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. 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW EMPLOYERS/POSITION TITLES and GRADUATE SCHOOLS/PROGRAMS REPORTED FOR THIS MAJOR

Class of 2019 Career Outcomes for Public Relations*

** Includes Self-Employed

Campus Resources

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

Employment Websites

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
* denotes no responses received.
*Source: Areas above marked with an Asterisk (*) have been created utilizing data taken from the UGA Career Outcomes Survey. The "Employers Hiring...," "Job Titles of...," "Career Outcomes for...," and "Graduate/Professional Schools and Programs..." information listed above represent UGA Class of 2019 Graduates. The lists are not exhaustive and therefore do not represent all potential career options. Click here for more detailed Career Outcomes information regarding this major.

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
* denotes no responses received.

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