Public Relations Minor

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the program, students will be able to:

• Apply public relations and communication principles and theories to effectively analyze, critique, and evaluate public relations campaigns, programs, and communication strategies and tactics
• Demonstrate competency in the creation and implementation of public relations campaigns and programs
• Evaluate the ethical implications of public relations, and engage in practices that are professional, socially responsible, and in the mutual interest of organizations and their publics

Minor Requirements (20 units)

Foundation of Communication Studies (4 units)

Select any one of the following three COMS courses. For Communication Studies majors, this course can be counted for both the Communication Studies major foundational courses and Public Relations minor course requirement. 

Advertising students have the option to take ADVT 101 instead of COMS 202.

• COMS 202 - Rhetoric & the Public Sphere

• or

• ADVT 101 - Rhetoric and Consumer Culture

•  

• COMS 203 - Communication & Everyday Life
• COMS 204 - Communication & Culture

Foundation of Public Relations (4 units)

This is an introductory-level, required course for the Public Relations minor. For Communication Studies majors, this course can be counted as both Communication Studies major upper division class and a Public Relations minor course. 

• COMS 320 - PR Principles & Practices

Developing Public Relations Skills (8 units)

These courses aim to develop ability and skills in public relations. Students who are minoring in Public Relations can choose any two out of the four COMS courses. 

Advertising students have the option to take ADVT 301 to fulfill a portion of this requirement.

• ADVT 301 - Social Media
• COMS 322 - PR Law & Ethics
• COMS 323 - Public Relations Writing
• COMS 324 - PR & Advertising Research
• COMS 325 - Social Media Strategies for PR

Capstone of the Public Relations Minor (4 units)

Students are required to complete the minor capstone course (4 units) to fulfill the Public Relations minor. 

• COMS 326 - Public Relations Campaigns

Notes on double-counting units for the Public Relations minor

• PR minor for students majoring in Communication Studies. COMS majors can double count two courses for both their COMS major and the PR minor: (1) One of the COMS foundation classes, and (2) COMS 320 - Public Relations Principles and Practices.
• PR minor for students minoring in Communication Studies. COMS minors can double count one COMS foundation course for both their COMS minor and the PR minor.
• PR minor for students majoring in Advertising. ADVT majors can double count two courses for both their ADVT major and the PR minor from the following: ADVT 101 - Rhetoric and Consumer Culture OR ADVT 301 - Social Media OR COMS 324 - PR & ADVT Research.
• PR minor for students minoring in Advertising. ADVT minors can double count one course for both their ADVT minor and the PR minor from the following:  ADVT 301 - Social Media OR COMS 324 - PR & ADVT Research.