William Paterson University

What you'll study

The major requires 39 credits (30 credits of core courses and 9 credits of electives). Courses provided in the published materials include:

• COMM 1200: Media and Society (3 credits, 7 weeks) — study of mass media institutions, history, technology and contemporary media issues, policies and ethics.
• COMM 2100: Media Writing (3 credits, 7 weeks) — introduction to writing forms for radio, television, film and print journalism.
• COMM 2440: Communication Research Methods (3 credits, 7 weeks) — advanced study of communication research and an opportunity to plan and carry out a research project in a chosen communication area.

Students are required to take COMM 2630: Public Speaking with this major; that course may satisfy a University Core Curriculum requirement or count as a free elective. The program readies graduates to build a professional portfolio and earn industry-related certifications including Brandwatch, Hootsuite Platform/Social Marketing, Muck Rack, Google Analytics/Google Public Relations, and HubSpot.

Entry requirements

• Complete the online application and submit a $50 application fee.
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities (or high school transcript if no prior college experience).
• Applicants must be at least four years post high school, or two years post high school with 60 or more college credits; accelerated WP Online programs require applicants to be at least two years post high school.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for roles in public relations and related fields across industries such as digital marketing, advertising, entertainment, sports, travel and hospitality, and publishing. The curriculum’s emphasis on strategic writing, research-based proposal development, multicultural communication and social media planning supports positions in communications strategy, social media management, crisis communications, corporate communications and agency roles.

Scholarships & funding angle

The online program uses a pay-by-the-course tuition model; published tuition for the BA in Public Relations is $381 per credit hour ($1,143 per three-credit course). The degree’s transfer-friendly policy (up to 90 transfer credits) can reduce overall cost and time to completion. For details on financial aid, scholarships or payment plans, students should contact the university’s admissions and financial services offices.