Master of Arts in Public Relations

Promote Your Career with BSU’s Online Public Relations Master’s Degree

Want to take your career in public relations to the next level? Then the master’s degree in public relations online program at 51�Թ�� is the place for you.

Our program is designed with your success in mind, tailored to industry settings and focused on elevating your career in public relations. What can you do with a master’s in public relations? As a graduate, you'll be prepared for highly skilled positions in fields such as public relations, marketing, media relations, digital strategy, fundraising and development, public affairs, and social trend research.

Offered through the Department of Communication Studies, our public relations master’s degree program is led by respected faculty with real world PR experience in fields ranging from crisis communication and organizational reputation to social justice and activism. Throughout the program, you will benefit from the mentorship of these experts and the connections you’ll make with your peers.

Public Relations Program Highlights

A student smiling and working on a laptop in bright, windowed space

Earn your master’s degree in public relations on your schedule

Continue your professional pursuits while engaging in rewarding coursework — on your own terms. We offer public relations master’s programs online, full- or part-time, with students completing their graduate degrees in as little as two years.

Dr. Melanie McNaughton discusses a presentation in front of the classroom

Learn from expert faculty

Earn your master’s degree in public relations studying with accomplished faculty with expertise in the field. Your instructors are public relations professionals who have worked in areas like the non-profit sector, television production, government agencies and media relations. They have published and presented on topics such as equity and learning, access and accessibility, climate activism, and health communication — among many others.

A classroom of PR students laughing and smiling

High-quality education at an affordable price

To help ensure nothing stands in the way of your public relations graduate program or future success, BSU offers competitive, affordable tuition and fees. Our master’s degree in public relations was designed to be easy on the budget for in-state and out-of-state students.

Small classes, personal attention

51�Թ�� is all about a personal grad school experience. With less than 15 students in each online public relations master’s degree class, BSU assures you the time and attention you need to learn.

Mentoring, support and collaboration

You never go it alone in our public relations master’s degree program. Our faculty are with you every step of your journey, inside the classroom and out. In fact, they offer support and partnership throughout your time with us. You’ll grow your connections through industry networking events, participate in mock interview sessions, and collaborate on capstone projects.

Early admission option

The early admission option for BSU’s public relations master’s program is designed for current undergraduates at BSU who would like to earn BOTH an undergraduate degree and master’s degree in as little as five years. Learn more about early admission »

Program of Study for Public Relations Graduate Students

Courses for the master of arts in public relations at BSU are 100% online. You may take graduate courses such as:

Capstone I: Public Relations Agency: The capstone course integrates and synthesizes the entire course of study of the graduate public relations program. Students identify a problem or opportunity for an organization, conduct primary and secondary research, and develop and present a strategic public relation plan that creatively addresses that problem or opportunity.
Capstone II: Advanced Internship in Public Relations: This graduate course allows students to practice public relations in a real-world setting. Students work with professionals in public relations firms, advertising firms, communication departments within government, educational, non-profit or for-profit entities.
Social Media Communication: This graduate course examines the use of social media to strategically create value for a client or organization. Through case studies, interactive sessions, and class exercises, students will learn best practices and develop the skills to connect strategic communication objectives with social media strategy, platforms and tactics.
Advanced Crisis Communication: Using a case-study approach, this course follows the crisis management process through the states of pre-crisis, crisis and post-crisis periods. We will examine the theories and communication strategies stakeholders use to manage a crisis, create an opportunity for organization learning and rebuilding public trust.
Grant Writing: Grant Writing covers the key aspects of grant proposal development, including identifying an achievable project, researching and evaluating funding sources, relations with funders, proposal writing, developing a budget, crafting a full grant proposal and crafting a response to funders.
Advanced Health Communication: This course explores the use of marketing/public relations/advertising principles and techniques to promote the adoption of behaviors that improve the health and well-being of members of target population as well as that of society as a whole.
Leadership and Communication: Leadership and Communication introduces students to leadership perspectives and the role communication plays in effective leadership and management strategies. The course explores communication variables involved when leaders attempt to influence members to achieve a goal
Strategic Fundraising: Students explore the specialized field of fundraising, development and philanthropy commonly employed by nonprofit organizations. Students learn proven donor-centered fundraising strategies based on empirical research and experience, which will ensure success for the fundraising professional or volunteer.
Public Information Campaigns: Students explore the competitive and specialized world of nonprofit organizations in this course. Students learn to communicate strategically with nonprofit organizations’ external and internal audiences to create awareness, build relationships and secure financial support and advocacy.

Admission Requirements and Program Details

Click any link below to reveal each program's admission requirements and program description.

Program details from 2024-2025 Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog

Graduate Program Chairperson: Dr. Thomasena Shaw

Whenever people ask me how I chose development/funding as a career, I always credit my experience in Public Relations Writing at Bridgewater. During the course, I joined a non-profit in Brockton as a development intern. Despite my initial unfamiliarity, I secured a year-long internship. This experience led me to pursue various development-related opportunities, leading me to where I am today.”

Jessica McNeill, ’14

Senior Assistant Director, Reunion and Leadership Giving, Harvard Business School

Careers in Public Relations

A master’s degree in public relations from 51�Թ�� can lead to many career opportunities. These are only some of the public relations job paths you might take:

Public Relations Specialist
Media Relations Manager
Marketing Communications Manager
Corporate Communication Director
Digital Marketing Manager
Investor Relations Specialist
Fundraising & Development Director
Community Relations Manager
Advocacy and Public Affairs Manager
Social Media Coordinator

The outlook for public relations jobs is especially bright, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Public relations specialist jobs are expected to grow

11%

from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.

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