University of North Texas 
Public Relations
A concentration in public relations from the Mayborn School of Journalism emphasizes public relations. You will graduate with competitive skills of persuasion gained from extensive hands-on experience working in state-of-the-art technology labs and with different media.
Curriculum Overview
The Bachelor of Journalism degree comprises 120 credit hours, 42 of which must be
advanced.
Students learn to create stories that inform, engage and impact a global audience.
The Mayborn School teaches skills and responsibilities that distinguish professional
journalists in an age where just about anyone can publish on a website or social media
service.
Foundations Courses
In the dynamic landscape of journalism, it remains essential for every student to grasp the foundational aspects of the profession. Acquiring introductory knowledge and skills is crucial, whether one aspires to become a daily beat reporter or aims to excel in a graduate program or corporate setting.
- Mass Communication and Society - Learn the principles of mass communication including historical, economic, social, ethical and legal factors influencing the operation and content of the mass media.
- Introduction to Media Writing - Explore the fundamentals of writing, reporting, and information gathering for a variety of journalism professions.
Skills Courses
Students studying journalism can select from a variety of courses tailored to instill the confidence needed to navigate a dynamic and evolving field. These courses seamlessly integrate the core tenets of effective journalism—reporting, curiosity, and accuracy—along with specialized content crafted to refine individual interests and align with career aspirations.
- Public Relations Writing - Writing-intensive course that focuses on professional-level writing skills needed by new practitioners of public relations. Components include news releases, pitch letters, media advisories, feature writing, Web writing, business formats, message design concepts and broadcast forms, as well as communication theory, ethics and law.
- Public Relations Communication - Advanced PR writing, planning and media relations, including writing strategic communications plans as well as writing, editing and producing a wide range of public relations communications materials for traditional and new media.
- Applied Design for Advertising and Public Relations - Lab setting that incorporates lectures and demonstrations with hands-on experience where students learn and apply the fundamentals of core software applications used in the advertising and public relations industry.
Theory & Concepts Courses
- Fundamentals of Public Relations Practices - Broad overview of public relations practices covering the history, mechanism and processes of public relations in various workplace settings and types of relations. Emphasis is on the four-step public relations process, strategic planning, writing formats and real-world cases.
- Ethics, Law and Diversity in Advertising and Public Relations - Study of philosophical bases for ethical behavior, as well as study of professional codes of ethics for practitioners of advertising and public relations and other journalists. Examination of mass communication law, including privacy, defamation, copyright, financial disclosure, legal and regulatory compliance.
The majority of Mayborn students participate in one or more of our student organizations, from agencies to media, all dedicated to specific areas of interest. Collectively, leaders from these groups come together to serve on the Mayborn's Student Council, a governing body that gives students the opportunity to work across disciplines and learn leadership.
Tour our facilities virtually, no matter where you are. Walk our halls with a guided tour, visit one of our Broadcast Studios, and see where our student producers and reporters work on real-time news assignments in our Broadcast News Lab.