MS in Public Relations

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What is Public Relations?

Public relations is the practice of building relationships between organizations and the people who matter most to them—from customers, investors, and policymakers to journalists, employees, and communities. Today’s PR professionals don’t just respond to the news. They shape strategy, manage reputation, communicate during moments of change, and help organizations earn long-term public trust.

Whether you’re entering straight from an undergraduate program or pivoting into public relations from a different industry, you’ll find a collaborative launchpad here to meet the universal demand for strategic, credible communication. That’s exactly why our graduates work everywhere, leading teams inside global PR agencies, Fortune 500 companies, massive healthcare systems, tech startups, professional sports organizations, and international nonprofits.

Why choose BU’s MS in Public Relations

Where MS in public relations graduates go

Public relations is seeing a projected 7% growth surge over the next decade — outpacing the national average for most industries. As organizations face increasingly volatile media environments, polarizing social conversations, and new platforms, the demand for credible, strategic communicators has never been higher.

Leadership groups realize that corporate survival depends on communication integrity. Every sector—from Silicon Valley startups and Wall Street finance giants to healthcare networks, sports franchises, and public policy groups—needs experts who can build trust and steady the ship through constant change. That’s exactly why a BU PR degree carries universal currency.

Example alumni roles

• Executive Leadership: Chief Communications Officer (CCO), Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Agency Founder
• Strategic Management: Public Relations Manager, Crisis and Reputation Management Advisor, Corporate Communications Manager, Public Affairs Officer
• Digital & Media Tracks: Media Relations Strategist, Digital Content Strategist, Social Media Director, Influencer Relations Specialist

Example employers by industry

• Global Communication Agencies: Edelman, Ogilvy, Burson, Weber Shandwick, FleishmanHillard, BCW Global, Ruder Finn, Baldwin Boyle Group, Hencove Marketing
• Entertainment, Sports & Consumer Brands: Reality Labs at Meta, MPRM Communications, Elevate 1850, Hasbro, Sotheby’s, Naked Group, Signet Jewelers, KIND
• Corporate, Tech & Finance Leaders: Citi, Wells Fargo, Dropbox, OneSignal, Union Pacific
• Biotech & Healthcare Leaders: Biogen
• Government, Public Affairs & Nonprofits: Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, Amnesty International, the United Nations

BU COM’s reputation as one of the nation’s best for PR and lengthy list of notable alumni are what initially caught my eye. PRLab was one of the top reasons I ultimately chose BU. I also chose BU for the networking opportunities it offered and ultimately delivered — attending the Page Society Spring Summit and joining the PR Club of New England Board.

Clay Patrick, Alumnus and Public Relations Manager at Walker Sands

What You’ll Learn in the MS in Public Relations

The BU PR curriculum balances analytical metrics with creative, high-stakes communication mastery. With seven foundational core courses and five customizable electives, you’ll develop the strategic writing, crisis leadership, and audience analysis tools needed to protect reputations and lead cross-functional teams with confidence.

Core competencies you’ll master:

• Reputation Architecture: Build, execute, and scale proactive communication strategies that insulate and strengthen institutional trust.
• Multi-Platform Content Control: Write with precision and strategic intent across traditional media networks, internal employee channels, and digital spaces.
• Crisis & Change Mitigation: Learn to steady an organization through operational pivots, leadership transitions, and high-visibility public crises.
• Data-Driven Measurement: Utilize analytics platforms to accurately track, evaluate, and prove the financial and social impact of communication campaigns.
• Agile Media Relations: Build high-value, mutually beneficial partnerships with journalists, newsrooms, digital editors, and content creators.

Tailor Your Degree: Five Elective Tracks

Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, you can curate your five electives to build expertise in your target field, including:

• Crisis Control: Crisis Communication & Reputation Management
• Corporate & Policy: Corporate Communication, Public Affairs, & Political Opinions
• Modern Branding: Marketing Communication, Brand Strategy, & Influencer Relations
• Digital Innovation: Social Media Strategy & Multi-Channel Campaigns
• Global Advocacy: International Public Relations, Public Policy, & Health Campaigns

You’ll graduate knowing not just how to push a message into the world, but how to act as a trusted advisor who helps executive teams build lasting relationships and make better organizational decisions.

Real experience before you graduate

PRLab: Operating right on campus, PRLab functions like a fast-paced global agency. Beyond client execution, the agency provides career coaching, portfolio reviews, and intensive interview preparation to ensure you’re market-ready from day one.

In-house and agency internships: Our students secure competitive internships during their time in the program. You’ll build your professional network inside dynamic environments such as:

• Global Agencies: Edelman, Burson, Weber Shandwick, FleishmanHillard, Ketchum
• In-House Brands & Orgs: Boston Red Sox, Bank of America, Fidelity Investments, Biogen, Amnesty International, the United Nations
• Many agency partners—including Ketchum—regularly hire BU COM students as interns and full-time employees.

London Graduate Summer Program: Spend your third semester immersed in a premier global media capital. Through BU’s London Graduate Mass Communication Summer Program, you can take advanced courses while completing a professional internship inside London’s top PR firms, creative startups, or international advocacy groups.

PRSSA: Build your professional network through the Edward L. Bernays Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), which offers professional development programs, networking events, regional conferences, and national competitions. BU students have won the Page Society Case Study Competition three times since 2019.

Meet the Public Relations Faculty

Faculty combine decades of agency, corporate, nonprofit, and academic experience—bringing current industry challenges and executive communication expertise into every course. BU is the only university in the nation with two endowed professorships in PR. Faculty credentials include:

• Editor in chief, Journal of Public Relations Research
• Distinguished Communicator of Color Award winner, Diversity Action Alliance
• PR News Top Educator award winner
• Two-time PR News Top Women in PR award winner
• Members of the Arthur W. Page Society
• Outstanding Educator Award recipients, Public Relations Society of America
• Executives from Fortune 200 companies

Mentoring, teaching, and engaging students is a passion that I never even knew I had until I started doing it. In short, the lesson I learned is that no matter how old you are or how long you’ve been working in a particular job or industry, you might just be lucky enough to find something even more special that you didn’t even know existed.

Laura Hannon, Associate Professor of the Practice, Public Relations

Study in Boston: A Connected Media Ecosystem

Boston is an ideal laboratory for studying public relations. As a major national hub for healthcare, biotechnology, venture capital, nonprofits, universities, and professional sports, the city is home to a vast ecosystem of communication agencies and corporate headquarters. At BU, your classroom door opens into professional opportunities with regional powerhouses and international brands.

Program details at a glance

• Degree: Master of Science (MS)
• Credits: 48
• Courses: 12
• Length: 3 semesters
• Format: On campus; full-time or part-time
• GRE: Not required
• Scholarships: Merit scholarships available — no separate application required
• Double Terrier: Scholarship available for current BU undergraduate students and alumni

Frequently asked questions about the MS in Public Relations at BU

What’s the difference between public relations and marketing?

Marketing focuses primarily on product promotion, sales funnels, and customer acquisition. Public relations focuses on the overarching relationship layer—building institutional trust, protecting corporate reputation, and earning credibility among journalists, investors, policymakers, and communities. PR provides the broader strategic foundation that makes marketing campaigns successful.

Do PR professionals still need media relations skills in the age of social media?

Absolutely. Media relations is still a vital pillar of PR, but it has expanded. Today’s professionals don’t just pitch traditional journalists; they manage multi-channel strategies involving creators, digital platforms, internal employees, and direct-to-consumer newsrooms to ensure an organization communicates consistently everywhere.

Why does it matter that BU launched the world’s first university-run PR degree?

It means you are inheriting an active global alumni network that has led and defined the public relations industry for nearly 80 years. While our curriculum features cutting-edge strategies in AI tool integration, digital listening, and real-time social analytics, our foundational focus on combining academic rigor with deep, hands-on client agency execution remains unchanged.

Can I study part-time?

Yes. The MS in Public Relations is available full-time (three semesters) or part-time to accommodate professional schedules. Contact COM Graduate Affairs for details on the part-time track.

Do I need a background in PR or communication to apply?

No. Our cohorts include students from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds, including humanities, business, international relations, and sciences. We teach you strategic communication from the ground up—what matters most is excellent writing potential, analytical curiosity, and a passion for storytelling.

Is there an opportunity to study or intern abroad?

Yes. The BU London Graduate Mass Communication Summer Program allows MS in PR students to spend a semester in London taking courses and completing internships at PR and advertising agencies, startups, and nonprofits.

See all MS in PR frequently asked questions →

Also worth exploring

Learn more about our other graduate programs in communication and media, including:

• MS in Advertising: For students focused on brand strategy, creative campaigns, and consumer insight — with hands-on experience through AdLab.
• MS in Media Science: For students who want to understand how media messages influence audiences — with concentrations in health, politics, and marketing communication.
• MS in Journalism: For students who want to work on the editorial side — reporting, multimedia storytelling, and investigative journalism.
• MS in Strategic Integrated Communication (online): A fully online master’s for working professionals who want to lead at the intersection of branding, integrated marketing, crisis communication, and digital strategy.
• Graduate Certificate in Civic Science Communication (Online): A four-course online certificate for professionals who need to communicate scientific topics clearly to public audiences.