Master of Arts in Public Relations

The Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Retailing (APRR) will be offering its programs at MSU Dubai.   The first program to be offered will be the Master of Science in Retailing, and also a certificate program in Retailing.  It is planned that other components of the Departments programs in Public Relations and Advertising will be phased in, with some starting as early as the 2009 academic year.

The MSU Advertising, Public Relations, and Retailing program is the only graduate program in America that brings these three principal promotional disciplines together in the interests of advancing commerce and commercial communication.  In the coming years, working professionals in the UAE will have the same opportunity for integrated study.  The Retailing program is known primarily for its international emphasis, and for its capacity to develop retail leaders. Classes in Dubai will begin in Retailing in the Fall, 2008.

The Department of APRR is part of the globally respected and highly ranked College of Communication Arts and Sciences.   With more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students, 100 faculty members and 37,000 alumni, the MSU College of Communication Arts ranks “number one in the U.S.” in educating researchers in communication technology.  The College is in the National Communication Association’s “top four” in the categories of international and intercultural communications, mass communication, and interpersonal communications.

The Public Relations (PR) Master's program emphasizes public relations as an applied social science that is integrated with advertising, sales promotion, and direct marketing. 

Students gain a rich understanding of relationships extending across multiple constituencies and environments. As an emerging leader, the student will deepen their understanding of strategic planning for:

	Communication management
	Business promotions
	Commercial, government, and non-profit outreach

Graduate students in PR are often employed as:

	Corporate communications directors
	Public relations consultants
	Account executives in public relations firms and ad agencies

MSU students who graduate with a Master's degree in Public Relations have many career options, such as becoming:

	Entrepreneurs
	Authors
	Leaders of professional organizations
	Researchers
	Successful corporate, nonprofit, and civic relationship builders

Academically inclined graduates are also well received by prestigious doctoral programs.

Sample Courses

Students taking a master’s degree in public relations will take a variety of courses designed to position themselves for leadership in corporate communications-type positions.  Courses offered during the master’s degree program include:

	Media relations
	Public relations planning
	Advertising and public relations research
	Marketing management
	Public opinion research
	Public relations cases through strategy

Examples of courses include:

Media relations - a lecture and discussion course evolving around the theory and practice of how public relations professional work with the news media to communicate with external publics

Public Relations planning - students discover processes for planning, executing and evaluating public relations programs, and examine theories, techniques and applications for media relations, government relations and fundraising.

In Dubai, the Master's curricula provides graduate students with the opportunity to combine subjects from all three existing MSU master's programs creating the opportunity for students to experience the best of all the worlds of commerce and commercial communication.

 College of Communication Arts and Sciences in Dubai

The Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Retailing is offering 3 evening master’s programs in Dubai Knowledge Village with program content and scheduling aimed at “working professionals” in the communications and retail sectors. The programs include a:

• Master of Arts in Advertising
• Master of Arts in Public Relations, and
• Master of Science in Retailing

One way the MSU in Dubai Department is making the Master’s in Advertising, in Public Relations, and Retailing especially convenient for “working professionals” is through the Lifelong Education Option. MSU Lifelong Education status allows individuals to attend the University who have not been formally admitted to a University master’s degree program.  Through Lifelong Education programming, up to 9 credit hours may be transferable to the degree program upon admission. 
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The Department of Advertising, Public Relations, and Retailing in Dubai

The MSU Advertising, Public Relations, and Retailing program is the only graduate program in America that brings these three principal promotional disciplines together in the interests of advancing commerce and commercial communication.

	The Advertising program is among the largest and most respected of such programs in the world
	The Retailing program is known primarily for its international emphasis, and for its capacity to develop retail leaders
	The Public Relations master's program builds on a multi-disciplinary undergraduate specialist program

All three master’s programs have prepared their graduates for expanded duties in great careers, and for PhD degrees in many of the world’s finest public and private universities.
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College of Communication Arts and Sciences in East Lansing, Michigan

The Michigan State University College of Communication Arts and Sciences is one of the largest and most respected communication colleges in the United States. 

With more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students, 100 faculty members and 37,000 alumni, the MSU College of Communication Arts ranks “number one in the U.S.” in educating researchers in communication technology.

It is in the National Communication Association’s “top four” in the categories of international and intercultural communications, mass communication, and interpersonal communications.

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