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2020-2021

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

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: General Studies (Northern Virginia Community College)
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science: General Studies

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

Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: General Studies)

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
  • Register for SDV 100 or SDV 101.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Use Navigate to connect with your advisor and create a program plan.
  • Attend cultural events at NOVA and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Browse careers related to public relations through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
Experience Year 2
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
  • Complete requirements for the associate’s degree. Earn at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
  • Continue to use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Join a professional organization related to mass communications: International Public Relations Association (IPRA), The Public Affairs Council.
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
  • Speak with employers that visit campus 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.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Register for SDV 100 or SDV 101.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor each semester.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Use Navigate to connect with your advisor and create a program plan.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at NOVA and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Browse careers related to public relations through the NOVA career planning system.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad’s Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Meet with your academic advisor or counselor.
  • Complete requirements for the associate’s degree. Earn at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
  • Continue to use tutoring resources to get ahead.
  • Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
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 mass communications: International Public Relations Association (IPRA), The Public Affairs Council.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Continue to partner with diversity leader/ facilitator/ mentor to move towards cultural competence.
  • Get involved with service-learning opportunities.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus and in your community (i.e. international festival).
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Speak with employers that visit campus 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.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

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

Northern Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: General Studies)

Northern Virginia Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 (or SDV 101) 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
CST Elective Select 1: CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking OR CST 110 Introduction to Communication OR CST 126 Interpersonal Communication SPCH 121 3 Elective
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective Select 1: ART 101 History and Appreciation of Art I OR MUS 121 Music Appreciation I OR PHI 101 Introduction to Philosophy I VCU equivalent 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition  II UNIV 200 3 General education
HIS Elective HIS 121 U.S. History I HIST 103 3 Major
Physical or Life Science w/ Lab Select 1: BIO 101 General Biology I OR CHM 101 Introductory Chemistry I OR GOL 105 Physical Geology OR PHY 101 Introduction to Physics I OR PHY 150 Elements of Astronomy VCU equivalent 4 General education
ITE 115 (or ITE 119) Introduction to Computer Applications and Concepts (or ITE 119) INFO 160, 161, 162 3 Elective
Social/Behavioral Science Elective HIS 122 U.S. History II HIST 104 3 Major
Humanities/Fine Arts Elective Select 1: CST 151 Film Appreciation I OR ENG 241 Survey of American Literature I OR ENG 242 Survey of American Literature II OR ENG 243 Survey of English Literature I OR ENG 244 Survey of English Literature II OR ENG 251 Survey of World Literature I OR ENG 252 Survey of World Literature II VCU equivalent 3 General education
Physical or Life Science w/ Lab Select 1: BIO 101 General Biology I OR BIO 102 General Biology II OR CHM 101 Introductory Chemistry I OR CHM 102 Introductory Chemistry II OR GOL 105 Physical Geology OR GOL 106 Historical Geology OR PHY 101 Introduction to Physics I OR PHY 102 Introduction to Physics II OR PHY 150 Elements of Astronomy VCU equivalent 4 General education
Social/Behavioral Science Elective Select 1: PLS 135 American National Politics OR PLS 211 US Government I POLI 103 3 Major
Open Elective MTH 245 Statistics I STAT 210 3 Major
Open Elective ECO 120 Survey of Economics ECON 203 3 Major
Open Elective Select 1: PLS 241 International Relations I OR REL 231 Religions of the World I POLI 105 or RELS 311 3 General education
Open Elective Select 1: HIS 241 History of Russia I OR HIS 251 History of Middle East Civilization I OR HIS 281 History of Virginia I HIST 3XX 3 Major
Open Elective ART 102 History and Appreciation of Art ARTH 104 3 Elective
Open Elective Select 1: GEO 220 World Regional Geography OR GEO 230 Political Geography URSP 3XX 3 Elective
Open Elective CST 114 Introduction to Mass Media (Shared Services Distance Learning (SSDL) through John Tyler CC) MASC 101 3 Major
Northern Virginia 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 Persuasive 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 203 Journalism Writing 3 Major
MASC 210 Public Relations 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 0 to 3 Elective
CREDITS COMPLETED AT VCU 60
Bachelor's degree total 120