What Can I Do With a Major In Public Relations?
UGA Specific Information for Public Relations
This program is designed to train students as analysts, creative thinkers, writers, planners and policy makers in public relations. The field of public relations can best be understood as a way of communicating the value, services, product or mission of an organization to the public as well as getting feedback from the public. In fact, public relations are a comprehensive communication effort and seven broad areas have been defined. These include: special events planning, media relations, public speaking, fundraising, programming, research, and writing/editing. Career opportunities in public relations include entry-level positions in marketing communications, corporate relations, public opinion research, nonprofit and education fundraising, political campaigning and trade association lobbying.
Class of 2019 Career Outcomes for Public Relations*
** Includes Self-Employed
Campus Resources
- Ad Club
- American Marketing Association
- The Association for Women in Sports Media at the University of Georgia
- International Association of Business Communicators - UGA Chapter
- National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) – UGA Chapter
- Online News Association / Society of Professional Journalists at UGA
- Pandora Yearbook
- Paw Print Agency
- The Professional Entertainment & Sports Association (PESA)
- The Industry (Entertainment and media student organization)
- Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)
- Rouge Magazine
- Talking Dog Agency
- The Red and Black
- Women in Sports and Events (WISE) – UGA Chapter
- To find additional clubs and organizations, go to the UGA Involvement Network
- UGA Mentor Program
- Connect with your Career Consultant
Additional UGA Career Center Recommendations/Considerations
Knowledge/Skills Needed in this Industry
- Strengthen verbal communication skills by taking speech communication courses and engaging in public speaking opportunities.
- Enhance writing skills through additional coursework or by writing for a publication such as The Red & Black.
- Obtain part-time, summer job, internship, or volunteer experience within an area of interest. Public Relations is a competitive field and related experience is essential to break into the industry.
- Learn to work well with teams.
- Get a summer job or internship with a public relations firm, newspaper, TV, or radio station.
- Develop strong computer skills and learn applications related to web page design.
- Gain persuasion skills through sales and learn how to sell your ideas.
- Gain experience with social media marketing using platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Become proficient in social media analytics by using platforms like HootSuite.
- More students are becoming proficient in online advertising services such as Google AdWords.
- Develop the ability to work under the pressure of deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Students interested in the accounts and management side of PR should consider taking at least one course in marketing, business management, accounting, and/or finance. Try to become proficient in Excel before you graduate.
- Consider enrolling in New Media Certificate courses to gain understanding and proficiency in digital media such as the Internet, websites, computer multimedia, and social media.
- Create a portfolio of writing samples, ad campaigns, marketing strategies, graphics, and ideas. Making an online portfolio is a good way to market your skills for job opportunities by using websites such as Behance, Issuu, Weebly, Wix, and WordPress. For more information and platforms, check out Portfolio Resources on the Career Center website.
Campus Involvement, Domestic Field Study and Study Abroad Opportunities
- Join the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and/or International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
- Participate in Creative Consultants, a student-run PR firm or Talking Dog Advertising, a student-run full-service advertising agency.
- Join the American Marketing Association at UGA to gain knowledge in marketing strategies and research. You will also gain practical experience in applying social and digital marketing techniques with local and national businesses.
- Students interested in pursuing careers in the creative industry are encouraged to enroll in Summer at the Circus, a partnership between Grady College and The Creative Circus in Atlanta. Creative Circus is one of the top portfolio schools in the country, offering programs in Art Direction, Copywriting, Design, Image, Interactive Design, and several other areas
- Participate in the UGA Global Advertising and PR Program in China, and learn about brand communication in Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong.
- Consider participating in the UGA Cannes Lions Study Abroad Program, which allows students to attend the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and witness thousands of ads from around the world being showcased and judged. This opportunity also allows students to network with producers, directors, and actors who have starred in motion pictures.
LinkedIn Groups to Join
- Advertising and PR at UGA Grady College
- Internships and Interns
- PRSSA Public Relations Society of America (PRSA National)
- University of Georgia Alumni Association Group (UGA)
- University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication Alumni
- Tip: Join LinkedIn groups that are related to your career interest. Need help finding groups? Check out the Groups You May Like link under the Interests/Groups tab. Review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined and consider joining them as well.
- For more information on how to effectively utilize LinkedIn, check out the UGA Career Center's Networking Page.
Additional Internship/Job Search Tips
- For additional information on internships and job opportunities, look out for emails sent every Tuesday on the Grady Career Services Update listserv. If you are not on that listserv, sign up for the Grady job leads listserv here.
- Follow @UGAGradyCareers on Twitter for timely job postings and career advice, run by the Grady College Office of Experiential Learning and the UGA Career Center Grady College Career Consultant.
- If you’re interested in working or interning for a specific company, visit that company’s website. Job and internship opportunities are usually listed under the “Careers” tab.
- For a complete list of advertising agencies and PR firms, check out this list compiled by Grady.
- For information about job salary, company reviews, and job openings, visit Glassdoor and Payscale.com.
- For a general job search, visit websites such as Indeed, Monster, and Simply Hired.
Supplemental Career Research Dashboard
Additional Career Research Resources
- O*NET (Click on Find Occupations)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook (Type in general term for career of interest)
- Career Insider: Vault Guides (Login with your UGA ID, and select "Carrer Insider - Powered by the Vault")
- Candid Career (View professionals speaking about their careers. Login with your UGA ID, and select "Candid Career")
Employment Websites
- Handshake (Log in with your UGA MyID and password)
- Interstride (International Job Search resource for domestic and international students)
- Idealist (Non-profit jobs)
- USAJobs (Federal jobs)
- Council of Public Relations Firms
- CreativePool
- Digital Media Jobs Network
- Entertainment Careers
- Journalism Jobs
- Marketing Hire
- Media Bistro
- National Association of Black Journalists
- National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) - UGA Chapter
- Nation Job
- O’Dwyer’s PR Services Report
- PR NewsWire
- PRSA/Georgia Chapter
- PRSA JobCenter
- PRSA Silicon Valley
- PR Week Magazine
- Public Relations Society of America (PRSA National)
- Society of Professional Journalists
- Talent Zoo
- T. Howard Foundation – Diversity in the Media
- WarnerMedia (Formerly Turner Broadcasting)
Professional Associations/Resources
The information below represents employers and position titles from the Class of 2019 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.
Employer | Position Title(s) |
---|---|
360i | Associate Account Manager | 360PRplus | Account Coordinator | Agency Spotter | Marketing Intern | APCO | Client Services Intern | Babbit Bodner | Account Coordinator | BBDO Atlanta | Account Coordinator | Beto for America | Field Organizer | Burn Boot Camp | Social Media Coordinator | Carter's, Inc. | Brand Marketing Coordinator, Marketing Coordinator | CBRE | Client Services Coordinator | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) | Social Media Assistant | Chick-fil-A | Leadership Development Program - Event Marketing | Cintas | Management Trainee | Citigroup Inc. | Analyst | Classic City Church | Women's Ministry | Clutch.co | Editorial Associate | Collabera | Associate Account Manager | College Factory | Public Relations Coordinator | CollegeTown Properties | Leasing and Marketing Manager | Cox Communications | Project Management Specialist | Cox Media Group | Account Executive | Craneware | Marketing Intern | DXC Technology | Communications and Content Production Intern | Echo Education | English Teacher | Edelman | Corporate Affairs Intern, Financial Communications Intern, Intern | Elevate Experiences | Creative Design Intern | Enjoy Technology | Creative Team | Farmington Country Club | Pool Side Grill Intern | First Presbyterian Church of Houston | Connections Coordinator | Fisher Homes | Sales Counselor | Flywheel Sports | Studio Coordinator | Garbo LifeStyle Management | Public Relations Specialist | Georgia Department of Economic Development | Communications Specialist | Goldman Sachs | Compliance Analyst | Golin | Account Assistant Intern | Green Olive Media | PR Intern | Greystar | Resident Services Manager | Havas Sports & Entertainment | Marketing Intern | HCA Healthcare | Medical Office Specialist | IBM | Solutions Sales Specialist | Indigo Payments | Director of Client Relations | Jackson Spalding | Account Manager | Kiawah Island Golf Resort | Recreation Program Supervisor | Kimley-Horn | Marketing Analyst | Lake Oconee Tool and Equipment | Office Manager | Landmark Communications, Inc. | Communications Manager | Levick | Public Relations Fellow | Lockheed Martin | Communication Leadership Development Program Associate | McKenneys | Marketing Intern | Modern Luxury | Marketing and Events Associate | N3 | Business Development Representative | NBCUniversal | Not Specified | Nebo Agency | Junior Project Manager | New Acquisitions | Brand Ambassador | Newell Brands | Assistant Manager of Sales Planning | Nexus Marketing Agency | Marketing Specialist | Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp | Government Affairs Intern | Oracle | Not Specified | Osborn Barr Paramore | Associate Content Creator | Paychex | Outside Sales Representative | Phase 3 Marketing and Communications | Public Relations Coordinator | Pineapple Public Relations | Account Coordinator | Porter Novelli | Account Coordinator, Intern | Pritchard & Jerden | Marketing and Communications Coordinator | Publicis Health | Corporate Marketing & Growth Intern | Rigor | Sales Development Representative | RKD Group | Digital Media Coordinator, Paid Search | Ruder Finn | Executive Trainee | Sagepath Inc. | Engagement Consultant | SAP | Communications Intern | Scout Social | Marketing Coordinator | See.Spark.Go | Copywriter, Project Coordinator | Sherwin-Williams | Management Trainee | SkyWest Airlines | Flight Attendant | Sloane & Company | Associate | Stratus Property Group | Marketing Director | Style Doctors Limited | Marketing Associate, Executive Assistant | Surya | E-Commerce Sales Associate | TaxSlayer | Content Specialist | Teach For America | Recruitment Associate, Teach For America Corps Member | The Classic Center | Operations Coordinator | The Georgia Club | Private Events Assistant | The Public Defender's Office | Intern | The Tennessee Aquarium | Event Planner | The Wilbert Group | Account Coordinator | Thompson Tractor Company | Marketing Assistant | TMP Worldwide | Account Executive | Twilio Inc. | Business Development Representative | U.S. House of Representatives | Staff Assistant | United Distributors | Sales Associate | University of Georgia | Brand Design Volunteer - Insect Zoo, Marketing Professional, PR and Marketing Assistant - EITS, PR Specialist | UPS | Public Relations Intern | Vanguard | Account Transition Specialist | Vascular Surgical Associates | Medical Assistant | Verifone | Partner Analyst | vidREACH | Business Development Representative | VizSense | Influencer Marketing Coordinator | Walker Sands | PR Intern | Walt Disney World | VIP Tour Guide | Weber Shandwick | Junior Associate | You Are Here - An Experience Agency | Client Coordinator |
GRADUATE/PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS ATTENDED BY UGA Public Relations - Bachelor's Degree MAJORS FOR THE CLASS OF 2019**
Graduate School | Program(s) |
---|---|
Augusta University | Nursing (Clinical Nurse Leader), MSN-CNL | Georgia State University | Law, JD | Samford University | Law, JD | University of Georgia | Advertising and Public Relations (4,1 Program), MA; Early Childhood Education, MEd; Emerging Media, MA; Journalism and Mass Communication, MA; Law, JD | University of South Carolina | Speech-Language Pathology, MSP | University of West Georgia | Professional Counseling (School Counseling), MEd |