Picking your course load each semester is a stressful yet necessary venture that every student at Boston University goes through. Finding courses that supplement majors and minors while also meeting HUB requirements can be daunting and difficult. To make things a little easier for you, here is a roundup of some of my favorite COM classes that I’ve taken as a PR major.
- CM442: Business of PR
Professor: Justin Joseph
What to expect: As COM students, the importance of understanding the practicalities of business is extremely essential. The course helps students “gain a strong foundation in the major concepts and issues at the intersection of business and public relations.”
Build up your business acumen with this one.
Why I loved it: Professor Joseph really makes this class what it is. By making the class interactive, efficient, and applicable to real life while also invoking humor and lightness in each and every lesson, Joseph became my favorite teacher I’ve ever had at BU. His passion for wanting to boost all COM students’ confidence in business is palpable in his teachings, and I walked away from this class feeling supremely prepared to be able to hold my own in any corporate room I’m in. Take this class, you won’t regret it.
- CM443: Digital Media
Professor: Julie Dennehy
What to expect: CM443 “Explores the effects of new media on the fundamental theories, models, and practices of public relations.” By discussing the ever-evolving nature of social media, PR practices, and the ethical implications of combining those, students are given valuable and up-to-date information on media in the digital age.
Why I loved it: This class is the most straightforward and practical class for anyone looking to get into PR after graduating. My favorite part was the lecture from an influencer who gave the nitty gritty details of what it’s really like behind the scenes of hundreds of thousands of followers!
- CM217: Intro to Advertising
Professor: Shawn Zupp
What to expect: CM217 “Explores the history, nature, function, and social and economic aspects of advertising: ethical responsibilities, psychological appeals, marketing, media research, product analysis, creative strategies, and agency operation.”
Why I loved it: If you love watching the Super Bowl commercials every year, you’re gonna love this class. Take a deep dive into why ads are successful, the history of advertisement, and how you can best apply your ideas to actual content. Professor Zupp is experienced, energetic, and efficient in his teaching, and his slides are chock full of amazing information. I loved watching famous commercials and analyzing them– highly recommend!
- Communications Research Methods
Professor: Benita Dederichs
What to expect: CM321 is “an introduction to the social scientific method of inquiry and the fundamental concepts and processes of social scientific methods that are used in media science, advertising, and public relations.”
Why I loved it: This was one of the most straightforward classes I’ve taken. If you’ve ever had to do SONA credit for classes, or done a BU survey, this class gives you the background of how that data is collected, how the surveys are formed and created, and then you create your own study and research plan. This class is a great exposure to the scientific method that is the backbone of communications.
- CM548 International Public Relations
Professor: Sarah Dasher
What to expect: CM548 “focuses on the global practice of public relations with an emphasis on corporate and agency practice.”
Why I loved it: One of the best things about BU is its global diversity, and this class echoes that sentiment by giving you a broad overview of the international market of PR. This class helped broaden my understanding of PR internationally and the final project is a fun one, picking a brand and looking at it from a global perspective.
- CM215: Principals and Practices of PR
Professor: Todd Van Hoosear
What to expect: CM215 is “An introduction to the field of public relations: its theoretical origins, scope, and principles. Discussion focuses on researching problems, setting objectives, identifying audiences, designing messages, choosing communication channels, and evaluating results for all types of organizations”.
Why I loved it: While the teacher I had no longer teaches the course, this class covers the basics of PR that are great for any and all majors and minors who are interested in learning about PR. The group final project at the end was my favorite one I’ve done due to the freedom allowed and it’s easy to see how everything covered in the class is applicable to real-life PR practice. A requirement for many for a reason, but even if it’s not for your major, I highly suggest it!
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