Welcome to season two of Off the Rock, On the Record! We’re really proud of the content we’ve compiled for this season, and we can’t wait for you to hear what’s ahead.

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If you’ve worked in PR for a while, you’ve likely encountered coworkers with degrees in strategic communication, advertising, marketing, or even journalism. While each college and university seems to have a different name for their program, enrollees are seeking positions in the same field – public relations.

Beyond the name, it’s apparent that schools have different views on what courses make up a “public relations” degree. Some students are required to take design, while others focus on journalism, and still others on marketing and business. This means that recent graduates enter the PR field with very different skill sets and understandings of our profession.

I spoke with Carlee Smith, a recent graduate of Arkansas State University, and Ashley McDuffie, a current student at Mississippi State University, about public relations education and their specific programs.

If you’re curious to explore this topic further, we’ve compiled a few articles and blog posts to help.

• Getting started in PR
• The transition from college to corporate
• Benefits of a degree in PR