UGA Specific Information for Public Relations

This program prepares students to be creative problem-solvers, writers, managers, policy and communication decision-makers, media planners, and analysts in the fields of mass communication, advertising, and public relations. 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 2021 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 BehanceIssuu, 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 IndeedMonster, 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 a career of interest)
  • Firsthand (Explore a library of guides, articles, and other resources to help you explore careers, plan your job search, and learn about different work environments. Create a free account with your UGA email.)
  • Candid Career (Watch recorded informational interviews of professionals in specific careers. Filter videos by career title, college major, industry, and more.)
  • UGA Mentor Program (Connect with alumni and friends of UGA for an informational interview or 16-week mentorship. This can help you search for majors and careers, and it can help you expand your professional network.)

Employment Websites


Professional Associations/Resources

Employers/Position Title Reported by Class of 2021 Public Relations majors

The information below represents employers and position titles from the Class of 2021 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)
20North Marketing Inc. SEO Analyst
ADP Associate District Manager
ALDI USA District Manager
ALDI USA District Manager
Angie Hranowsky Studio Design Assistant
APCO Worldwide Amplify Intern
Appen Media Digital Editor
Arizona State University Graduate Athletics Assistant
Arketi Group Account Coordinator
Bospar Assistant Account Executive
Caren West PR Publicity Assistant
Caren West PR Public Relations Coordinator
Certainty Home Loans Mortgage Home Loan Assistant
Certainty Home Loans Mortgage Home Loan Assistant
Certainty Home Loans Mortgage Home Loan Assistant
Chick-fil-A Propel Program Leader
Choice Media & Communications Associate Publicist
Choice Media & Communications Business Development Coordinator
Clinch Memorial Hospital Director of Operational Development
Cook and Tolley LLC Currier
Cookerly PR Public Relations Intern
Cox Communications Project Management Specialist
CoxReps Client Sales Planner
Czarnowski Account Coordinator
Deloitte SHINE Marketing Associate
Deloitte Analyst
Delta Airlines Associate Project Coordinator
Discovery Inc. Sales Assistant
Docebo Enterprise Learning Consultant
Entree Health Submission Coordinator
Folio Literary Management Literary Assistant
FOVNDRY Account Coordinator
GCI Health Assistant Account Executive
Georgia Crown Distributing Co. Assistant Marketing Coordinator
Glass & Robson, LLC Legal Assistant
Green Olive Media LLC Social Media Coordinator
Guardian Sports Social Media Marketing Intern
Gucci People's Assistant
ICF Next Public Relations Intern
Jackson Spalding Public Relations Professional
Jackson Spalding Public Relations Intern
Jackson Spalding Public Relations Specialist
Kay Social Content Coordinator
Kitty and Vibe Assistant Marketing Manager
LUCKIE Project Coordinator
LUCKIE Content Strategy Coordinator
Macmillan Sales Assistant
Magrino Public Relation Associate Account Coordinator
Meltwater Sales Consultant
Mod Op Account Coordinator
Motive Account Coordinator
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough Project Assistant
New Flag USA Marketing and Sales Intern
Newell Brands Assistant Manager
Office of Governor Brian P Kemp Deputy Scheduler
Oracle Business Development Consultant
Organic Krush Marketing Coordinator
PARKLU by Launchmetrics Campaign Service Intern
PepsiCo Sales Management Associate
Phase 3 Marketing and Communications Public Relations Coordinator
PLUS Communications Public Affairs
PLUS Communications Intern
Precision Strategies Digital Associate
Pūrvelo Cycle Studio Manager
Radancy Account Coordinator
Real Chemistry Integrated Media Associate
Red Ventures Copywriter
Rogers & Cowan Trainee, Entertainment
Salesloft Partner Program Coordinator
See.Spark.Go Account Coordinator
Sheridan Public Relations, LLC Staff Associate
Simplify Compliance Marketing Coordinator (Media)
Sloane & Co. Public Relations Associate
SO2 Digital Digital Advertising and Graphic Design Specialist
Soliant Account Executive
Speakeasy Digital Marketing Manager
Springbot Campaign Services Specialist
Stanton Communication Account Coordinator
Stingray Cheer Co. Office Manager
Sunshine Sachs Public Relations Assistant
Target Executive Team Leader
TEAM Enterprises Market Manager
The Blumes Project Manager
The Estee Launder Companies Education and Special Events Consultant
The Wilbert Group Public Relations Fellow
Trevelino/Keller Assistant Account Executive
Tupperware Brands Global Communications Specialist
University of Georgia Marketing Assistant
Van der Lande & Associates - Keller Williams First Atlanta Marketing Coordinator
Weber Shandwick PR Intern
Weber Shandwick Junior Associate
Weddings in Athens Blogging Intern
WeWork Inbound Sales Representative
WinShape Activities Intern
Yelp Account Executive
Zenith Associate Planner
* 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 2021 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 Class of 2021 Public Relations majors

The information below represents graduate/professional schools and programs reported through the Class of 2020 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.

Graduate School Program(s)
Catholic University of America Law, JD
Florida State University Higher Education, MS
Savannah College of Art and Design Luxury and Fashion Management, MA
Texas Christian University Higher Education, M.Ed.
University of Georgia Emerging Media, MA
University of Georgia Integrated Communications (ADPR 4,1), MA
University of Georgia Journalism and Mass Communications, Master's
University of Georgia Public Administration, MPA
University of Georgia Integrated Advertising and Public Relations, Master's
University of Georgia Integrated Advertising and Public Relations, MA
University of Georgia Integrated Communications (ADPR 4,1), MA
University of Miami Law, JD
University of Tennessee Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, MS
* denotes no responses received.