This is an archived copy of the 2018-2020 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.utexas.edu/.

Bachelor of Science in Public Relations

To be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Science in Public Relations, the candidate must complete 120 semester hours of coursework and must fulfill the University's General Requirements for graduation and the Core Curriculum requirements, the college graduation requirements, the requirements and policies listed in Academic Policies and Procedures, and the requirements given in Prescribed Work, Major Requirements, and Special Requirements of the Major, below.

Core Curriculum

All students must complete the University’s Core Curriculum. In some cases, a course required for the Bachelor of Science in Public Relations may also be counted toward the core curriculum.

Prescribed Work

  1. Rhetoric and Writing 309K, or 309S, or 310 in addition to the courses required by the Core Curriculum.
  2. Three courses with a writing flag; one course with a quantitative reasoning flag; one course with a global cultures flag; one course with a cultural diversity in the United States flag; one course with an ethics flag; and one course with an independent inquiry flag. The same course cannot be used to satisfy the global cultures and cultural diversity flags even if the course carries both flags. Courses that fulfill flag requirements are identified in the Course Schedule. They may also be used to fulfill other degree requirements.
  3. Three semester hours of coursework in the Moody College of Communication dealing with the study of communication issues concerning at least one minority or non-dominant group within the United States. Courses that fulfill this requirement may also be used to fulfill other degree requirements. A complete list is available on the college’s Student Advising website before registration for each semester and summer session.
  4. Students must satisfy a foreign language and culture requirement in one of the following ways: (a) Demonstrating intermediate proficiency in a single foreign language; (b) Taking two consecutive courses in one language and one approved culture course in a culture that is relevant to the language. A list of approved culture and language courses and combinations will be posted on the Student Advising website before registration for each semester and summer session. An extensive foreign language testing program is available at the University. Students with knowledge of a language are encouraged to take appropriate tests both to earn as much credit as possible and to be placed at the proper level for further study. Students should consult with an academic adviser for information on testing.
  5. At least six semester hours of coursework must be taken in the Moody College of Communication but outside the Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations. Journalism 317 cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.
  6. Twelve hours of coursework in business, including Marketing 320F (337 for students pursuing an additional major in business). At least six of the 12 hours must be upper-division. 
  7. Journalism 317.
  8. At least 36, but no more than 42 semester hours of advertising and public relations, as described in Major Requirements, below
  9. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours

Major Requirements

At least 36 but no more than 42 semester hours of coursework, of which at least 24 hours must be upper-division. The following courses are required:  Advertising 318J, 344K, 345J; Public Relations 309, 348, 350, 352, 353, 367, 377K, and six additional hours in public relations or advertising.

Special Requirements of the Major

The student must complete Advertising 318J and Public Relations 309, 367 and 377K in residence.

To enroll in upper-division courses in the Stan Richards School, a student must have completed Advertising 318J with a grade of at least B. Students may enroll in Advertising 318J no more than twice.

Students who wish to count more than four hours of internship credit toward their degree must obtain approval from the Stan Richards School in advance if these additional hours will cause the student to exceed the maximum of 42 hours that a student may take in the Stan Richards School.

Any internship hours beyond four may not be counted toward the 36 required hours in the Stan Richards School. 

A student may not earn both the Bachelor of Science in Advertising and the Bachelor of Science in Public Relations.

The Consent Procedure

Some courses in the Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations require that consent of the instructor must be received prior to registering. To be able to register for such a course, a student must first ask for and receive the instructor’s consent. The student may be invited to an interview with the instructor or may be asked to provide supporting materials, such as an application or an essay. The student is responsible for knowing the deadline to apply. Consent forms are available from the student’s adviser and in the Stan Richards School of Advertising & Public Relations.

Some students may wish to apply to one of two competitive elective sequences; these are the creative or media sequences. These sequences require consent to enroll.

Order and Choice of Work

First Year

  1. The student must take three courses from the following group each semester:
    1. Rhetoric and Writing 306
    2. Courses to be counted toward the American history, American and Texas government, social and behavioral sciences, mathematics, visual and performing arts, and science and technology requirements of the core curriculum.
    3. Courses in a foreign language.
    4. Courses that meet flag requirements.
  2.  Additional coursework to raise the student's course load to 15 or 16 hours each semester. Courses should be chosen with the guidance of a college adviser.

Second Year

  1. The student must take three courses from the following group each semester; four are recommended:
    1. Rhetoric and Writing 306; English 316L, 316M, 316N, or 316P; and Rhetoric and Writing 309K, 309S, or 310.
    2. Courses to be counted toward the American history, American and Texas government, social and behavioral sciences, mathematics, visual and performing arts, and science and technology requirements of the core curriculum.
    3. Courses in the foreign language, unless the language requirement has been fulfilled.
    4. Courses that meet flag requirements.

  2. Advertising 318J and Journalism 317
  3. Public Relations 309
  4. Enough additional coursework, if needed, to raise the student's course load to 15 or 16 hours each semester. Basic courses in writing are especially recommended.

Third Year

  1. Any remaining courses in the core curriculum and the prescribed work.
  2. Public Relations 348, Advertising 344K, 345J, Marketing 320F, and additional coursework to fulfill the major requirements.
  3. Upper-division electives chosen to support the major. Public relations majors normally emphasize writing courses, such as those in English, journalism, and liberal arts; public speaking courses, such as those in communication studies; psychology; marketing; and/or management.

Fourth Year

  1. The remaining courses listed as major requirements.
  2. Upper-division electives chosen to support the major, including advertising and public relations electives.