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2021-2022

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

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.

Career opportunities

The concentrations in advertising prepares students for careers at advertising agencies, marketing departments of corporations or service organizations, and media companies. These concentrations are a training ground that prepares students to join the world community of media practitioners and are centered on professional practice, studio intensive coursework, and experimental collaboration.


The concentrations in journalism train alumni for competitive careers in print and video media and in such places as print and video newsrooms, digital news, magazines, and special interest publications. The concentrations in journalism are transferable to many other fields like law, business, or government service. 


The concentration in media production prepares graduates to work as content creators in in film and television, sports media, local or national production studios, and online productions.


The concentration in public relations prepares graduates to successfully enter the public relations field. Graduates can be found representing professional sports teams, global clothing manufacturers, Hollywood production studios, energy companies, hospitals, international non-profits and small businesses. The public relations profession calls for professional communicators; all organizations, big and small, must communicate with audiences to succeed.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Art Director
  • Broadcast News Analyst
  • Development/Fundraising Manager
  • Digital Specialist
  • Grant Writer
  • Media Relations Coordinator
  • Nonprofit Communications Manager
  • Radio and Television Announcer
  • Videographer
  • Visual Effects (FX) Artist
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Copywriter
  • Creative Brand Manager
  • Director of Digital Media
  • Experience Designer
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 or STAT 210
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.5+ cumulative GPA, 2.5+ major GPA
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Mass Communications with concentration in Advertising/Creative, Advertising/Strategic, Journalism/Broadcast, Journalism/Digital, Media Production, 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
2021-2022

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

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
  • Attend Tyler orientation
  • 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.
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway.
  • Apply to the John Tyler Pathways Program.
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus or in your community.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
  • 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).
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • 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.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Attend Tyler orientation
  • 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.
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway.
  • Apply to the John Tyler Pathways Program.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend diversity-focused events on campus or in your community.
  • Identify a mentor in a diversity organization.
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).
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • 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
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

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

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 United States History to 1877 HIST 103 3 Major (Ancillary)
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 245 Statistics I STAT 210 3 Major (Ancillary)
CST 114 Survey of Mass Media MASC 101 3 Major (Ancillary)
HIS 122 United States History Since 1865 HIST 104 3 Major (Ancillary)
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 U.S. Government and Politics POLI 103 3 Major (Ancillary)
ENG Any 200-level ENG literature course (select 1) ENGL 3 Major (Ancillary)
Laboratory Science Laboratory science (select 1): BIO 101, CHM 101, CHM 111, ENV 121, PHY 101, PHY 201 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 150 Economic Essentials: Theory and Application Note: students can substitute ECO 201-202 but both courses must be taken ECON 2XX 3 Major (Ancillary)
Transfer elective Transfer electives: ACC 211, HLT 160, ITE 152, PSY 200, REL 230, SOC 200, SOC 268, BIO 102, CHM 101, ENV 121, PHY 101 (note: select ECO 202 if ECO 201 is taken). VCU equivalent 7 Elective
John Tyler Credits Transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Foreign language through the 102 level (if not completed at John Tyler). (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)
MASC 300 Technical Prowess 3 Major
MASC 390 Ethical Problems in Mass Media 3 Major
MASC 408 Communications Law 3 Major
MASC 493 Fieldwork/Internship 3 Major
MASC 499 Career Minded 3 Major
MASC 333 Public Relations Technical Writing and Media Relations 3 Major
MASC 335 Multimedia Production for Public Relations 3 Major
MASC 336 Social Media for Public Relations 3 Major
MASC 337 Public Relations Strategy 3 Major
MASC 425 Public Relations Research Methods 3 Major
MASC 439 Agency 3 Major
MASC Select two public relations electives from the approved list; see VCU advisor for course options 6 Major
ENGL 304 Advanced Writing 3 Major (Ancillary)
MASC 274 Diversity in the Media 3 Major (Ancillary)
MGMT 310 Managing People in Organizations 3 Major (Ancillary)
MKTG 301 Marketing Principles 3 Major (Ancillary)
POLI or ENGL__ Upper-level POLI or ENGL writing course (ENGL 310, 393, 491) 3 Major (Ancillary)
ENGL ___ Upper-level ENGL literature course 3 Major (Ancillary)
Open electives 3 Elective
Credits Completed at VCU 60
Bachelor's degree total 120