How to Choose Electives: A Guide for Public Relations Students
Choosing the right electives can be overwhelming. Since public relations is a field with many sub-fields, it makes the decision even more difficult. Public relations students can choose elective courses from any of the following programs:
Art and Design
Advertising and Public Relations
Business
Multimedia Journalism
Communications
Hospitality and Tourism Management
Photography
Psychology
Writing
Political Science
Public and Nonprofit Administration
I remember looking at the extensive list of class options and thinking, how am I ever going to choose just two of these? It took some time, but I eventually figured it out. Here are some guidelines that helped me in the process:
Keep Your Prospective Career Path In Mind
While many new students aren’t sure of the career path they’d like to pursue after graduation, some are. If you’re one of those people, review some of the job descriptions you’re interested in and figure out what electives will help you most in developing the required skills.
Capitalize on Your Strengths
If you are passionate about a certain aspect of public relations, take more classes that align with that passion! There’s nothing stopping you from improving your skills and becoming an expert on it. This is a good route to go with especially if you know you’d like to pursue a career that requires those skills.
Learn Something New
If you’re unsure about your passion or your strengths, trying a variety of classes could help you figure that out. It’s no doubt that public relations professionals need to be well-rounded and knowledgeable on many topics. Therefore, it may be useful to diversify your skills and take some classes on topics you’re unfamiliar with.
Keep Your Minor in Mind
Many students choose to minor in one of the programs listed above. If you’re one of those students, then some of those classes may “double-dip” and fulfill both requirements. This is a bonus if you’re looking to save some money. However, make sure to double check with an advisor beforehand to make sure you are able to.
Meet With Your Advisor
When in doubt, your advisor is there to help you! Schedule a meeting, and they’ll help you brainstorm and give you suggestions. They may even give you the inside scoop on things like new classes, good professors, or what skills hiring managers are looking for.
After considering each of these guidelines, you should be on your way to choosing the perfect electives for your educational and professional goals. And if you still feel like you’re missing out on something, there are hundreds of online learning resources that can help you learn new skills post-graduation!
About Kendall:
Kendall Lemmen is a senior at GVSU, studying Advertising and Public Relations, with minors in Writing and Spanish. This is her second semester as an Account Associate with GrandPR. She is also a member of GVSU's PRSSA chapter. Her PR specialties include writing, market research, and event planning. In her free time, Kendall enjoys reading, baking, and completing any crossword puzzle she can get her hands on.
