People’s interests in our society are interrelated, and their relations are complicated in a way that requires the formation of a public opinion, and proficiency in communication with the public, addressing them using appropriate tools and means. This perfectly applies to institutions; if the management of public relations, in an institution, was not conducted using high levels of expertise and competence, it will surely affect its relation with interior and exterior audience.
Public Relations department is responsible for presenting a positive image of any institution. In light of the changes occurring in management sciences, the requirements of administrative institutions and the need for high-quality performance, management of public relations has become one of the most important sectors since it plays a vital role in the relation between institutions and clients.
Students enrolled in this specialty shall acquire knowledge, skills and orientations necessary for working in the field of public relations. This is achieved through study and practical programs pertaining to the strategies of public relations, writing, content analysis in relations and advertising, principles of marketing, information marketing, the art of negotiation, basics of protocol and basics of press attaché. We mention below some of the most important skills to be acquired:
- Skills in building mental images for organizations.
- Planning and executing skills for the basics and rules of protocol, in addition to organizing events.
- Creative skills in communication, presentation and building relations.
- Creative skills in information marketing.
- Planning skills in setting efficient communication strategies and facing crises.
- Technical skills in the efficient use of communication means.
- Creative skills in specialized writing for public relations and advertising.
- Creative skills in media production relevant to public relations and advertising.
- Personal skills in the arts of negotiation and persuasion.
A job in public relations is not confined to media institutions, it is rather related to different institutions concerning with various fields and interests. This is due to the role played by public relations in building the image of an organization, setting strategies for communicating with surrounding environment in addition to other essential roles. Thus, working in the field of public relations is much more comprehensive than other majors and it is consistent with the nature of work in institutions since it is a job found in all kinds of institutions and social, educational, economic, political, management, media and other organizations.
You can find below examples on the nature of jobs entitled to work in if you are a student of Public Relations:
- Assistant director of public relations in an institution.
- Supervisor of conferences, seminars and celebrations.
- Manager of media and advertising campaigns.
- Supervisor of communication means and platforms in an institution.
This major shall also provide graduates with the following opportunities if backed with experience and practice:
- Public relations manager in an institution.
- Institution manager.
- Spokesperson for an institution.
- Press attaché.
The minimum period for this study is six semesters distributed over three years. The student must achieve successfully 95 credits as follows:
| Core Courses | 42 credits |
| Concentration Courses | 29 credits |
| Elective courses | 12 credits |
| University Requirements | 12 credits |
Core Courses (42 Credits):
| # | Course Code | Course Name | No. of Credits | Course Objectives |
| 1 | COMM210 | Journalistic Writing | 3 Credits | This course aims at introducing the student to the principles of journalistic writing, and the types and genres adopted by print media. This is an introduction for the student to comprehend the basics of developing journalistic reports and articles from source to publication in the newspaper. |
| 2 | COMM211 | Introduction to Mass Communication | 3 Credits | In this course, the student is introduced to the context and reality of communication in order to promote his understanding of the communication process between the sender and the receiver, distinguish the different types of verbal and nonverbal expression, analyze the elements of the communication process and identify the factors that contribute to its success. This also allows the student to specify how it is manifested among the public opinion while defining the relation between the Media and the audience. |
| 3 | COMM212 | Media Theories | 3 Credits | The objective of this course is to acquaint the student with the basic media theories in the field of communication sciences, in addition to their principles and the means of their employment in media productions. It also introduces students to the most important research works of researchers who developed these theories and recent developments in media and media tools. That is achieved by reviewing, studying and analyzing practical models. |
| 4 | COMM213 | Interpersonal communication | 3 Credits | This course aims at strengthening the student’s expression skills of a concept, an idea or a state in front of the audience, and communication at its best using voice, body language and other expression tools, overcoming all difficulties through practical exercises. |
| 5 | COMM310 | News reporting | 3 Credits | In this course, the student is trained to write news reports for written press, and prepared to achieve a reportage that meets the professional requirements adopted in the field of media. |
| 6 | COMM311 | Visual Semiotics | 2 Credits | This course aims at enabling the student to analyze an image, understand the underlying meaning and observe it from different angles in order to read the image in an advanced manner. The student shall thus be able to dive between its different dimensions and interpret its content in accordance with the different schools. |
| 7 | COMM312 | Introduction to Public Relations and Advertising | 3 Credits | In this course, the student is introduced to the scientific principles of the concept of advertising and public relations, the different means of influence and measurement of public opinion. It also aims at introducing him to the basics and tools available for employees in the field of public relations and advertising, and acquainting him with the concept of relations in modern institutions and its relationship to society and media. |
| 8 | COMM313 | Media Psychology | 3 Credits | This course aims at linking media to theories of crowd psychology. The student studies the concept of personality, the concept of vocational guidance in Media, the types of training programs in the field of Media, the group in Media and its impact on the individual, the psychology of Media communication, the effect of work pressure and psychological combustion in Media work and the art of successful Media intercommunication. |
| 9 | COMM314 | Introduction to Electronic Media | 3 Credits | This course aims at providing the student with a general view into the electronic Media, thus enabling him to formulate the principles and skills of working in the field of digital media in relevance to its two dimensions, current and future. The student studies the principles of work, content writing in electronic media, how this science develops, in addition to its relation to other types of media. |
| 10 | COMM315 | Media, Ethics and Responsibility | 3 Credits | This course aims at introducing the student to the duties of a journalist, his ethical responsibilities in dealing with any information and how it is transferred to the public opinion, in addition to the basics and rules of publishing which define what is legitimate in journalism. |
| 11 | COMM316 | Internship | 4 Credits | In this course, the student is provided with the field expertise, technical skills and personal traits necessary for commencing work in this field of specialty. That is achieved through spending specific time in institutions of deep-rooted experiences. |
| 12 | COMM317 | Media systems and communication policies | 3 Credits | This course aims at enabling the student to define the relationship between the different media systems and the actual practices of media in these systems, added to providing him with the ability to distinguish between them, to harmonize the media system with the political system and deduct their pros and cons. The student shall be able to monitor and evaluate the role of media in current conflicts and crises. |
| 13 | COMM411 | Research methods in media studies | 3 Credits | This course aims at broadening the student’s intellectual and research horizon by representing the necessary knowledge, skills and orientations of a logical and sound scientific thinking, using scientific means, tools and techniques, leading to scientific conclusions and employing all that is mentioned above in journalism work needed by the student. |
| 14 | COMM412 | Management of media organizations | 3 Credits | This course aims at enabling the student to handle the contents of media as a product subjected to the rules of the media market. The student studies the relation between the media product and the administrative processes and functions, i.e. planning, organization, directing, censorship and motivation. Thus, he acquires administrative skills in handling the media content to enable him to manage media work successfully. |
Concentration Courses (29 Credits):
| # | Course Code | Course Name | No. of Credits | Course Objectives |
| 1 | COPR310 | Media Studio | 3 Credits | This course aims at tackling issues related to Public Relations by communicating with specialists and experienced persons in this field, inviting them to the university or meeting them outside the campus, during which the student applies the techniques he learned in Public Relations major. |
| 2 | COPR311 | Public Relation Strategies | 2 Credits | This course aims at enabling the student to prepare public relations and advertising strategies for institutions after analyzing both interior and exterior environments. Prior to this, the student is introduced to real models of strategies adopted in the field of public relations and advertising in prominent institutions. |
| 3 | COPR410 | Advertising and Public Relations Content Analysis | 3 Credits | This course aims at instilling in students the techniques of analyzing advertising messages and public relations means through theoretical and curricular approaches. This is achieved by studying prominent schools in the field of specialty and implement these studies on the different types of production in public relations and advertising. |
| 4 | COPR411
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Writing for Advertising and Public Relations | 4 Credits | In this course. The student is introduced to the methods of persuasion through texts he writes, after studying current models of writing for advertisements and public relations campaigns, discussing and criticizing them. The student shall also conduct researches on the methods of writing these texts. The course will also enable the student to use various types of specialized media writing for public relations and advertising. |
| 5 | COPR412 | Training in Public Relation Strategies | 3 Credits | The objective of this course is to instill in students the skill of setting new models for public relations campaigns and advertising and to learn about different campaigns, discuss them, deduct adopted strategies and plans and work on enhancing or replacing them. This course contributes to the improvement of the knowledge and skills acquired by the student in the course of “Strategies of Public Relations and Advertising”. |
| 6 | COPR413 | Principles of Marketing | 3 Credits | This course aims at introducing the student to the methods and mechanisms of advertising for thoughts and reports by using the most recent theories of marketing sciences and the ability to employ them in public relations campaigns and advertising. |
| 7 | COPR414 | The Art of Negotiation | 3 Credits | This course aims at enhancing the student’s knowledge and skills in the subject of negotiation by introducing him to its principles, strategies and tactics. The course also works on studying different models and training the student to conduct successful negotiations to the best interest of his field of specialty. |
| 8 | COPR415 | Protocol Rules and Principles | 3 Credits | This course aims at introducing the student to the rules and principles of protocol and training him for that purpose. He is also trained to deal with different situations with utmost diplomacy and accuracy in evaluation and take direct decisions needed to avoid problems during official and social events. |
| 9 | COPR416 | Information Marketing | 2 Credits | This course aims at enabling the student to learn the scientific rules and basics for making information accessible and to promote them using different methods. The student shall also learn how to invest archival services by studying the techniques of accessing electronic databases, enabling him to evaluate the scientific value of available information, and use the digital gate and search engines efficiently. |
| COPR417 | Press Attaché | 2 Credits | This course aims at teaching the student methods of preparing, writing, publishing and sending data, organizing press conferences, developing circulars and writing journalistic reports. | |
| 10 | COPR490 | Final Project | 1 Credit | This course aims at enhancing students’ skills by conducting a project that houses all the elements they studied in the courses. The student shall plan for the project and carry it out executing all the steps, and finally present and discuss it in front of a committee of specialists in the Major of Public Relations. |
Elective Courses (12 Credits):
| # | Course Code | Course Name | No. of Credits | Objectives |
| 1 | COMM201 | Montage | 3 Credits | This course aims at enabling students to use editing software for producing videos. Students shall employ skills learned in this course to perform required projects in other courses. |
| 2 | COMM200 | Photography | 3 Credits | This course enhances students’ skills in photography and videography after being introduced to photography theoretically. Students acquire the skills of photography, processing and editing videos, focusing on photographs for newspapers and television, and filming and editing news videos. |
| 3 | GR201 | Current Events | 3 Credits | This course aims at explaining the correlation and interaction between the role of media and current issues, tackling different fields from a scientific approach, through studying some media related scientific researches, and familiarize with global, Arabic and local examples, and hosting specialists and experts in the field to learn their points of view and discuss them. |
| 4 | COMM206 | Video Production | 3 Credits | This course aims at enhancing students’ skills in video production in accordance with scientific and technical standards by teaching them how to build scenes, mastering all steps of the filming process, and apply all what they have learned in the editing course to reach results that are compatible with scientific standards consistent with the labor market. |
General University Requirement Courses (12 Credits):
| # | Course Code | Course Name | Number of Credits | Objectives |
| 1 | ENGL201 | English Communication Skills I | 3 Credits | This course aims at enhancing students’ knowledge and skills in English language in relevance to understanding, listening and reading, in addition to comprehending terminology specified to levels exceeding average. Students learn grammar through extensive exercises. The course also aims at reinforcing students’ skills in communication, oral presentations and writing five types of articles.
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| 2 | ENGL202 | English Communication Skills II | 3 Credits | In this course, students’ skills in communication are enhanced through exercising debates, discussions and oral presentations in English. The course aims at strengthening students’ abilities in reading, and introduces them to a wide spectrum of advanced terminology related to media, advancing their aural apprehension and their thoughts using English language. It also reinforces students’ abilities in writing articles and reports. |
| 3 | ARAB201 | Arabic Communication Skills | 3 Credits | This course aims at improving students’ knowledge and skills related to communication in Arabic language in the following fields: Grammar (parts of speech), principles of writing (rules of writing), writing activities (conditions of writing, letter writing, event speeches, report writing) and using Arabic dictionaries (definition of a dictionary, types of dictionaries, how to detect a word in dictionaries and texts). |
| 4 | ARAB202 | Arabic Communication Skills II | 3 Credits | This course aims at enhancing students’ skills in Arabic communication relevant to media work in writings, critiques and analyzing contents of texts and scenes. This is achieved through studying phonetics, eloquence of Arabic language, semantics, literary appreciation skills and arts of writing. |
- Obtaining official Lebanese BACC II degree or any equivalent document.
- Conducting a placement test in Arabic Language and one of two foreign languages (English or French).
- Passing the academic orientation stage that determines the suitability of a student’s abilities and qualifications in accordance with the field of study.
