Bachelors of Public Relations

The Bachelor of Public Relations program at Franklin College, housed within the prestigious Pulliam School of Journalism, is a dynamic and hands-on program designed to cultivate creative, strategic, and ethical communicators. It provides students with a blend of traditional public relations education and cutting-edge training in emerging media skills. The program's core objective is to prepare students to ethically and effectively build and maintain relationships with target audiences for businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. It emphasizes "learning by doing," ensuring students gain a wealth of real-world experience before graduation, priming them to excel in this exciting, fast-paced, and evolving field.

Curriculum: The Public Relations curriculum at Franklin College is comprehensive, blending foundational practices like strategic communication planning, media relations, and crisis communications with emerging digital media and communications skills. Students learn the crucial role of writing across various platforms, including social media posts, news releases, website copy, and speeches. Coursework also includes practical training in graphic design, digital photography, and videography to equip students with multimedia storytelling capabilities. The curriculum is built from national recommendations of the Commission on Public Relations Education, ensuring its relevance and adherence to industry best practices. Students culminate their studies by preparing a professional portfolio—in both print and digital formats—to showcase their breadth of experience.

Research Focus: The Public Relations program at Franklin College incorporates a strong emphasis on research methods and evaluation, crucial for effective PR campaigns. Students are introduced to the vital role research plays in the field, including various measurement tools and methodologies for gathering and analyzing data. They review both classic and modern public relations case studies to understand the application of research in real-world scenarios. Students learn to conduct public relations research to better understand the steps involved in creating action-driven campaigns and reputation management strategies. This focus ensures graduates can ethically and strategically approach public relations challenges with data-informed insights.

Industry Engagement: Industry engagement is a cornerstone of the Public Relations program, ensuring students gain invaluable real-world experience. Every public relations major at Franklin College completes at least one professional internship, with many students completing two or more. These internships provide hands-on experience at diverse organizations, including PR agencies (e.g., Hirons, Borshoff, Dittoe Public Relations), sports teams (e.g., Indianapolis Colts, Indiana Pacers), major businesses (e.g., Kroger, consulting firms), government agencies (e.g., Office of the Mayor of Indianapolis, Indiana Department of Homeland Security), and non-profits (e.g., The Julian Center, Girls Inc.). Additionally, public relations majors frequently attend conferences, workshops, and seminars, and participate in community and national crisis drills, practicing crisis communications in real-time, further solidifying their practical skills and professional network.

Global Perspective: Franklin College strongly encourages its students, including those in Public Relations, to cultivate a global perspective through a variety of study abroad and immersive experiences. While specific Public Relations-focused programs abroad are not always exclusively detailed, students have opportunities such as studying French media in Paris or attending conferences for women in advertising in New York City, which can offer international or broad industry exposure. The college's Office of Global Education facilitates month-long Immersive Term study away courses and semester or year-long programs at partner universities. These global engagements allow Public Relations students to gain an understanding of diverse cultures, international communication practices, and the global nature of public relations, preparing them for careers in an interconnected world.

Undergraduate Entry Requirements

Application Fee: $40

Academic Qualifications: Applicants for undergraduate programs typically require a minimum academic achievement of 70% or above in their previous academic qualifications.

English Language Proficiency:

• IELTS: Overall band score of  6.0 or 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component.
• TOEFL: Overall score of 79 or higher.
• PTE: Overall score of 53 or higher.
• DET (Duolingo English Test): Minimum score of 105.

Franklin College offers a range of scholarship opportunities to support international students in pursuing their academic goals. These scholarships are designed to recognize outstanding academic achievement, leadership qualities, and extracurricular involvement, making higher education more accessible and affordable for students from around the world.

Merit-Based Scholarships: International students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships upon admission. These awards are competitive and primarily based on academic performance, standardized test scores, and personal achievements. Scholarships can significantly reduce tuition costs and may be renewable each year based on satisfactory academic progress.

Specialized Scholarships: In addition to general merit awards, Franklin College provides targeted scholarships for students excelling in specific fields such as science, arts, athletics, or community service. Some scholarships also focus on promoting diversity and inclusion by supporting students from underrepresented regions or backgrounds.

A Bachelor of Public Relations from Franklin College equips graduates with a highly versatile and in-demand skill set, including strategic communication, crisis management, media relations, writing, and multimedia content creation. These abilities are crucial for success in the dynamic field of public relations and across various industries. 

Public Relations Specialist: Managing the public image and communication of an organization, individual, or brand, including writing press releases, developing media strategies, and handling public inquiries.

Corporate Communications Specialist: Working internally within a company to manage communication with employees, investors, and other stakeholders, ensuring consistent messaging and fostering a positive internal culture.

Media Relations Coordinator: Building and maintaining relationships with journalists and media outlets to secure positive media coverage and respond to media inquiries.

Social Media Manager: Developing and executing social media strategies, creating engaging content, monitoring online conversations, and managing an organization's presence across various platforms.

Event Planner/Manager: Organizing and executing events (e.g., product launches, conferences, fundraisers) to promote an organization or cause, often involving extensive PR and communication.

Crisis Communications Specialist: Developing and implementing communication strategies to manage and mitigate negative public perception during a crisis or challenging situation.

Content Creator/Strategist: Developing compelling written and multimedia content for websites, blogs, articles, and marketing materials to support an organization's communication goals.

Non-profit Communications Director: Leading communication efforts for non-profit organizations, focusing on fundraising, advocacy, community outreach, and public awareness campaigns.

Marketing Communications Specialist: Integrating marketing and public relations strategies to promote products, services, or brands through various communication channels.

Political Campaign Staff/Press Secretary: Managing communications for political candidates or elected officials, including media outreach, speechwriting, and public appearances.