Public Relations Programs Celebrate “Three-peat” with Recognition from PRNEWS  

It's a three-peat! For the third consecutive year, the public relations programs within the College of Communication and the Arts has been named to PRNEWS Group's Education A-List. Totaling 50 public and private institutions, this year's list features schools — including top universities like American, DePaul, Georgetown, Northeastern and NYU — that are training future PR pros and marketers as well as enhancing knowledge of practitioners already in the field.

The College's B.A. in Public Relations program is one of the few undergraduate PR programs nationwide to be certified by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). As part of this program, students learn the historical foundations and evolution of the discipline to truthfully, accurately and fairly apply a four-step public relations process (Research, Planning, Implementation, and Execution) to create, implement and assess a variety of PR campaigns and tactics. 

Students graduate with a strong ability to apply critical coursework to inform data-driven decision making across a variety of global and diverse audiences. For instance, senior Jiaqi Liu was recently named the 2022 Future Public Relations Professional of the Year by the New Jersey Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. In 2021, another Seton Hall student, Madison Vance '22, was also recognized with the same award as well as the John D. Graham Scholarship from the PRSA Foundation, which is an exclusive honor awarded to only three recipients each year.

"With an emphasis in theory and a steadfast mission to prepare future-focused, responsible public relations professionals and change makers, each course in our program is uniquely application-based and designed to provide students opportunities to immediately translate material to practice," noted Associate Dean Ryan Hudes, Ph.D. "As early as their first year, students have the opportunity to participate, and rise to leadership roles, as part of our Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter or inclusion at our annual Petersheim Academic Exhibition, our students are always thoughtfully engaged."

He added, "Being named to PRNEWS' Education A-list for the third consecutive year reaffirms our commitment to excellence."

In addition, the College's M.A. in Communication program offers graduate students the opportunity to complete a sequence of coursework in public relations where students learn from faculty with extensive PR experience through courses like Global Perspectives and Reputation Management. The College also offers a graduate-level professional certificate in public relations, which gives students the opportunity to study advanced concepts, theories and methods related to the PR field. Upon completion of this 12-credit program, the credits can be applied toward an M.A. in Communication, once admitted.

The list was compiled by the PRNEWS editorial staff by reviewing how applied programs prepare students for continued success in their existing jobs and along their future career paths, as well as any extracurricular offerings beyond the classroom, such as internships. Consideration was given to schools with faculty who have real-world experience and that continue to evolve their program offerings to reflect the changing nature of the field of communication and ensure students learn about emerging trends.

The PRNEWS Group, part of Access Intelligence, LLC, is a media outlet that serves the communications and public relations community at corporations, agencies and nonprofits. PRNEWS supports the growth of communicators and marketers and keeps them apprised of the latest news affecting their industries, particularly with its weekly newsletter which was launched more than 75 years ago.

About the College of Communication and the Arts
Seton Hall University's College of Communication and the Arts offers diverse, flexible undergraduate programs anchored in the humanities, featuring cutting-edge technology and innovative curricula, and provides opportunities for meaningful collaboration across disciplines. Students can explore emerging technologies as well as learn from industry professionals about the latest trends in the ongoing digital revolution that is affecting communication and arts' industries. For more information about the College's undergraduate programs, please contact Amanda Carcione at [email protected].

The College also offers graduate-level programs in Museum Professions and Communication, including the opportunity to pursue a unique area of study, including options in Public Relations, Digital Communication/Communication Technologies, and Communication in Organizations. In addition, four dual-degree options, including three accelerated master's/B.A. programs and a dual M.A. degree with the School of Diplomacy and International Relations are offered. For more information about Graduate Studies within the College of Communication and the Arts, please contact Ryan Hudes, Ph.D. at [email protected].

Categories: Education