For the third consecutive year, the public relations program in the College of Communications and Information Sciences is a finalist for Public Relations Education Program of the Year by PRWeek magazine.
“It feels fantastic [to be a finalist three years in a row],” said Joseph Phelps, chair of the department of advertising and public relations. “It’s a wonderful testament to the faculty and the students that we have here. Obviously, with three years in a row, this program is really cemented into people’s perceptions as a top program and it should be. It is one of the best programs in the country.”
Bruce Berger, professor and former chair of the department, arranged the materials sent in the University’s application. Eight different sections had to be completed with 200 words or less for the first part of the application, which the University submitted samples of selected information for the second part.
“We include a PR campaign plan or two that students produced, information about awards for students and faculty, links or other information about Platform Magazine — really examples of some of our best student and faculty work in the department,” Berger said in an e-mail.
Last year, the University’s public relations program came in second behind NYU’s master’s program. Rounding out the top five with Alabama this year are Brigham Young, Georgetown, Syracuse and NYU. Phelps credits the faculty and the students for creating a successful program and garnering national recognition.
“The main reason is because of the work that the faculty and the students do and really how successful they’ve been,” Phelps said. “It’s more than just the efforts in individual classes; it’s everything from curriculum, to the involvement of professionals, to faculty productivity, to all of the other things that the students have been able to accomplish.
“The depth of the curriculum sets it apart, the involvement of faculty and the hands on approach that takes place. We have a lot of students, which helps because then when you talk about the best of those students, you’re talking about the best students anywhere. The combination and interaction of faculty that are very knowledgeable and faculty that care with students that care and want to do good work — I think that makes a huge difference in the rankings.”
Will Hodges, a graduate student in public relations, said the professors and the students make this program unlike any other.
“The faculty is passionate about the material and all have professional experience to bring to the table,” Hodges said. “That kind of insight cannot be replaced or simulated. The program also seeks out a diverse mix of students. The wide variety of backgrounds, interests and personalities in the classroom create an environment that leaves you no choice but to become and remain motivated about not only the course material, but also the profession.”
Morgan Hooper, another graduate student in the program, said the University’s PR program deserves all of the recognition that it gets.
“I believe UA’s PR program deserves the best recognition possible,” Hooper stated. “The teachers are unmatched and prepare students for every aspect of the PR field. A real difference in UA’s PR program is that they strive to partner with clients for student projects which gives the students an unmatched experience and better prepares them for a career.”
Last year, UA public relations students won 26 awards at the Public Relations Council of Alabama — more than any other school in the state. Students also organized a regional activity composed of professionals and students to learn more about the field and were heavily involved in The Big Read: Alabama Reads. PR involvement and programs of the sort occur often, many times throughout the year, Phelps said.
The University’s program is the highest ranked for both undergraduate and graduate programs. As stated by Phelps, many of the competing institutions have roots at the University with esteemed faculty members garnering degrees from the University. The announcement of the top program will be March 10 during a gala dinner in New York City. Phelps will be in attendance representing the University.
“Well, we want to win, of course,” Berger said. “We want a national championship. Honestly, being recognized as one of the top programs in the country for several years now, we are very proud of that. It keeps us motivated to do even more.”
