Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations online
Develop sought-after communication and problem-solving skills that equip you to add value to a wide range of professional organizations. This online program expands your career opportunities in the field of public relations.
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Program Overview
Expand your career options with the online Public Relations Bachelor’s program
$372.75
Per Credit Hour
120*
Credit Hours
The 100 percent online Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations program prepares you to play a key role in helping organizations effectively communicate with target audiences. Coursework is designed to help you become a strategic planner who can execute engaging communications campaigns focused on achieving company goals. Through an exploration of integrated marketing tactics, crisis and reputation management, social media communication, and corporate social responsibility, you will graduate qualified to pursue in-demand professional positions in any industry.
This affordable bachelor’s in public relations online program readies you for a dynamic career in a variety of areas including digital marketing, advertising, entertainment, sports, travel and hospitality, and publishing. Graduate equipped with a professional portfolio and the following resume-enhancing certifications: Brandwatch, Hootsuite Platform/Social Marketing, Muck Rack, Google Analytics/Google, Public Relations, and HubSpot.
Graduates of the BA in Public Relations program will:
- Understand both strategic and tactical components of public relations
- Develop strategic public relations skills in PR programming, internal and external communication, social media planning, crisis and issues management, advocacy, diversity, and civic engagement
- Strengthen research based proposal development and analytical skills
- Develop cross platform strategic writing skills for targeted stakeholders
- Demonstrate multicultural communication skills to interact effectively with diverse audiences
- Understand both strategic and tactical components of public relations
- Develop strategic public relations skills in PR programming, internal and external communication, social media planning, crisis and issues management, advocacy, diversity, and civic engagement
- Strengthen research based proposal development and analytical skills
- Develop cross platform strategic writing skills for targeted stakeholders
- Demonstrate multicultural communication skills to interact effectively with diverse audiences
Also available:
William Paterson University offers a variety of specialized bachelor's degrees. Check out all of our online undergraduate programs. In addition, we have minors available to help you meet your undergraduate credit requirements by integrating coursework that enriches your educational experience.
$372.75
Per Credit Hour
Up to 90
Transfer Credits
120
Credit Hours
Need More Information?
Add a minor to help meet your credit hour requirement and enrich your educational experience.
Tuition
Discover the value of our budget-friendly tuition
Undergraduate online programs from William Paterson University offer affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition. All fees are included in the total tuition.
Tuition breakdown:
$372.75
Per Credit Hour
| Program | Per Credit Hour | Per Course |
|---|---|---|
| BA in Public Relations | $372.75 | $1,118.25 |
Tuition breakdown:
$372.75
Per Credit Hour
Calendar
Take note of these important dates and deadlines
William Paterson University online programs are delivered in an accelerated format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year.
Now enrolling:
1/5/25
Apply Date
1/27/25
Class Starts
| Term | Start Date | App Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Tuition Deadline | Class End Date | Term Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring I | 1/27/25 | 1/5/25 | 1/8/25 | 1/17/25 | 1/22/25 | 3/16/25 | 7 weeks |
| Spring II | 3/24/25 | 3/2/25 | 3/5/25 | 3/14/25 | 3/19/25 | 5/11/25 | 7 weeks |
| Summer I | 5/19/25 | 4/27/25 | 4/30/25 | 5/9/25 | 5/14/25 | 7/6/25 | 7 weeks |
| Summer II | 7/14/25 | 6/22/25 | 6/24/25 | 7/3/25 | 7/9/25 | 8/31/25 | 7 weeks |
| Fall I | 9/8/25 | 8/17/25 | 8/20/25 | 8/29/25 | 9/3/25 | 10/26/25 | 7 weeks |
| Fall II | 11/3/25 | 10/12/25 | 10/15/25 | 10/24/25 | 10/29/25 | 12/21/25 | 7 weeks |
Now enrolling:
1/5/25
Apply Date
1/27/25
Class Starts
Have questions or need more information about our online programs?
Ready to take the rewarding path toward earning your degree online?
Admissions
Learn how to apply to our public relations bachelor’s degree online
At William Paterson University, we've streamlined the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. Please read the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations online, including what additional materials you need and where you should send them.
The requirements include:
- Online application
- Minimum 2.0 GPA
- Transcripts from all college and universities previously attended
- Must be at least four years post high school
You must meet the following requirements for admission to this BA online program:
- Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- Students must be 4 years post-high school or 2 years post-high school and have earned 60 or more college credits.
- Official transcripts from each college attended or high school transcript if no prior college experience
- Complete online application and submit $50 application fee
- Applicants must be at least 2 years post high school to enroll in our WP Online accelerated programs.
Official transcripts, test scores, and other documents should be sent from the granting institutions to:
Email address: [email protected]
Mail address:
Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Enrollment ServicesMorrison Hall 102
300 Pompton Road
Wayne, NJ 07470
Courses
Explore the coursework in our bachelor’s in public relations online program
For the BA in Public Relations (PBR) online, you must complete 39 credits of major courses (30 credit hours of core courses and 9 credit hours of electives). The program is designed to permit a flexible application of prior learning, professional experience, and transfer credits toward meeting these major requirements. Additional University Core Curriculum and elective credits will be required to complete the 120-credit BA degree. Students are required to take COMM 2630 Public Speaking with this major which may fulfill a University Core Curriculum requirement or apply to free electives.
Note: Transfer credit is given for all earned credits except in such cases where the earned grade does not meet major program requirements. There is no limit to the number of credits that may be transferred. A total of 30 credits used to complete a William Paterson University degree must be William Paterson
COMM 1200: Media and Society
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The institutions, history, and technology of the mass media are examined as communication systems. Newspapers, magazines, film, and broadcasting media are studied in terms of social and personal impact. Contemporary media issues, policies, and ethics are discussed.
COMM 2100: Media Writing
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Media writing is a course designed to introduce students to the forms, limitations and potentials of writing for and about the various media, including writing for radio, television, film, and print journalism.
COMM 2440: Communication Research Methods
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An opportunity for advanced study and discussion of issues and questions, together with the opportunity to study and analyze the research available in various areas of communication. Each student chooses an area of communication in which to plan and carry out a research project. (Pre-Requisite: COMM 1210)
COMM 3480: Public Relations
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course defines public relations and explores the appropriate functions and outlets for public relations activities. The course explores the basic tools of public relations. Students learn about various initiatives and tactical executions of the practice. This course is writing Intensive.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Illustrate the process of public relations – research, planning, objectives, strategies, tactics, evaluation – to achieve organizational goals.
- Demonstrate practical public relations skills for use in a variety of situations and to a variety of audiences and influencers through creation of PR and strategic communication materials and initiatives.
- Examine career possibilities in the field and create a PR plan for an industry of interest.
- Recognize skills needed for crisis and issues communication.
COMM 3580: Digital & Social Media Communication
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course will explore various online and social platforms and teach the strategic approach to using the technological tools for communication and public relations. Students will examine real-world cases, explore the latest strategies for engaging audiences using various online platforms and learn the tactical use of core online and social platforms. Both theoretical foundations and practical applications of online/social communications will be studied. Students will create, run and evaluate a digital communication campaign for a selected product, service or organization. This is a technology intensive course.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Define the role and impacts of social media and online platforms including websites, search engines, online advertisements, social media, and mobile platforms.
- Students create a strategic social media plan and editorial calendar and implement their plans using social media management systems such as Hootsuite.
- Develop a strategic integrated communication campaign featuring online technologies to manage multiple social media platforms with management systems and analyze online data with digital analytics tools.
COMM 4453: Public Relations Capstone
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This senior-level course is the culminating academic experience for communication students. Students prepare a research study and advanced project within the realm of their public relations major area and academic interests. This capstone course will provide students with an opportunity to create materials that will prove beneficial to their individual career objectives.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Complete a professional level project that shows competency in specific academic and career interest areas. Projects include actionable and monetizable integrated marketing campaigns, business plans, blogs, web sites, podcasts, magazines, guides, books, and more.
- Write professionally, as demonstrated in the customized strategic and creative assignments for the course including a major capstone project designed to show employers career readiness.
- Create a portfolio that demonstrates work worthy of a college degree and professional employment including flyers, web sites, marketing and PR plans, editorial content, videos, social media, podcasts and other creative and strategic samples that best showcase academic achievements and extra-curricular or professional outcomes.
COMM 4470: Content Writing and Brand Strategy
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The course examines styles, techniques and strategies for writing and producing content for online and traditional audiences. Students explore the differences between writing for online versus traditional linear forms. Students will gain an understanding of how to research, plan, write, and develop content effectively for a variety of online and traditional platforms and strategic purposes including: online news and lifestyle media, blogs, corporate web sites, advertising, public relations, marketing and social media. Prerequisite(s): COMM 2100
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Learn to write for digital and traditional platforms and purposes, including the strategic integration of content for brands and organizations across media, social media, marketing, and business disciplines.
- Apply technical, strategic writing, editing, and content development skills across a variety of digital and social media platforms including production of a body of work to use in a professional portfolio.
- Become familiar with software tools available to produce, publish, measure, and promote online content.
COMM 4480: Public Relations Case Studies
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Analysis of public relations case studies to identify PR principles and strategies applied to organizations to solve communication and business challenges. Analysis also includes assessment and evaluation of existing public relations campaigns and industry best practices.
COMM 4490: Public Relations Campaign Workshop
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides background and practice in developing written communications important in the practice of public relations. Using a workshop format, the course emphasizes critical strategic thinking, planning, writing and targeting communications designed to influence specific audiences and stakeholders.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Create, write, and assemble various written materials used in strategic communication and public relations such as releases, fact sheets, alerts, feature articles, brochures, crisis responses, key messages, media lists, social media plans, strategy documents, influencer pitches, etc.
- Create a strategic public relations plan incorporating core planning elements like objectives, target audiences, including social and traditional communication earned, owned, shared, and paid media tactics.
COMM 4460: Corporate Social Responsibility and Advocacy
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The course explores the concept(s) of corporate social responsibility (CSR), philanthropy and corporate strategy. Various real-world organizational CSR programs are analyzed to examine the scope and complexity of CSR and its impact on global and local business and society.
Choose three courses from the following options:
COMM 1160: Multimedia Storytelling
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
In this survey course, students learn and are trained in how to tell stories using a mobile phone in a formalized way, applying professional aesthetics to serve a variety of communication goals in multimedia-based disciplines such as broadcast news, film, TV, and audio. Students will use their written ideas and learn how to formulate and refine those ideas and determine the best multimedia storytelling format. This course empowers the student, utilizing many of the tools students already know, and provides them with a foundation of professional techniques and best practices to produce content common in the communication industry.
COMM 2220: Media Law and Ethics
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of the relationship between the news media and society in the United States, with emphasis on legal and ethical issues.
COMM 2310: Organizational Communication
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
In the twenty-first century, organizations are a central fact of human existence. This class provides an introduction to organizational communication, preparing students to understand and effectively participate in organizational life. The course surveys various aspects of organizational communication from an overview of theoretical frameworks to applications. Particular attention is paid to process, forms, and functions of organizational communication, and to contemporary organizational issues such as diversity, technology, and team work.
COMM 2500: Journalism
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course includes practical experience in gathering news and writing the basic journalistic forms, including the straight news story and various types of features. Students undertake reporting assignments designed to develop skills in interviewing, observation, and writing, and receive individual evaluation of their work.
COMM 3400: Intercultural Communication
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Through a comparison of numerous cultures, students explore the primary distinguishing characteristics of culture and identify strategies for relating their own culture to those of others. Emphasis is placed on an eclectic cultural design. The primary goal is to provide students with practical and theoretical knowledge and an understanding of intercultural communication in contemporary life situations.
COMM 3610: Successful Business & Professional Communication
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Through the study of communication theory as it relates to business and the professions and through practice simulations, the student acquires a knowledge of those communicative and motivational skills essential for success in business and professional life.
ENG 3600: Digital Writing & Editing
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on designing and creating content for digital spaces. Students will learn to analyze and to write, both individually and collaboratively, in digital genres for various audiences. Students will explore methods of writing and editing for online publication, from site architecture analysis and design strategies to content development and line editing. Students will understand how the arrangement of content and the choice of digital genre impact writing effectiveness, and they will learn to use editing strategies and tools employed by professional writers in a wide range of digital situations. This course is UCC Writing Intensive and UCC Technology Intensive.
MGT 2000: Principles of Management
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduces basic principles, policies, problems, and successful methods of business organization and management. Emphasizes management’s ability to analyze, plan, coordinate, and control the varied activities of production, personnel, finance, and marketing. Also examines social responsibility and environmental factors affecting business policy and operation.
MKT 2100: Principles of Marketing
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Major emphasis on techniques for solving business problems, the development of marketing policies, and the sale of consumer and industrial products. Various marketing decisions are examined with respect to product planning, channels of distribution, promotion activity, selling and sales management, pricing, and international marketing.
MKT 3321: Social Media Marketing
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Digital social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, and YouTube, have become increasingly important elements of consumers’ daily routines and, as such, are attracting a growing level of attention by marketers. Social media change the nature of social interactions, which enables new ways for consumers to express positive as well as negative feelings and thoughts about a brand. Brands can use social media, either in the form of social network sites or company-owned pages, to not only establish powerful brand communities, but can also elevate their after-sale service via social media through individualized consumer communications. Social networks lead to a substantially accelerated diffusion of information and thus require a different handling with more-active-than-ever customers. The course is designed to help students understand and assess brands’ successful or unsuccessful practices of social media marketing by focusing on uses and applications of social media marketing. Thus, it takes an applied approach to social networks and social media platforms. Students in this course will develop the relevant knowledge about social media platforms through practices, demonstrations, and analyses of social media business applications.
RPS 2100: Negotiations
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Explores the basic concepts and key critical skills involved in between the organizational representative and the client, including the psychology of bargaining. Applies negotiation strategies and tactics in a variety of business environments, with an emphasis on collaborative and competitive styles of negotiating. Seminar-style course with multiple bargaining simulations throughout the semester.
Interested in adding a minor to your coursework?
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