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2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in public relations

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: Mass Communications (Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway))
Brightpoint Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science: Mass Communications

Program description

The Robertson School of Media and Culture prepares effective and skilled communicators through quality instruction, advising and student services, based on real-world applications. Through research, professional service and scholarship in applied communications, the school advances the knowledge and practice of a multidisciplinary and evolving media environment. The school values truth, ethics, creativity, innovation, collaboration, cultural diversity, shared governance and community engagement.

The school offers a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications with specialization in one of three concentrations: advertising, journalism and public relations. The school also awards the Master of Science in Mass Communications, with concentrations in the areas of integrated PR and advertising, multimedia journalism, and strategic public relations.

Career opportunities

Public Relations is a broad field that spans all industries and businesses. PR graduates can be found representing professional sports teams, global clothing manufacturers, Hollywood production studios, energy companies, hospitals, international non-profits and small businesses. This wide variety of opportunities is due to the fact that PR people are professional communicators, and all organizations, big and small, must communicate with a variety of audiences in order to succeed.    

The Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture’s undergraduate program in PR prepares graduates to successfully enter the public relations field.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Campaign Manager
  • Campaign/Audience Researcher
  • Community/Public Affairs Specialist
  • Development/Fundraising Manager
  • Employee Relations Specialist
  • Event Planner
  • Grant Writer
  • Investor Relations Manager
  • Marketing Manager
  • Media Relations Coordinator
  • Nonprofit Communications Manager
  • Risk and Crisis Communications Coordinator
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Consultant
  • Director of Corporate Communications
  • Public Diplomacy Officer
  • Public Relations Manager
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • STAT 208
Science required
  • 1-2 additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.5
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Mass Communications with concentration in Public Relations

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in public relations

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Mass Communications)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway.
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your ENG and MTH classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Apply to the John Tyler Pathways Program.
  • Attend Tyler orientation
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus or in your community.
  • Create LinkedIn profile.
  • Get involved with a student or professional organization.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Visit career services to begin cultivating your own virtual brand across all social media profiles.
  • Browse careers related to public relations through the career coach.
  • Take a career assessment through the career coach.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Use SDV 100 to create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
  • Understand how you will fund your education by taking advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Experience Year 2
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Join a professional organization related to public relations: International Public Relations Association (IPRA), The Public Affairs Council.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Run for leadership in your student organization.
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway.
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your ENG and MTH classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Apply to the John Tyler Pathways Program.
  • Attend Tyler orientation
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus or in your community.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Create LinkedIn profile.
  • Get involved with a student or professional organization.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Visit career services to begin cultivating your own virtual brand across all social media profiles.
  • Browse careers related to public relations through the career coach.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Take a career assessment through the career coach.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Use SDV 100 to create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
  • Understand how you will fund your education by taking advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Join a professional organization related to public relations: International Public Relations Association (IPRA), The Public Affairs Council.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs throughout the year.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Run for leadership in your student organization.
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Science: Mass Communications with a concentration in public relations

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: Mass Communications)

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
CST 100 Public Speaking SPCH 121 3 Elective
HIS 121 U.S. History I HIST 103 3 Major
Foreign Language Foreign Language 101 or elective (take elective course if successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school). VCU equivalent 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition  II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 155 Statistical Reasoning (or MTH 245 Statistics I) STAT 208 3 General education
CST 114 Survey of Mass Media MASC 101 3 Major
HIS 122 U.S. History II HIST 104 3 Major
Foreign Language Foreign Language 102 or elective (take elective course if successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school). VCU equivalent 3 General education
CST 228 Writing Across Media MASC 203 3 Major
PLS 135 American National Politics (or PLS 211) POLI 103 3 Major
ENG Any 200-level ENG literature course (select 1): ENG 241, 242, 243, 244, 251, 252 ENGL 3 General education
Laboratory Science Laboratory science (select 1): BIO 101, CHM 101, CHM 111. PHY 101, PHY 201 (ENV 121 will be accepted if Associate degree is completed) VCU equivalent 4 General education
Art elective Art elective (select 1): ART 180, ART 208, PHT 164 VCU equivalent 3 General education
CST 221 Public Relations MASC 210 3 Major
ECO 120 Survey of Economics Note: students can substitute ECO 201-202 but both courses must be taken ECON 203 3 Major
Laboratory Science Laboratory science (select 1): BIO 101, BIO 102, CHM 101, CHM 111. PHY 101, PHY 201 (ENV 121 will be accepted if Associate degree is completed) VCU equivalent 4 General education
Transfer elective Transfer elective (select 1): ACC 211, ECO 202, ITE 115, PHI 220, PSY 200, REL 230, SOC 200, HLT 160, ITE 119 (note: select ECO 202 if ECO 201 is taken). VCU equivalent 3 Elective
John Tyler Credits Transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Foreign language through the 102 level. (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school. Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) 0 to 8 General education (not waived by associate degree)
ENGL 304 Advanced Writing 3 Major
MGMT 310 Managing People in Organizations 3 Major
MKTG 301 Marketing Principles 3 Major
ENGL ___ Upper-level ENGL literature course 3 Major
POLI or ENGL__ Upper-level POLI or ENGL writing course (ENGL 310, 393, 491) 3 Major
MASC 333 Public Relations Technical Writing and Media Relations 3 Major
MASC 334 Visual Communications and Design for Public Relations 3 Major
MASC 336 Social Media for Public Relations 3 Major
MASC 337 Public Relations Strategy 3 Major
MASC 335 Multimedia production for Public Relations 3 Major
MASC 338 Public Relations Professionalism 3 Major
MASC 408 Communications Ethics and Law 3 Major
MASC 425 Public Relations Research Methods 3 Major
MASC 439 Agency (capstone) 3 Major
MASC 493 Fieldwork/Internship 3 Major
MASC Select two of the following MASC courses: MASC 423. 424, 433, 435, 438, 488 6 Major
Open electives 9 Elective
Credits Completed at VCU 60
Bachelor's degree total 120