The public relations collateral major is intended for students who wish to develop an interdisciplinary degree preparing them for a career in public relations and related communications fields. The public relations curriculum encourages the development of skills and perspectives for learning the management of successful communication between an organization and the public. The program includes contributions from disciplines such as business administration, professional writing, graphic arts, psychology, and/or a foreign language.
Public relations majors at Coe receive a broad background to prepare them for success as professional practitioners or graduate students. Classes in public relations, marketing, advertising, business, communication studies, and art are required for majors, providing a multi-disciplinary approach. In addition, the Cedar Rapids area offers abundant opportunities for internships in public relations, giving students real-world experience.
At Coe, public relations majors are required to obtain a second major in another academic area. This is advantageous to those students who study public relations, as they can combine the major with other academic pursuits, such as business administration, art, communication studies, Spanish, philosophy, or virtually any other major on campus. When they graduate, Coe public relations majors all possess double majors, giving them superior credentials and preparation for future success.