Public Relations Managers

High School

You can prepare for a career as a public relations manager by taking college preparatory classes. Concentrate on courses that will improve your communication skills, such as speech, English, and creative writing. Also aim to study business-related subjects such as marketing, economics, public relations, management, and computer science.

Postsecondary Training

Most public relations mangers have a bachelor's or master's degree in public relations, communications, English, or journalism. Others have entered the industry with a business, fine arts, or liberal arts degree, though with some concentration in public relations, advertising, or communications. Useful college classes include psychology, sociology, business, economics, social media marketing, and any art medium. Graduate and professional degrees are common at the managerial level. Visit https://www.prsa.org/prssa/about-prssa/learn-about-pr for education resources, including a list of colleges and universities that offer certified public relations programs.

Other Education or Training

The Public Relations Society of America offers a wealth of continuing education (CE) classes, webinars, seminars and workshops on leadership, management, staff development, crisis communications strategy, digital media, social media, and other topics. The International Association of Business Communicators, Canadian Public Relations Society, National Management Association, National School Public Relations Association, and the Public Affairs Council also offer CE resources. Contact these organizations for more information.