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The Princeton Review, in response to a query from
this website, has reiterated its opinion that undergrads who
are interested in PR have many choices when it comes to
majors.
Said the response: "Yes, this is the Princeton Review's
view of the PR field. PR specialists are talented individuals
with great communications skills and varied backgrounds. In
our view, it's such a fluid career that students do have the
flexibility to major in something other than PR, which helps
them perhaps specialize in a segment of any number of
industries-from trucking to government."
A section on "Major: Public Relations," provides a
definition of the field by Kent State University.
PR is said to be "the strategic management of communication
and relationships between organizations and their key
publics." Once students master the basics of PR, they'll be
able to "drive sales for your client and earn favor in the
public eye…knowing when to communicate what is essential in
PR."
The Review lists the "ten most popular majors" based on
data it collects from students and ranks "communications" as
the eighth most popular major.
The rankings are:
1. Business administration and management.
2.
Psychology.
3. Elementary education.
4. Biology.
5.
Nursing.
6. Education.
7. English.
8.
Communications.
9. Computer science.
10. Political
science.
Communications
Defined
Communications majors "learn how certain messages influence
individual and group behavior as well as how our reactions
reflect the underlying values of society."
Students study "different kinds of speaking and writing and
the strategies people use to make their points and drive them
home."
They will also "delve into monumental speeches,
revolutionary political campaigns, radical social movements,
and the trends in news reporting."
Communications majors can pursue careers in business, PR,
advertising, human resources, government, education, media or
social services, the Review says.
English
Majors Are "Well-Rounded"
English major can be found in "countless types of jobs,
advises the Review, including author, reporter, journalist,
editor, radio broadcaster, advertising and PR
executives.
With their "well-rounded, well-read background," they can
also become "teachers, lawyers (after law school, of course),
film directors, politicians, actors, you name it," the Review
adds.
English majors should be "be prepared to read, think,
write, discuss, and then read a whole lot more," it
says.
Use of
"Princeton" Being Investigated
Some professors have complained that the use of the term
"Princeton," especially with the word "Review" strongly
suggests that the college rating and test preparation service
is part of Princeton University.
The media relations dept. of the University said it will
look into this issue.
Princeton is the name of a town in New Jersey and numerous
local businesses use that name. | 
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