Public relations

Male student smiling in class

Undergraduate degrees: BA or BS

Major in public relations at Oregon

Public relations is all about connecting people to information, organizations, and other people. In the University of Oregon’s nationally certified program, students learn how to convey the right message to the right audience at the right time while forging relationships built on ethics, trust, and transparency.

Our students plan, create, and strategize in real-world settings. They build their portfolio as they develop innovative campaigns for real clients in our student-run public relations firm, or expand their network in the Public Relations Student Society of America. Students can travel the country to rub elbows with public relations professionals, tour Silicon Valley agencies, and peek behind the scenes of high-profile communication teams.

Curriculum overview

  • Students build a portfolio as they develop campaigns for local clients in classes and our student-run public relations firm.
  • A high-quality portfolio and sharpened interviewing skills are key to landing a job after graduation. Students perfect both of these before presenting to some of the biggest names in the Oregon public relations scene during formal portfolio reviews.
  • The UO has the only public relations program in Oregon that’s earned the Public Relations Student Society of America’s (PRSSA) rigorous certification in education for academic programs in public relations. Student members of our national star PRSSA chapter grow their connections, work on professional campaigns for real clients, and participate in the national Bateman Case Study Competition.

Careers in public relations

An education in public relations can take graduates anywhere—they will have the skills to give voice to a social cause, strategize for a global brand, or convey life-saving information in a crisis.

Every organization needs an ambassador who can connect them with the right audiences. With a public relations degree, graduates can be that ambassador in a field they are passionate about, such as sports, technology, government, entertainment, higher education, technology, or nonprofit.

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