Public Relations, Social Media, and Journalism - BS, BA

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Utah State University

Program Overview

The Public Relations, Social Media and Journalism BA/BS is designed for students who want to build careers in modern media, strategic communication, digital content, journalism and public relations through a combination of practical skills and communication theory. Students develop expertise in information gathering, professional writing, video production, online journalism and media literacy, while choosing an emphasis that allows them to shape the degree around their preferred communication career.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1 – Foundations of Media and Communication

Students begin by understanding how media organisations operate and how communication influences society through Introduction to Mass Communication, which examines journalism, television, radio, advertising, public relations and the impact of new technologies. Alongside communication and general education coursework, students begin developing the writing, information-evaluation and media-literacy skills that support later professional study.

Year 2 – Research, Public Relations and Professional Writing

The second year moves into more applied communication through Communication Research Methods (QI), where students learn to work with quantitative information in journalism and public relations, and Introduction to Public Relations, which introduces communication with organisations and their audiences. Students can further strengthen professional writing through Writing for Public Relations (CI), learning to produce materials such as news releases, features, speeches, newsletters and other organisational communications.

Year 3 – Advanced Media and Strategic Communication

Students deepen their professional skills through subjects such as Writing for Electronic Media, developing reporting, interviewing and writing skills for digital and broadcast environments, while Mass Media and Society explores how media interacts with political, cultural, economic and social institutions. Mass Media Law adds an important professional dimension by examining areas including freedom of expression, defamation, copyright, trademarks and access to information.

Year 4 – Specialisation, Analytics and Career Preparation

The final year allows students to consolidate their chosen emphasis through advanced electives and career-focused work, with subjects such as Social Media Strategy, Analytics & Artificial Intelligence teaching students how to measure campaign performance, interpret social-media data, use AI-supported analytics and make data-driven strategic recommendations. Students also complete a Senior Career Capstone and can gain additional professional experience through internship, thesis or advanced project opportunities depending on their selected emphasis.

Focus Areas

Learning Outcomes

Develop versatile professional media and communication skills; produce effective content for journalism, public relations and social media; apply research and analytical methods to communication problems; understand the legal, ethical, historical and theoretical foundations of mass media; communicate effectively with different audiences; respond to challenges within global media environments; and build the professional capabilities required for employment or further graduate study.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

Utah State University is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). USU does not list a separate discipline-specific accreditation for this particular BA/BS in its current accreditation information; however, students can build professional connections through organisations such as the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), as well as practical experience through student media and internships.

Reputation (Employability & Rankings)

USU reports that its journalism and communication students routinely earn state, regional and national recognition across journalism, multimedia, new technologies and public relations, demonstrating the practical strength of its hands-on approach. In 2024, USU Journalism and Communication students, faculty and alumni, together with Utah Public Radio professionals, received 32 awards at the Utah Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists awards, while USU specifically reports a 100% placement rate for its media and broadcast pathway, with graduates working at news organisations around the United States.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Public Relations, Social Media and Journalism BA/BS at Utah State University is strongly hands-on, giving students opportunities to practise reporting, public relations, social media strategy, broadcasting and multimedia production in real or professionally simulated environments. Students can create television and radio broadcasts, produce stories for student publications, analyse social-media campaigns and complete supervised workplace experience. Facilities such as Aggie TV’s multimedia computer newsroom, digital non-linear video editing lab and full television studio give students direct access to professional-style production environments, while USU students also have access to Adobe Creative Cloud and digital media tools.

Practical learning opportunities include:

Aggie TV News: Students can gain experience in anchoring, reporting, filming, video editing and producing a weekly student-created television programme. Students involved with Aggie TV have access to a multimedia computer newsroom, digital non-linear editing lab and full TV studio, while courses such as Newscast I and Newscast II develop newsroom, directing, producing and control-room skills.
Utah Public Radio: USU's NPR-member station allows students to create broadcasts and gain experience working within a professional radio broadcasting environment. USU also supports student internship opportunities at UPR.
The Utah Statesman: Students can contribute to USU's award-winning student publication, producing journalism covering the university, campus community and Cache Valley and building published work for their professional portfolio.
Aggie Radio: This student-run radio station provides experience producing and broadcasting music, sports coverage, radio plays and other programmes to audiences online and across Cache Valley.
Communication Internships: The department operates an internship programme specifically designed to provide practical workplace experience while allowing students to earn academic credit. JCOM internship coursework involves supervised training in professional communication workplaces, including news and business environments.
Social Media Analytics & AI: In JCOM 5400 – Social Media Strategy, Analytics & Artificial Intelligence, students measure campaign performance, interpret social-media data, build dashboards, optimise content for discovery and use AI-supported analysis to produce data-driven strategic recommendations.
Multimedia Production: JCOM 2030 – Multimedia Bootcamp develops practical skills in audio recording, radio storytelling, photography, photo editing, video recording and video editing, with outstanding work potentially published through local radio, television or websites.
Public Relations Projects: Students can develop professional communication materials through courses such as Writing for Public Relations, producing news releases, speeches, annual reports, newsletters and brochures. Advanced PR coursework can also provide hands-on experience in areas such as client communication, campaign planning, positioning, publicity and campaign execution.
Professional Networks: Students can participate in the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), gaining opportunities to develop professional networks and produce student journalism and broadcasts.
Digital Tools: USU students have access to Adobe Creative Cloud, while university digital-media facilities also support tools such as Adobe Audition for audio production.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates are prepared for careers across journalism, strategic communication, digital media and public relations because the program combines professional writing, multimedia production, social-media strategy and practical industry experience. Typical career directions include Public Relations Specialist, Social Media/Digital Content Specialist, Journalist/News Writer and Broadcast Producer/Reporter, with additional possibilities in marketing, crisis communication, fundraising, media production and event communication.

USU supports this transition from university to professional employment through:

Career Design Center: Students can access career counselling, internship and job opportunities, application guidance and interview preparation. USU's career resources also encourage students to use AGGIE Handshake, meet career coaches, develop professional portfolios and LinkedIn profiles, attend employer events and practise interviews.
Employment Outcomes: USU reports a 100% placement rate for its media and broadcast pathway, with many students securing positions before graduation and graduates working for organisations such as KGO-TV, Utah Public Radio and KSL News Radio. This figure applies specifically to the media/broadcast pathway and should not be presented as a 100% placement rate for every emphasis within the broader degree.
Industry Exposure: USU has documented student internship experience with organisations including KUTV, Deseret News and Deseret Digital Media, while Utah Public Radio provides an on-campus professional broadcast environment and funded student internship opportunities.
Graduate Destinations: USU's published graduate data has recorded journalism graduates moving into roles such as in-depth journalist, account coordinator, photojournalist, SEO content writer, associate producer, public information specialist, news producer and studio technician with employers including Deseret News, FOX 13 KSTU, KSL News Radio, KUTV and communications organisations.
Professional Recognition: Participation in organisations such as PRSSA and SPJ allows students to extend their professional networks beyond the classroom and engage with wider public relations and journalism communities.
Accreditation Value: Utah State University has been continuously institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) since 1924. NWCCU is recognised by the U.S. Secretary of Education and CHEA; however, USU does not currently list a separate discipline-specific accreditation for this particular BA/BS program.
Salary Information: USU's official program and career pages do not publish a current program-specific average graduate salary, so it would not be accurate to attach a salary figure to this degree based solely on official university information.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the BA/BS, students can move into graduate study in communication, media, public relations, journalism or related fields. At Utah State University itself, relevant options include the MA/MS in Communication Studies, which develops advanced qualitative, quantitative and rhetorical research skills and can prepare graduates for professional careers or PhD study, as well as the Master of Technical Communication, which covers areas such as social media, crisis communication, user experience, usability and professional writing. Students interested in academic or research careers could subsequently progress into relevant doctoral study in communication, media or related disciplines.