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.

Apply by: 4/25/23
Start class: 5/15/23

Program Overview

Expand your career options with the online Public Relations Bachelor’s program

$360 Per Credit Hour
120* Credit Hours

Enhance your ability to write and communicate strategically with the online Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from William Paterson University. This career-advancing program focuses on key public relations concepts like strategic communication, digital and social media communication, crisis and reputation management, and corporate social responsibility.

Gain experience developing integrated marketing campaigns as you prepare for public relations roles in any industry. Benefit from our generous transfer credit policy and the individualized support you receive from our respected faculty. Learning for this online public relations degree culminates with a capstone course in which you’ll create a professional portfolio demonstrating your analytical thinking and communication acumen.

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.

$360 Per Credit Hour
Up to 90 Transfer Credits
120 Credit Hours
Need More Information?

Call 833-960-0139

Call 833-960-0139

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:

$360 Per Credit Hour

Tuition breakdown:

$360 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:

4/25/23 Apply Date
5/15/23 Class Starts
TermStart DateApp DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlineTuition DeadlineClass End DateTerm Length
Summer I5/15/234/25/235/1/235/8/235/10/237/2/237 weeks
Summer II7/10/236/20/236/26/237/3/237/6/238/27/237 weeks
Fall I9/5/238/15/238/21/238/28/238/30/2310/22/237 weeks
Fall II10/30/2310/10/2310/16/2310/23/2310/25/2312/17/237 weeks

Now enrolling:

4/25/23 Apply Date
5/15/23 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 BA in Public Relations online program

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 two 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
  • 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 two 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 Services
Morrison Hall 102
300 Pompton Road
Wayne, NJ 07470

Courses

Explore the coursework in our BA in Public Relations online program

For the BA in Public Relations online, you must complete 33 credit hours of public relations core courses. 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. You may transfer up to 90 approved credit hours to decrease cost and time to completion.

Duration: 7 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.
Duration: 7 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.
Duration: 7 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.
Duration: 7 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.
Students must select two Public Relations Elective Courses.
Duration: 7 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.
Duration: 7 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.
Duration: 7 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.
Duration: 7 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.
Duration: 7 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.

Interested in adding a minor to your coursework?

Explore your options.

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