The mission of the Media + Design program is to provide students with the research and problem-solving skills necessary to create strategic, innovative, cultural and socially significant communication solutions. Students will understand how communication can create change through design, public relations and digital media marketing. Upon graduation, students of SoPA’s Media + Design program will be prepared to enter a highly competitive workforce in the industries of graphic design, interactive design, public relations, digital media marketing and advertising.

The Media + Design Program’s Public Relations major will equip students with content-rich and highly competitive skills that are necessary in the public relations and strategic communication industries. In the program, students will demonstrate  mastery in the following: the fundamentals of the public relations process including research, planning, implementation and evaluation - the steps necessary for campaign development; writing for strategic communications adhering to the standards set forth by the industry; conducting primary and secondary research to aid in campaign development; understanding the legal, ethical and cross-cultural issues that pertain to public relations campaigns; and, measuring and analyzing the impact of strategic communication campaigns that include stakeholder-specific strategies and tactics (e.g. social media, earned media) through the use of various platforms and tools.

Tulane’s School of Professional Advancement awards the Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations following the successful completion of 120 credits, including 36 credits in the major.

Students pursuing this bachelor’s degree must earn a minimum of 120 credit hours in their degree and a 2.000 minimum GPA. Additionally, students must complete the School of Professional Advancement core curriculum. More information on general degree and core curriculum requirements can be found here. 

See Sample Plan of Study below.

---

Curriculum Requirements 

Course List

Course ID	Title	Credits
Block 1		9
DDSN 1000	Digital Design Foundations for Non-Majors/Minors
MDES 1120	Media Writing
MDES 2200	Principles of Public Relations
Block 2		9
MDES 2110	Media Ethics and Equity
MDES 2210	Media Research
MDES 2120	Media Law
Block 3		9
MDES 3210	Digital Public Relations
MDES 3220	Public Relations Writing
MDES 3240	Public Relations Case Studies
Block 4		9
MDES 3230	Media Relations
MDES 4150	Capstone: Media and Design
MDES 4210	Portfolio and Professional Practices
Total Credit Hours		36

Blocks

Blocks notate the prescribed order of coursework. Courses within each block may be taken at the same time.

---

 Sample Plan of Study

This sample plan of study for the Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations assumes a fall start, a four-year timeline, and reflects the full set of program requirements (subject to course availability). Students are responsible for reviewing all university, school, and program requirements-including prerequisites, transfer credit applicability, and appropriate course sequencing-in coordination with their academic and major advisors.

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1		Credit Hours
DDSN 1000	Digital Design Foundations for Non-Majors/Minors	3
MDES 1120	Media Writing	3
MDES 2200	Principles of Public Relations	3
SoPA Core and General Electives		21
	Credit Hours	30
Year 2
MDES 2110	Media Ethics and Equity	3
MDES 2120	Media Law	3
MDES 2210	Media Research	3
SoPA Core and General Electives		21
	Credit Hours	30
Year 3
MDES 3210	Digital Public Relations	3
MDES 3220	Public Relations Writing	3
MDES 3240	Public Relations Case Studies	3
SoPA Core and General Electives		21
	Credit Hours	30
Year 4
MDES 3230	Media Relations	3
MDES 4150	Capstone: Media and Design	3
MDES 4210	Portfolio and Professional Practices	3
SoPA Core and General Electives		21
	Credit Hours	30
	Total Credit Hours	120

^{Program String and Field of Study: PAUBA_UG, MDPR}

For more information, contact the School of Professional Advancement.