Curriculum

Public relations and advertising are the cornerstone of modern communication. Previously considered very separate disciplines, these functions have increased synergies as organizations rely on them to connect to their audiences through paid, earned, shared and owned media. Students gain a range of skills from creative to strategic to analytic and land jobs in organizations of all types, including non-profits, entertainment brands, sports teams, social action groups, PR and ad agencies, and Fortune 500 companies. Upon graduation our students leave prepared for occupations in content creation; media and influencer relations; digital/​social media marketing; ​applied research and data analysis; media buying and creative development; advertising and PR account management; and more.

Total Units: 44

Required Courses, Lower Division

  • PR 209 Effective Writing for Strategic Public Relations and Advertising (4 units)
  • PR 250 Strategic Public Relations and Advertising: An Introduction (4 units)

Required Courses, Upper Division

  • PR 351a Multichannel Strategy and Content Creation (4 units)
  • PR 351b Multichannel Strategy and Content Creation (4 units)
  • PR 427 Structured Inquiry in Public Relations and Advertising (4 units)
  • PR 429 Business and Economic Foundations of Public Relations and Advertising (4 units)
  • PR 450 Building Integrated Campaigns (4 units)

Plus 16 upper-division PR and/or JOUR elective units chosen in consultation with an adviser.


This page is based on the current 2024-2025 USC Catalogue. The 2025-2026 USC Catalogue will be published in summer 2025.