Bachelor of Public Relations

The Public Relations Program is designed to answer the need for university-educated public relations professionals in Canada. Students receive instruction in a variety of liberal arts subjects, communication techniques, public relations theories, practices and management. Graduates are qualified to take up positions in public relations, public affairs and information services in business, government, media, educational and non-profit institutions and consulting firms.

Selected courses are available via distance learning.

All students must seek academic advising once admitted to the program. The public relations department has a prescribed sequence of courses that must be followed.

Note: Students enroled in the Bachelor of Public Relations prior to September 2001 should consult with the department regarding the requirements for completion of their program.

Admission Requirements - Enrolment in this program is limited and selection is based on suitable academic background and achievement.

Transfer Requirements

Nova Scotia grade XII (senior matriculation) university preparatory diploma or equivalent;
grade XII academic or advanced mathematics and English or a university equivalent;
an overall average well above the minimum requirements of 65 percent (GPA of 2.0) with no mark below 60 percent (D).

Special Studies

Students may count a maximum of four units of directed/independent/research studies courses in a 23-unit degree, with no more than two units in any single discipline.

Course Failure

If a student fails a Public Relations course twice, she or he will be dismissed from the Public Relations program.

General Requirements

The Bachelor of Public Relations requires successful completion of 23 units including three compulsory co-operative education terms.

Students must obtain a minimum GPA of 2.0 in 8 units of required coursework including all required public relations courses and meet all requirements for co-operative education listed under Program Standards for Co-operative Education on page 72 of the Undergraduate Calendar (PDF).

Students in the Bachelor of Public Relations program may complete a minor in any arts, science or professional studies discipline by completing the requirements for the minor as listed in the Calendar. Students must achieve a GPA of 2.0 in the required three units of the minor as specified by the program.

Note: Co-operative education work term courses (PBRL 1188, 2288 and 3388) cannot be counted in the calculation of the GPA.

Program

The Bachelor of Public Relations (Co-operative Education) program is designed as a full-time study program. Co-operative education requires a student to be enroled full-time before and after each co-op term. Full-time enrolment is defined as one and one-half units of credit per semester. A student who commences the program on a part-time basis must be prepared to enrol full-time (one and one-half units per semester) the semester prior to her/his first co-op term and must complete the program as a full-time student. Students are expected to maintain a portfolio of work completed during the public relations degree program.

Required Courses (15 units)
 
PBRL 1010
Foundations of Public Relations
half unit
 
PBRL 1188
Co-op Term I
one unit
 
PBRL 2012
Public Relations Writing: Theory and Practice
half unit
 
PBRL 2013
Communication: Theory and Practice
half unit
 
PBRL 2014
Organizational Context of Public Relations
half unit
 
PBRL 2015
Audiovisual Communications
half unit
 
PBRL 2288
 Co-op Term II
one unit
 
PBRL 3012
Persuasive Public Relations Writing
half unit
 
PBRL 3013
Mass Media and Public Opinion
half unit
 
PBRL 3014
Managing Organizational Public Relations
half unit
 
PBRL 3016
Research Methods in Public Relations
half unit
 
PBRL 3022
Text-Based Media: Theory and Practice
half unit
 
PBRL 3388
Co-op Term III
one unit
 
PBRL 4014
Advanced Public Relations Management
half unit
 
PBRL 4015
Media Relations
half unit
 
PBRL 4017
Public Relations Ethics
half unit
 
PBRL 4019
Crisis Communication Management
half unit
 
PBRL 4101
Employee Relations
half unit
 
PBRL 4107
Advanced Public Relations Writing
half unit
 
PBRL 2211/ COMM 2211
Introduction to Public Speaking
half unit
 
SOAN 1101
Introduction to Sociology and Anthropology
one unit
 
PSYC 1110
Introduction to Psychology as a Natural Science
half unit
 
PSYC 1120
Introduction Psychology as a Social Science
half unit
 
BUSI 1112
Introduction to Business Administration
half unit
 
BUSI 2230
Principles of Marketing
half unit
 
ECON 1101
Introduction to Microeconomics
half unit
 
ECON 1102
Introduction to Macroeconomics
half unit
 
MATH 2208
Introduction to Probability and Statistics I
half unit
 
WRIT 1120
Writing Theory and Practice
 half unit

English (1 ½ units)

Students are required to complete 1 ½ units of English with at least one unit at the 2000 level or higher.

• WRIT courses may not be counted toward the English requirement.
• Students may not take ENGL/WRIT 2220 for credit toward the Bachelor of Public Relations.
• Students may not count WRIT 2222, 3331 or 3332 toward the two units of English requirement. WRIT 2222 may be counted in lieu of a professional elective.

Modern Language (1 unit)

Students are required to complete one full unit of a modern language, e.g. French, Spanish, or German.

Women’s Studies/Emphasis (½ unit)

Students are required to complete one-half unit of women’s studies/women’s emphasis course.

Professional Electives (1 ½ units)

Students are required to complete an additional 1 ½ units of courses above the 1000 level from the professional or the applied arts disciplines, for example: public relations, business administration, information technology, family studies and gerontology. (BUSI/THMT 2202 may not be used to meet the requirement of a professional elective at the 2000 level.)

Electives (2 units)

Co-operative Education

Mount Saint Vincent University offers a 23-unit Bachelor of Public Relations degree with compulsory co-operative education. The Bachelor of Public Relations (Co-operative Education) degree is accredited by the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education (CAFCE).

Co-operative education is a process in which employers and educators co-operate in the education of students by formally integrating the student’s academic program with related work experience. All students must complete three alternate co-op terms off-campus with government agencies, non-profit institutions and corporations. Studies show that co-operative education enhances the student’s academic performance and facilitates the student’s transition to the workplace upon graduation.

The co-operative education component involves a sequencing of normal academic semesters and co-op terms. Students complete the normal academic sequence for their first ten units if entering the Bachelor of Public Relations Co-operative Education degree directly from high school. Students admitted to the Bachelor of Public Relations Co-operative Education degree with sufficient transfer credits complete the normal academic sequence for their first five units. For the second half of the program, there is an alternation of co-op terms and academic semesters.

The following schedule depicts the typical Bachelor of Public Relations Co-operative Education program:

Program Standards

Students entering the program with considerable professional public relations work experience may use the current university regulations regarding Challenge for Credit. Once admitted to the program, students considering this option must consult the academic department to determine eligibility.

Before the first co-op work term, students must meet these prerequisites:

• a 2.0 CGPA at the end of the academic semester prior to the job search*
• normally completion of 10 units of credit
• successful completion of PBRL 2013, 2014, 2015, and 3012
• *Students who do not meet the 2.0 CGPA requirements for co-operative education but have more than 7.5 units of transfer credits, or grades from courses completed more than five years ago, may request an individual review of their transcripts by the Department Chair who may approve admission.

There are three possible grades for co-op terms:

• P Pass. Student continues academic study.
• NCR No credit, repeat. Normally, a student may receive only one NCR grade and remain in the degree program.
• F Fail. A failing grade in a co-op term results in dismissal from the program.

For additional information, refer to the co-operative education program.

Professional Concentration in French

Public relations students have the opportunity to pursue a Concentration in French, comprising three units of French language courses. These may not include FREN 1101 and 1102.

Professional Concentration in Spanish

Public relations students have the opportunity to pursue a concentration in Spanish, comprising three units of Spanish language courses. The three units are SPAN 1101, 1102, 2201, 2202, 3301 and 3302. Students completing SPAN 2202 may write the internationally recognized Spanish examination prepared by the Spanish Ministry of Education and receive the Initial Certificate (Certificado Inicial). Students completing SPAN 3302 may write the Spanish examination prepared by the Spanish Ministry of Education and receive the Basic Diploma (Diploma Basico).