What is PR and Marketing Communication?

The emerging field of public relations and marketing communication-sometimes called integrated marketing-is the result of an exciting change that has taken hold in the way businesses think about PR and marketing. In the past, the fields of public relations and marketing were important, but independent, areas within the organization. Taken separately, public relations refers to the use of publicity and promotion-including media coverage, special events and publications-to help shape a group's opinions of an organization, its message, its product or image. Marketing involves the use of analysis and planning-including pricing, product design and distribution strategies-to get an organization's product or message to a target group.

In today's business world organizations have realized they can work more successfully and effectively by combining the two areas to form one comprehensive, powerful communication tool. To do this, they recruit knowledgeable employees who are skilled in both fields.

Careers in PR and Marketing Communication
Professionals in public relations and marketing communication concentrate on managing the public image of an organization, person or product. They integrate an organization's marketing communications and promotional activities to create a consistent and unified image to the marketplace.

In doing this, they may get involved with advertising campaigns, strategic planning, market research such as focus groups and benchmarking, special events, competitor analysis and media relations. PR and marketing communication professionals decide which of these elements will help accomplish their goals and combine them into a cohesive, integrated strategy.

Increasingly, professionals in this field are found in company board rooms, advising top management on long-range strategic planning and the organization's policy and vision.
Individuals who are successful in this field will have a background in both communication and business.

PR and Marketing Communication Major
To prepare students to be successful in today's professional communication field, St. Ambrose has created the public relations and marketing communication major. This is an interdisciplinary major, which means students take courses from both the communication department and the business administration department, giving them a comprehensive, well-rounded background. The major is based in the communication department, which also houses majors in journalism, mass communication, and radio and TV production.

The major requires 45 hours of course work, which includes 12 required courses:

• Principles of Public Relations

• Principles of Marketing

• Advertising

• Mass Communication and Society

• Public Relations Techniques

• Introduction to Desktop Communication

• Business and Professional Speaking

• Media Writing
• Advanced Media Writing
• Media Theory and Ethics
• PR Cases and Research

• Communication Campaigns

For their electives, students can choose courses in visual and graphic production, writing, human communication, and communication in business, depending on their area of interest.

Internships
Real-world experience is a vital part of preparing students to jump into a career immediately after they graduate. Through internships, students acquire hands-on, marketable experience, and they learn from professionals and network with colleagues in their field while still in school. Students have the option of earning up to five hours of credit while completing an internship. In the past, students have interned with Quad City Mallards hockey team, Genesis Medical Center, The District of Rock Island, Quad-City Times, Quad City River Bandits baseball team, and several advertising and public relations agencies.
 

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