Degree Requirements
Carthage offers a major and minor in public relations. To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Carthage, students must complete the Carthage Core, Distribution Requirements, and the public relations major requirements listed below.
Major Requirements — 44 credits
Fundamental Courses (12 credits)
- CDM 1150 Human Communication (4 credits)
- CDM 1200 Public Speaking (4 credits)
- CDM 1300 Visual Communication (4 credits)
Core Courses (24 credits)
- CDM 2200 Principles of Public Relations (4 credits)
- CDM 3350 Public Relations Writing (4 credits)
- CDM 3420 Communications Management (4 credits)
- CDM 3565 Public Relations Skills Assessment (0 credits) *
- CDM 3810 Public Relations Campaigns (4 credits)
- CDM 3820 Crisis Communications (4 credits)
- CDM 4030 Public Relations Senior Seminar (4 credits)
Choose One (4 credits)
- CDM 1925 Basic Adobe Creative Cloud (4 credits)
- CDM 2300 Interpersonal Communication (4 credits)
- CDM 3000 Rhetoric and Persuasion (4 credits)
- CDM 3400 Social Media (4 credits)
- CDM 3570 Public Relations Internship (4-8 credits)
- CDM 3700 Organizational Communication (4 credits)
Choose One (4 credits)
- BUS 1110 Introduction to Business (4 credits)
- PYC 1500 Introduction to Psychological Science (4 credits)
- SOC 1000 Introduction to Sociology (4 credits)
- PHL 1200 The Art of Thinking (4 credits)
Skill Assessment
The assessment specific to your major must be taken in the spring of a student’s third/ junior year. It will be pass/fail, and the student will have to repeat the assessment with a pass to be cleared to register for an Internship and/or Senior Seminar. Students double majoring in CDM must pass the skills assessment in each major.
Minor Requirements — 20 credits
Required Courses (8 credits)
- CDM 2200 Principles of Public Relations (4 credits)
- CDM 3350 Public Relations Writing (4 credits)
Choose Three (12 credits)
- CDM 3420 Communications Management (4 credits)
- CDM 3570 Public Relations Internship (4-8 credits)
- CDM 3810 Public Relations Campaigns (4 credits)
- CDM 3820 Crisis Communication (4 credits)
In order to double major in the Communication and Digital Media Department, you must satisfy the following requirements:
- Both Senior Seminar courses must be fulfilled; similar thesis topics may be used.
- Department fundamentals cannot count in both majors, only one. Twelve additional credits from the major must be taken to fulfill credit number requirements for the second CDM major, chosen in consultation with CDM Department advisor.
- Overlap of courses between double majors in CDM must be at or below 50 percent.
In order to major and minor in the Communication and Digital Media Department (communication, graphic design, and public relations), an overlap course between any major and minor in CDM must be at or below 50 percent.
Current students: You should follow the official College Catalog from the year you entered Carthage and work with your advisors and the department chair to ensure all requirements are met.