
PUBLIC RELATION
Sub-disciplines
If you are a people person and love to interact and help solve problems then Public Relations is the right course for you. Public Relations as a discipline is hard to define. In simple terms, Public Relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organisations and the public. Public relations are often pursued to generate and bring to light a business thus promote it. A typical PR campaign might focus on getting a business covered on television or radio shows or featured in newspapers, websites, magazines, or blogs.
Public Relations as a discipline focus on training its aspirants to:
Write and distribute accurate press releases.
Learn how to write acceptable speeches.
Create and execute special events designed for public outreach and media relations.
Conduct market research on the firm or the firm's growth.
Expand business contacts through personal networking.
Write and blog for the web for internal or external sites.
Learn how to adopt crisis public relations strategies.
Learn to make use of social media promotions and tackle responses to negative opinions online.
Various colleges and universities around the world offer Public Relations programs either independently or in combination with some other disciplines like media, communication, or marketing. Public Relations students acquire versatile knowledge and develop useful communication, negotiation, writing, and public speaking skills.

Study Levels
The different study levels that are offered in this sub-discipline are:
BA International Management
BA in Communication and Public Relations
BA in Public Relations
BA in Marketing and Public Relations
BA in English for Public Relations
Bachelor of Commerce in Public Relations
BA in Public Relations and International Event Management
BA in Advertising and Public Relations
Bachelor in Media Relations
Bachelor of Communication in Public Relations and Advertising
Bachelor in Business Law and Public Relations
MA International Relations
MA Social Media and Public Engagement
MBA Communication and Public Relations
MA Public Relations
MA Public Relations and Multimedia Communications
MSc Strategic Communication and Public Relations
MSc Public Relations
Ph.D. in Media and Public Affairs
Ph.D. in Public Relations
Specialisations
Public Relations requires an array of skills put together to get the job done. Therefore, further specifications for this discipline have been made available.
The various specialisations that can be pursued are:
Consumer Affairs
Government Relations
Investor Relations

Employee Relations
Community Relations
International Relations
Press Relations
Human Resource Management
Communication

Employability
Public Relations require a lot of interaction with different people. The main skill set requirements for a career in Public Relations include excellent communication skills, good IT skills, presentation skills, ability to prioritise and plan effectively, awareness of different media agendas, problem-solving ability, and creativity. The work that PR professionals do is very diverse; they build brand awareness and also build the reputation, trust, and credibility for the clients or firms that they manage. They must be able to build strong connections with multiple stakeholders which include journalists and the media, government agencies, and other prominent industry bodies while also leveraging these connections to shine their spotlight on their clients for all the right reasons.
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- The various career choices in the PR industry include:
Public Relations Officer
Human Resource Officer
Publicist
Communications Coordinator
Communications Director
Communications Editor
Communications Representative
Communications Specialist
Corporate Communications Specialist
Director of Communications
Director of Strategic Communication
External Communications Manager
Internal Communications Specialist
Marketing Communications Director
Marketing Communications Manager
Media and Communications Manager
Publicist
Campaign Manager
Event Organizer
Press Secretary
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- The top companies that offer recruitment for graduates in Public Relations are:
Edelman
Weber Shandwick
BCW
FleishmanHillard
Ketchum
MSL
Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Ogilvy
BlueFocus
Brunswick