The Master of Science in Public Relations is designed to provide students with the essential theoretical and practical tools they need to develop their careers in public relations and public communication. Students graduating with the MSPR leave with an enhanced understanding of the processes of facilitating and negotiating communication between individuals, groups and organizations. The program is designed to be valuable to students with a variety of public relations experiences; we welcome students who bring diverse perspectives on the practice of public communication. All of the courses in this program are offered in the evening or online for flexible completion of the program.

Careers: What can you do with a degree in Public Relations?

Health Promotion Media analysis/Planning Non Profit Public Relations Advertising/Marketing Community Relations Corporate Communication Lobbying

News/Informational Writing Human Resource Management Corporate Public Affairs Public Opinion Research Fundraising Editing Sales

Admission Criteria/Application Procedures

The number of students admitted to the program each year is usually limited. Applicants will be evaluated according to the weighting system listed below. If the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of openings, the applicants with the highest ratings will be given first consideration for admission to the program. Applicants who do not meet the admission requirements may be considered for probationary admission.

1. A bachelor’s degree in communication or related discipline with significant coursework in
   communication.
2. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
3. One of the following tests: LSAT, MAT, or GRE. Other tests may be accepted with prior approval of the department.
4. Three letters of reference, with at least one from an academic source
5. A completed Graduate Studies Admission form
6. A letter of application stating the applicant’s purpose for pursuing a graduate degree in public relations

Online? Yes Evening Classes? Yes Program Length If you take a full load of 9 credits per semester, you could finish this program in about 3 semesters

Program Structure

Emphasis One: Public Relations
Theory & Practice

courses	credit	courses	credit
COMT 502 Research Methods	3	COMT 525 Media Criticism	3
COMT 514 Issues in Organizational Communication	3	COMT 530 Public Influence	3
COMT 522 Public Relations	3	COMT 531 Political Communication	3
COMT 526 Cases in Public Relations	3	COMT 581 Media for Social Change	3
COMT 527 Public Relations Ethics	3	COMT 570 Applied Communication Studies	3
COMT 529 Law and Public Communication	3	COMT 598 Culminating Project	3
COMT 565 Communication Theory	3	Electives	3-6
COMT 516 Leadership and Communication	3	COMT 599 Thesis	6
sCOMT 521 Communicating Online	3	Total minimum credits required for Emphasis One	30
Disclaimer

Emphasis Two: Health Communication

courses	credit	courses	credit
COMT 502 Research Methods		HADM 635 Health Law & Ethics	3
COMT 514 Issues in Organizational Communication		HADM 640 Managerial Epidemiology	3
COMT 522 Issues in Public Relations		HADM 685 Research & Evaluation Methods	3
COMT 527 Public Relations Ethics		HADM 687 Healthcare Marketing and Strategy	3
HHP 560 Sport Marketing*		COMT 570 Applied Communication Studies	3
COMT 565 Communication Theory		COMT 598 Culminating Project	3
COMT 581 Media for a Social Change		Electives	3-6
HADM 605 Evidence Based Management		COMT 599 Thesis	6
HADM 607 Health Information Management		Total minimum credits required for Emphasis Two	30
Disclaimer

Emphasis Three: Public Communication

courses	credit	courses	credit
COMT 502 Research Methods	3	COMT 531 Political Communication	3
COMT 514 Issues in Organizational Communication	3	COMT 581 Media for Social Change	3
COMT 522 Public Relations	3	POLS 523 Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties	3
COMT 527 Public Relations Ethics	3	POLS 558 Public Organization Dynamics	3
COMT 529 The Law of Public Communication	3	POLS 559 Program Evaluation & Policy Analysis	3
COMT 530 Public Influence	3	COMT 570 Applied Communication Studies	3
COMT 565 Communication Theory	3	COMT 598 Culminating Project	3
COMT 521 Communicating Online	3	Electives	3-6
COMT 525 Media Criticism	3	COMT 599 Thesis	6
		Total minimum credits required for Emphasis Three	30
Disclaimer

Emphasis Four: Mass Communication

courses	credit	courses	credit
COMT 502 Research Methods	3	COMT 521 Communicating Online	3
COMT 514 Issues in Organizational Communication	3	COMT 529 The Law of Public Communication	3
COMT 522 Issues in Public Relations	3	COMT 530 Public Influencey	3
COMT 526 Cases in Public Relations	3	COMT 531 Political Communication	3
COMT 527 Public Relations Ethics	3	COMT 581 Media for Social Change	3
COMT 565 Communication Theory	3	COMT 570 Applied Communication Studies	3
COMT 525 Media Criticism	3	COMT 598 Culminating Project	3
COMT 540 Popular Culture and Cultural Studies*	3	Electives	3-6
COMT 561 Multicultural Mass Communication	3	COMT 599 Thesis	6
COMT 520 Media Advertising	3	Total minimum credits required for Emphasis Four	30
Disclaimer

Graduate Faculty (Master of Science Public Relations)

Balter-Reitz, Susan: (406) 657-1727 / sbalter-reitz@msubillings.edu/ View Faculty Web Site
Coffman, Steve: (406) 657-1726 / stephen.coffman@msubillings.edu / View Faculty Web Site
Gross, Dan: (406) 657-1745 / dgross@msubillings.edu / View Faculty Web Site
Keller, Sarah: (406) 896-5824 / skeller@msubillings.edu / View Faculty Web Site
Weiss, David: (406) 657-2962 / dweiss@msubillings.edu / View Faculty Web Site

Contact Us

Please contact the office of Graduate Studies for information about this program, admission requirements, application forms, graduate assistantships and other scholarship information. Contact us as well for information about any of our graduate degree programs.

Our office is located in McMullen Hall, First Floor.
The office is open from 8:00 to 5:00 (Mountain time) Monday through Friday. Office: 406-657-2238 Fax: 406-657-2302