Programs in public relations prepare people to publicize and market people, products, and agencies. They teach students to provide information economically, strategically, and persuasively. Students also learn to promote and publicize in different fields such as entertainment and technology.

"Take a bite out of crime." "Just do it." "Don't leave home without it." "Finger-lickin' good!" Do these phrases sound familiar? They probably do. These are famous advertising slogans that have stood the test of time.

Now imagine what would happen to these slogans in less skilled hands. "Prevent crime." "Buy these great shoes." "You can use this credit card anywhere." "Try some of this delicious fried chicken." These businesses probably wouldn't make much money, would they?

Working in public relations involves the promotion of events, organizations, people, or even ideas. In whatever field you feel passionate about - politics, the fashion industry, life insurance, classical music, you name it - there's a place for public relations.

As a student in this program of study, you learn different publicity techniques. You study various forms of advertisement, including news releases, pamphlets, posters, billboards, and brochures. You also learn how different fields use public relations differently.

As you've undoubtedly gathered, this program of study requires you to be a creative, effective communicator. But being an effective communicator also requires you to identify and understand your audience. For this reason, programs in public relations also teach you to gather and interpret data about the people you want to reach.

Many colleges and universities offer programs in public relations. You can typically earn either a bachelor's or a master's degree in these fields. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study after high school, and a master's degree generally takes one to two years after that.

Some two-year colleges offer certificates and associate degrees in this program of study. However, these programs are intended to give you credits that you can transfer to a four-year college where you can earn a bachelor's degree.

In addition, it's also possible to earn a doctoral degree in public relations. However, you usually do so by enrolling in a journalism or mass communications doctoral degree program and then specializing in public relations. Typically, a doctoral degree takes a total of about ten to 11 years of full-time study after high school.