MS in Public Relations

The Boston University Master of Science in Public Relations program balances academics with practical application. You’ll gain an overview of contemporary public relations, the nature of human communication, and the role of media in society. You’ll learn how to write clearly and concisely in contemporary media formats, tailored to different audiences, while developing professional management skills. 

Instruction is personal and often individual. Professors become mentors, and mentors become lifelong friends. Over three semesters, students are both challenged and nurtured in a thoughtful, strategic environment.

As home of the world’s first university-based degree program in public relations, a graduate degree from Boston University’s College of Communication is recognized and respected across the industry, and provides access to a global alumni network shaking up the PR landscape around the world. This reputation for excellence means our alumni are highly sought for top PR jobs with agencies and in-house teams in Boston and worldwide — from brand promotion, content creation, and social media to crisis communication, media relations, community relations, reputation management, and marketing communications.

MS in Public Relations graduates regularly land positions with firms like Ketchum, Hubspot, Burson-Marsteller, and more. They’ve gone on to serve as chief public relations officers of major corporations, as CEOs of leading PR firms, and in a variety of other impressive assignments throughout the exciting world of communication.

Learn from the Best

With BU’S MS in Public Relations, students learn from an award-winning faculty with decades of experience to share.

COM professors have led communications for a Fortune 10 company, helmed PRWeek’s “Agency of the Past 20 Years,” and served as the U.S. CEO for a Top 5 PR firm. They’ve been admitted as members to the prestigious Arthur W. Page Society and have received Outstanding Educator Awards from the Public Relations Society of America. Notably, Boston University is the only university in the nation with two endowed professorships in public relations.

Hands-On Experiences

COM graduate students get ready for public relations careers by rolling up their sleeves for hands-on experiences.

In PRLab, the world’s oldest student-run public relations agency, students work collaboratively on account teams creating real campaigns for real clients including corporations, entrepreneurial start-ups, and nonprofits. Through the Edward L. Bernays Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) at Boston University, students build their professional networks and compete for national competitions.

Beyond campus, COM helps place students as interns with some of the most coveted agencies in the country, as well as many media companies and marketing organizations. Some graduate students choose to spend their third semester abroad with the Boston University London Graduate Mass Communication Summer Program, taking courses such as British Media in the Digital Age and Global Marketing Communications and, of course, interning. Others, with help from COM, found intern placements in Boston and other cities with employers as varied as Amnesty International, Bank of America, Boston Red Sox, Fidelity Investments, Ketchum and the United Nations.

Benefit from Boston

One of BU’s greatest resources is its location. Consistently ranked among the most livable cities in the world, Boston is “America’s college town,” a city rich in history while remaining on the cutting edge. Boston is a Top 10 U.S. media market, and home to some of the world’s best agencies, media companies and leading employers — offering boundless opportunities for internships and careers.

Purpose Driven

COM stands out from our peers. Our faculty offers a mix of researchers and practitioners who endorse a cross-discipline, hands-on approach to learning. Our location lies at the heart of an electric, media-savvy city.

But it may be COM’s shared values that matter most. We believe that communication requires diversity, critical thinking, and creative expression. We believe that communication must be grounded in truth, authenticity, effectiveness, and purpose. We believe that communication builds understanding among people and across society.