Alla Kushniryk, BA (Chernivtsi State University), MS (Lviv National University), PhD (University of Tennessee), Associate Professor
The Master of Public Relations and the Master of Arts in Communication degrees will enable students to acquire advanced skills and knowledge in research, management, problem-solving and issues in the field of Public Relations.
To be admitted into the Master of Public Relations degree students must provide evidence of:
Students who are interested in exploring Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) for admission should refer to the MSVU Graduate Academic Calendar section 2.1.8 for information on that process.
If a student has not been enrolled in a post-secondary institution for at least three years, the applicant may substitute the academic letter of recommendation with a second professional letter of recommendation. Also, if a student has not been engaged in relevant employment, but has been recently attending a post-secondary institution, the applicant can submit a second academic letter of recommendation in lieu of a professional letter of recommendation.
To be admitted into the Master of Arts in Communication degree students must have completed:
Applicants must also submit an 800-word narrative essay describing their profile, research interests and aspirations for a career in the field of Public Relations and both professional and academic references.
Applicants must complete the Graduate Studies Application Package available online at msvu.ca/applyonline by February 15 for fall admission.
Admission to the Master of Arts in Communication will be based on the availability of the Department of Communication Studies faculty to supervise in a student’s proposed area of research. At present faculty areas of professional and academic interest include: Public Relations ethics; healthcare communication; Public Relations management and strategy; media relations; crisis communication; mass media theory; public opinion; gender issues in Public Relations; rhetorical and persuasion theory; small group and community theory; and audience reception theory.
All students will be assigned an academic advisor upon admission who will be responsible for overseeing the student’s program of study.
This program requires the completion of 5.0 units which includes a 0.5 unit project seminar.
Program Requirements
Required Courses
❏ GPRL 6101 0.5 unit
❏ GPRL 6104 0.5 unit
❏ GPRL 6301 0.5 unit
❏ GPRL 6302 0.5 unit
❏ GPRL 6303 0.5 unit
❏ GPRL 6304 0.5 unit
❏ GPRL 6310 0.5 unit
❏ 1.5 unit of electives chosen from the following:
GPRL 6305 0.5 unit
GPRL 6306 0.5 unit
GPRL 6307 0.5 unit
GPRL 6308 0.5 unit
GPRL 6399 0.5 unit
GPRL 6511 0.5 unit
Students may take up to 0.5 units of elective outside of the MPR program upon approval of their faculty advisor. The approval of electives from another institution will align with the Letter of Permission (Section 2.2.6 of the Graduate Academic Calendar) process.
Graduate Internship
The Master of Public Relations program offers students the opportunity to complete a paid summer internship, allowing them to combine their academic studies with professional work experience. Students admitted to the internship will complete a paid internship in a corporate, nonprofit, or government organizational setting.
Before starting the internship, students must meet the following requirements:
There are four possible grades for internships:
Application Dates
Master of Public Relations students must apply for admission to the internship program in early September. Students should check with the Co-op & WIL Centre to confirm the exact application deadline.
Students who choose to apply to the internship program must complete the internship application form and submit it to the Co-op & WIL Centre by the application deadline. The application form requires approval from the Department Chair or Program Coordinator.
This program requires the completion of 3.5 units of coursework and a 1.5 unit thesis.
Program Requirements
Required Courses
❏ GPRL 6101 0.5 unit
❏ GPRL 6102 0.5 unit
❏ GPRL 6105 0.5 unit
❏ GPRL 6109 0.5 unit
❏ GPRL 6230 1.5 unit
❏ 1.5 units of electives chosen from the following:
GPRL 6103 0.5 unit
GPRL 6107 0.5 unit
GPRL 6108 0.5 unit
GPRL 6201 0.5 unit
GPRL 6202 0.5 unit
GPRL 6203 0.5 unit
GPRL 6511 0.5 unit
External elective* 1.0 unit
*Students may, with the approval of their advisor, select an elective that offers relevant coursework from another graduate program at the Mount or at another university on a Letter of Permission (LOP). Note: Maximum of 1.0 unit for MA(Communication) program.
General Information
The Graduate Certificate in Health Communication and Aging provides students with an understanding of the interplay between human communication, aging and health. This program will: (a) encourage students to develop a broad understanding of communication and aging theories; (b) contribute to the advancement of health communication and aging as an emerging field of study; (c) provide enhanced opportunities for students to study the contextual nature of health communication and aging in its various forms; (d) develop in students an appreciation of the processes that define human communication and aging; and, (e) develop within students an appreciation for and awareness of ethical communication.
Admission requirements
To be admitted to the Graduate Certificate in Health Communication and Aging students must provide evidence of an undergraduate degree in a field that provides required background for the certificate, with a GPA of 3.0 (B) or better. If a required course for the credential has an undergraduate course as a prerequisite, successful completion of the undergraduate course may be set as a condition for admission to the graduate credential. Admission to the program may be assessed on a case-by-case basis to ascertain the relevance of students’ previous undergraduate degree as background for the proposed certificate program. A ‘relevant’ background could constitute Communication, Family Studies and Gerontology, or related fields.
Program requirements
This program is offered jointly through the Department of Family Studies and Gerontology and the Department of Communication Studies. Students must complete 2.0 units (1.0 unit from each department) with the following requirements:
❏ GPRL 6102 0.5 unit
❏ GPRL 6511 0.5 unit
❏ GFSG 6611 0.5 unit
❏ GFSG 6633 0.5 unit
Academic Note: This web-based calendar information is applicable for the 2025-2026 academic year which runs from September 01, 2025 to August 31, 2026.
For information on previous years, please consult the University Academic Calendars web page.
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