2008-09 Undergraduate Catalog
Course Descriptions
Students who have not been admitted to the College of Journalism and Communications must have a 3.0 overall grade point average to enroll in other than the following courses: MMC 1000, and PUR 3000. Students minoring in mass communication must generally receive departmental approval for registering for PUR courses.
PUR 3000 Principles of Public Relations
Credits: 3; Prereq: sophomore standing.
The nature and role of public relations in a democratic society and worldwide, activities of public relations professionals, major influences that affect organizational behavior, ethics and professional development of practitioners in the private and public sectors. Emphasis is placed on management functions and developing effective public relations strategies.
PUR 3500 Public Relations Research
Credits: 3; Prereq: minimum grade of C in PUR 3000 and statistics, junior standing.
Using principles of scientific research to establish, monitor and evaluate communications programs: research planning, theory, design - sampling, surveys, experiments, focus groups, content analysis and participant observation; qualitative and statistical analysis and reporting of research with advanced technologies.
PUR 3801 Public Relations Strategy
Credits: 3; Prereq: minimum grade of C in PUR 3000 and PUR 3500.
The development of skills in strategic public relations management based on an analysis of current and historical case studies.
PUR 4100 Public Relations Writing
Credits: 3; Prereq: minimum grade of C in PUR 3000 and JOU 3101, proficiency in word processing.
A course designed to prepare students to meet the demands of the marketplace for persuasive, professional public relations writing skills.
PUR 4103 Public Relations Visual Communication
Credits: 3; Prereq: PUR 380, JOU 3101.
Preparation of visual communications of all types generally produced by public relations departments. Emphasis is placed on dealing with printed publications for both internal and external audiences. Diversity of publics is emphasized. Management's viewpoint on, reasons for, and "state-of-the-art" of such publications is included.
PUR 4107 Advanced Public Relations Visual Communication
Credits: 3; Prereq: a grade of B in PUR 4103, or instructor permission.
A course designed to help students attain competence and hone their skills in planning, designing and producing publications to meet public relations objectives. This course expands on the basic skills acquired in Public Relations Visual Communications and adds components of basic video production and video streaming on the Web.
PUR 4203 Ethics and Professional Responsibility in Public Relations
Credits: 3; Prereq: 3JM PUR; minimum grade of C in PUR 3500.
A course designed to enhance the student's awareness of the ethical responsibilities of the public relations professional, identify the moral dimensions of issues that arise in the practice of public relations, increase the ability to employ reason as a tool for dealing with moral issues, provide knowledge and skills necessary to reach and justify ethical decisions, and elicit a sense of personal and professional responsibility.
PUR 4404C International Public Relations
Credits: 3; Prereq: PUR 3000.
An analysis of the impact of international activities on the public relations function.
PUR 4410 Principals of Fund Raising
Credits: 3; Prereq: PUR 3000, PUR 3500.
This course deals with the public relations specialization of fund raising - the high demand, low supply occupation unique to the charitable nonprofit subsector.
PUR 4800 Public Relations Campaigns
Credits: 3; Prereq: PUR 3000, PUR 4100, PUR 3801, PUR 4103, senior standing.
Utilizing the principles and techniques of public relations to create comprehensive campaigns for actual clients.
PUR 4905 Individual Problems
Credits: 1 to 3; Prereq: at least 10 hours of professional courses and approval of department chair.
Students and the instructor concerned will choose a problem or project which will give the student actual experience in his or her major field.
PUR 4932 Special Study
Credits: 1 to 3; can be repeated for a total of 6 hours. Prereq: permission of the instructor.
Variable content, providing opportunity for advanced study in the principles, processes and effects of public relations.
PUR 4933 Seminar: Issues in Public Relations
Credits: 2; Prereq: open only to seniors in public relations near graduation, or instructor permission.
Analysis and investigation of trends, principles, policies, and ethics of the most effective and enlightened current public relations practice, with an emphasis on key issues facing the profession. Focus on achieving excellence.
PUR 4940 Public Relations Internship
Credits: 1 to 3; can be repeated with change of assignment up to 3 credits. Prereq: minimum of 9 hours of professional courses earned (including JOU 3101) and a 2.5 GPA. Must have advance approval from academic adviser, department and college offices to receive credit.
Student and instructor will select an appropriate work area related to the field of public relations for on-the-job training. Student will work a minimum of 100 hours per semester for 1 credit; 200 hours per semester for 2 credits; 300 hours per semester for 3 credits. Progress reports and summary required. (S-U)
General Education Categories
Consult Schedule of Courses for specific information.
- Biological Sciences (B)
- Composition (C)
- Diversity (D)*
- Humanities (H)
- International (N)*
- Mathematics (M)
- Physical Sciences (P)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (S)
* Students who entered UF prior to Summer B 2007 and/or whose catalog year is not 2007-08: Current students who have not already completed six hours of "I" - international/diversity credits can do so now by taking "D" and "N" courses.
Symbols Used in Course Descriptions
- (WR) indicates the course satisfies the writing requirement.
- (MR) indicates the course satisfies the math requirement.
- (S-U) indicates the course may be taken on a satisfactory-unsatisfactory basis.
- Refer to the Schedule of Courses for specific information.