Bachelor Of Arts In Public Relations - New Orleans, LA - Tulane School Of Professional Advancement Skip to main content
Tulane Home Tulane Home
Close

Search form

Tulane A-Z
Close
SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Learn More

TAKE THE NEXT STEP

Loading...

Earn Your Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations

  • Combination
  • On Campus

The Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations degree from Tulane School of Professional Advancement will prepare students to work in a range of industries, from hospitality and communications departments to government sectors and thriving startups. A public relations bachelor's degree is often the first step toward a career in this fast-paced field.

At Tulane, the Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations degree program covers traditional and digital methods of creating a brand and public image for products, services, and people. Public relations (PR) professionals influence, engage, and build relationships between an organization and the public, shaping their attitudes and perception of that organization. Within this degree, students may choose to complete a concentration in Digital Media and Marketing Communication (DMMC). This concentration is ideal for the students looking to advance their knowledge, skill set, and applied understanding of Digital Media strategies, tactics, and best practices.

Pursue Your Career On Your Time

Balancing your personal life, career, and a bachelor’s degree may be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. With a flexible course schedule that includes evening and online options, you can take the next step in your education on your time. Be in control of your education without putting any areas of your life on hold.

Start Your Application

Explore Campus Locations

Develop Job-ready Skills for Rewarding Careers

Whether you’re currently working in the public relations field and wish to increase your industry knowledge and expertise or are pursuing the field for the first time, a BA in Public Relations from Tulane School of Professional Advancement can help you take that next step in your career. You’ll develop crucial skills for working in a thriving job market.

Graduates of the Tulane SoPA Public Relations program work in a wide array of industries. Pursue your career as a:

  • Public Relations Specialist or Manager
  • Marketing Manager
  • Advertising Specialist or Manager
  • Fundraising and Development Coordinator
  • Media Relations Specialist or Manager

After earning the Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Tulane School of Professional Advancement, graduates can further their careers by seeking industry certification and other specializations.

Learn From Industry Experts

Our instructors bring extensive experience in working in public relations roles for both private and public sector fields. You’ll have the opportunity to study aspects of strategic communications planning, brand and image reputation management, and more. With small class sizes and collaborative learning opportunities, students can build close relationships with both professors and peers that can lead to success in the classroom and beyond.

Meet the Faculty

Admission Requirements

To apply for the BA in Public Relations program, students must have earned a high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma prior to the semester in which they would like to enroll. Students are not required to take standardized tests and SoPA has an open admissions policy for all undergraduate study. Transfer students must be in good standing with the most recent prior college attended or have completed any dismissal terms set forth by the previous academic institution.

Degree Requirements

The School of Professional Advancement awards the Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations degree following the successful completion of 120 credits, including 30 credits in the major. Upon successful completion of required prerequisite courses, students will complete an internship in the Public Relations or Media Arts field.

BA Academic Progress Requirements

Undergraduate students are required to maintain the following minimum grade-point average throughout their enrollment dependant on the total number of credit hours completed:

  • 1-30 cumulative attempted credit hours completed: 1.75 minimum cumulative GPA
  • 31-61 cumulative attempted credit hours completed: 1.85 minimum cumulative GPA
  • 62-93 cumulative attempted credit hours completed: 1.95 minimum cumulative GPA
  • 94-124 cumulative attempted credit hours completed: 2.00 minimum cumulative GPA

Students will be placed on academic probation upon failure to meet these requirements. The cumulative grade-point average of a student is calculated by dividing the number of quality points a student has earned by the total number of quality hours (including credits with failures). Only the grades of S, U, NR, W, and grades in courses affected by SoPA's Repeated Course policy are excluded from this calculation.

Eligibility for Transfer Credits

If you're interested in transferring to Tulane SoPA, our advisors can work with you to determine which courses will be accepted and help you navigate the process. We accept credits for transfer from all fully accredited institutions. In order to transfer course credit from another school, Tulane SoPA must offer a comparable course, and the student must have achieved a C- or higher. Courses transferred from other institutions are never figured into the grade point average. Your advisor can also help you in the case that your previous school operated on a quarter system instead of semesters. Tulane SoPA accepts a maximum of 60 hours of transfer credits for bachelor’s degrees.

Visit our Student Transfers page to learn more about this process.

Listing of Required Courses

In addition to the core competencies required for the Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations degree, there are seven core courses required in the major.

  • Intro to Mass Media
  • Media and the Law
  • Principles of Public Relations
  • Public Relations Writing
  • Public Relations Campaigns
  • Internet Public Relations
  • Intro to Journalism

Core Competencies
ENGL 1010 Writing 4
  Select one course: 3
  Math  
PHIL 1060 Critical Thinking  
PHIL 1210 Elementary Symbolic Logic  
BSMT 3250 Business Statistics (recommended)  
CPST 1070 Math for Information Technology  
  Foreign Language or non-Western Culture 6-8

Supporting Requirement
  Oral Communications—Select one course: 3
SPEC 1400 Intro to Public Speaking  
SPEC 3110 Small Group Communications  
THEA 2100 Fundamentals of Acting  
BSMT 2250 Business Communications  

Distribution Requirements (at least two disciplines per category)
  Humanities 12
  Sciences 12
  Social Sciences 12

Writing Requirement
  Designated writing course 3-4

 

Major Requirements

Major Core Courses
PRPA 1010 Intro to Mass Media 3
PRPA 2050 Media and the Law 3
PRPA 2610 Principles of Public Relations 3
PRPA 2650 Public Relations Writing 3
PRPA 3610 Public Relations Campaigns 3
PRPA 3650 Internet Public Relations 3
JOUR 2010 Intro to Journalism 3
  Select one course: 3
DDSN 2100 Visual Communication  
DDSN 2350 Graphic Design I  
DDSN 2810 Web Design  
  Select one course: 3
PRPA 2010 Ethical Issues in the Media  
BSMT 3380 Business Ethics  
DDSN 5010 Internship 3

Minor (optional)
  Varies according to minor chosen  

General Electives
  As needed to total 120 credits  
  Total 120

Tuition & Fees

Fall 2018 & Spring 2019 Tuition

  • All Undergraduate: $433/credit
  • Non-SoPA courses that are not cross-listed: $2,116/credit

Fall 2018 & Spring 2019 Fees

  • Undergraduate Application Fee: $40
  • Uptown & Elmwood Academic Support Fee: $60
  • MS Coast Academic Support Fee: $25
  • MS Coast Student Support Fee: $10
  • Uptown and Elmwood students are assessed a student activity fee of $12 per three-credit course or $48 maximum student activity fee for four or more courses

We strive to make our degree programs accessible to a diverse range of working professionals. Explore available financial assistance and discount programs.

To download an e-brochure on our BA in Public Relations, please enter your details below.

Loading...