of the College. A minimum grade of 2.0 is required for First Year Seminar and all courses taken as part of Foundations. Courses used to complete General Education Requirements may not be taken on a pass/fail basis.

The General Education Requirements of the college require students to successfully complete First Year Seminar, Foundations (FCO 103 will be a required co-requisite with FCO 105 for students who have a high school GPA below 3.20), Disciplinary Perspectives, and a Constellation. Students who enter the college with 30 credit hours completed will not take a First Year Seminar course and therefore must take an additional 3 credits for graduation. Transfer students that are awarded 60 or more credits upon acceptance to York College will not be required to complete a Constellation.

In addition, students majoring in Public Relations must earn a grade of 2.0 or higher in all courses taken in the major.

General Education Requirement

First Year Seminar

FYS 100 First-Year Seminar 3 credit hours
FYS 102 Common Hour 0 credit hours

Foundations Requirements

Communication course:
FCO 105 Rhetorical Communication 3 credit hours
Choose 3 credits of the following Advanced Communication courses:
FCO 210 Communication in Professional Cultures 3 credit hours
FCO 215 Technical and Scientific Communication 3 credit hours
FCO 225 Interdisciplinary Communication 3 credit hours
Quantitative Fluency course:
Satisfied by Major (PR 305)
Choose 3 credits of the following American Citizenship courses:
ECO 201 Principles of Economics (Micro) 3 credit hours
HIS 111 American History from Colonization to Civil War 3 credit hours
HIS 112 American History from Civil War to Global Power 3 credit hours
PHL 245 American Philosophical Thought 3 credit hours
PS 101 American Government and Citizenship 3 credit hours
REL 269 American Religious Thought and Culture 3 credit hours
Choose 3 credits of the following Global Citizenship courses or students have the option to complete this requirement by successfully completing 6 credits of the same foreign language:
ECO 200 Principles of Economics (Macro) 3 credit hours
G 100 World Regional Geography 3 credit hours
HIS 102 The West in the World 3 credit hours
PS 102 Contemporary Global Issues 3 credit hours

Disciplinary Perspectives Requirement

Choose 3 credits of the following Humanities courses:
FLM 216 Introduction to Film 3 credit hours
HIS 101 The Foundation of the West 3 credit hours
LIT 200 Introduction to Literary and Textual Studies 3 credit hours
PHL 221 Introduction to Philosophy 3 credit hours
REL 265 World Religions 3 credit hours
PHL 238 Race, Gender, and Sexuality 3 credit hours
OR
WGS 238 Race, Gender, and Sexuality 3 credit hours
Choose 3 credits of the following Arts courses:
ART 101 Art and Visual Culture 3 credit hours
CRW 272 Introduction to Creative Writing 3 credit hours
MUS 186 Listening to Music 3 credit hours
THE 154 Introduction to Theatre 3 credit hours
Social and Behavioral Sciences course:
MKT 100 Principles of Marketing 3 credit hours
Choose 3 credits of the following Natural and Physical Sciences courses:
BIO 204 Exploring Biology 3 credit hours
CHM 240 Perspectives on the Molecular World 3 credit hours
CHM 241 Perspectives on the Molecular World Lab 0 credit hours
G 151 Introduction to Physical Geography 3 credit hours
G 152 Introduction to Physical Geography Lab 0 credit hours
PHY 252 Sustainability From A Physics Perspective 3 credit hours

Constellation Requirement

The Constellation requirement is met when a student completes four courses from a minimum of three disciplines within the Constellation requirements. Transfer students that are awarded 60 or more credits upon acceptance to York College will not be required to complete a Constellation except for Education majors.

Required Major Courses:

CM 206 Communication Theory 3 credit hours
CM 225 Introduction to New Media 3 credit hours
CM 327 Persuasion 3 credit hours
CM 434 Media Law and Ethics 3 credit hours
IFS 100 Information Technology (IT) Competency 0 credit hours
IFS 105 Personal Productivity Computing 3 credit hours
MAT 102 College Algebra I 3 credit hours
PR 221 Introduction to Public Relations 3 credit hours
PR 280 Ethics in Strategic Communication 3 credit hours
PR 305 Public Relations Research 3 credit hours
PR 321 Writing for Public Relations 3 credit hours
PR 380 PR Cases 3 credit hours
PR 421 Public Relations Campaigns 3 credit hours

Support Courses

Select 18 credits from the following:

CM 211 Mass Communication 3 credit hours
CM 323 Publications Editing and Design 3 credit hours
CM 328 Organizational Communication 3 credit hours
CM 329 Interpersonal Communication 3 credit hours
CM 450 Communication Internship 3 credit hours
CM 451 Communication Internship 3 credit hours
PR 322 Media Relations 3 credit hours
PR 423 Crisis Communications Management 3 credit hours

Humanities and Social Science Electives

Students must complete 12 credits in the humanities or social and behavioral sciences at the 200 level or above. One of these courses must be a literature (LIT) course.

Elective Courses (15 credits)

Students must choose 15 credits of elective courses.

Suggested Course Sequence

Freshman Year

Fall Semester (15 credits)

PR 221 Introduction to Public Relations 3 credit hours
FYS 100 First-Year Seminar 3 credit hours
FYS 102 Common Hour 0 credit hours
IFS 100 Information Technology (IT) Competency 0 credit hours
IFS 105 Personal Productivity Computing 3 credit hours
MAT 102 College Algebra I 3 credit hours
MKT 100 Principles of Marketing 3 credit hours

Spring Semester (15 credits)

FCO 105 Rhetorical Communication 3 credit hours
Foundations - American Citizenship course 3 credit hours
Foundations - Global Citizenship course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives - Humanities course 3 credit hours
Major Elective course 3 credit hours

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester (15 credits)

PR 305 Public Relations Research 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives - Natural/Physical Sciences course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives - Arts course 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Foundations - Advanced Communication 3 credit hours

Spring Semester (15 credits)

CM 225 Introduction to New Media 3 credit hours
PR 280 Ethics in Strategic Communication 3 credit hours
PR 321 Writing for Public Relations 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Major Elective course 3 credit hours

Junior Year

Fall Semester (15 credits)

CM 206 Communication Theory 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Major Elective course 3 credit hours
Humanities, Social or Behavioral Science course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours

Spring Semester (15 credits)

CM 327 Persuasion 3 credit hours
Constellation course 3 credit hours
Major Elective course 3 credit hours
Humanities, Social or Behavioral Sciences course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours

Senior Year

Fall Semester (15 credits)

PR 380 PR Cases 3 credit hours
CM 434 Media Law and Ethics 3 credit hours
Major Elective course 3 credit hours
Humanities, Social or Behavioral Science course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours

Spring Semester (15 credits)

PR 421 Public Relations Campaigns 3 credit hours
Humanities, Social or Behavioral Science course 3 credit hours
Elective courses 6 credit hours
Major Elective course 3 credit hours