Important News about the BPR Program
Amy Thurlow // November 15, 2011
Hello PR students,
Some exciting changes are underway in the Bachelor of Public Relations program as we continue to ensure that our curriculum is current, relevant and of the very highest standard. Students coming into the program next year will enter a program with less required courses and more electives than in our current program. With the exception of one new writing course in this new program – the Public Relations course requirements in the program remain the same.
Why the change?
The new program will provide students with a greater breadth of choice in which to explore the context in which Public Relations is practiced. Over the past two years, the Department of Communication Studies has gathered feedback on the BPR program from our student and graduate surveys, from our co-op employers and alumnae, from members of the public relations profession, and through discussion with faculty. The feedback we gathered in this process informed our revisions and the new program.
Is it still a Bachelor of Public Relations degree?
Yes, both the current program requirements and the revised program requirements allow you to graduate with a Bachelor of Public Relations Degree.
What about me?
Depending where you are in your program, you may choose to stay on the path you are currently on and complete the program you are familiar with. It is likely that many students in their third or fourth years of the program may want to complete the program they are in. If you decide, in conjunction with your faculty advisor, that you would like to switch to the new requirements, you have the option to do that. The key is, you need to choose one program or the other, and then complete the requirements outlined in either one or the other. We’ll help you figure that out! Your faculty advisor will assist you to decide if you should change to the new program requirements and what courses you will need to do that.
You can choose to complete the program you are currently in and graduate with the Bachelor of Public Relations Degree without making any changes to your program at all.
Who is my faculty academic advisor?
Students are assigned advisors based on their last name. Students whose advisor is Professor Patricia Parsons will meet with me until Professor Parsons’ return from sabbatical in January 2012. While she is on sabbatical I am the acting faculty advisor for her students, and I would be happy to meet with you to discuss your program. My email is amy.thurlow@msvu.ca and my phone number is 457-5533. I’m in Seton Annex #5 (behind Kathryn’s office). Please let me know if you would like to make an appointment to meet. And feel free to contact me if you have any questions. If you would like to wait until January 2012 to discuss the program, you may contact Professor Parsons. Her email address is Patricia.Parsons@msvu.ca. If students have not heard from their advisor, please contact Kathryn Britten at kathryn.britten@msvu.ca.
Click here to download a comparison of the old and new requirements.
Regards,
Amy Thurlow
