After months of behind-the-scenes labor, the Meadow School of the Arts introduced a new public relations program under the Division of Communication Studies. The division launched the major and minor program on Sept. 19 and will hold its first advising meeting on Oct. 11.

“It’s been a long time coming,” SMU senior and president of SMU Public Relations Student Society of America Caroline Boothe said. “I think everyone has been waiting for this.”

Boothe said she would definitely be interested in the program if she could redo her time here at SMU. Ben Voth, chair of the communication studies department, said that SMU has always had public relations courses, but notes student interest in public relations really spurred the program’s development.
“What we realized over time is that most students were choosing to study communications in the context of public relations,” Voth said. “About 60 percent of communication studies student activity was in public relations.”

Professor Sandra Duhé, director of SMU’s Public Relations program, professor Rita Men, whose background is primarily in consulting and professor Maria Dixon, who started planning the curriculum 18 months ago, will spearhead the new program.

The new major program combines classes in advertising, journalism and communication studies. The new minor also includes a marketing course to give students a broad view of public relations.

“When most people think of public relations, they think of one way communication and organizations only concerned with one point of view,” Duhé said.

José Bowen, dean of the Meadows School of the Arts, emphasized the benefits of an interdisciplinary public relations major.

“Journalism, advertising, communications and PR are all rapidly changing industries in response to new technology and social media,” Bowen said. “As the ground shifts, Meadows is uniquely placed in having all of these things studied in the same building.”

The approximately 34-hour major includes courses in areas such as public relations and account management and consumer behavior. The major is not only based on interdisciplinary studies, but it is focused on real world experience. According to Duhé, every student must hold an internship as part of the program.

“While developing talents and strengthening a student’s skills is essential, strategic thinking, focused messaging and understanding the needs and interests of each key audience is most essential for a leading educational program,” Stan Levenson, member of the Communication Studies Advisory Board and Chief Executive Officer at Levenson and Brinker Public Relations, said.

The interdisciplinary nature of the program and focus on real world expertise has drawn a lot of attention.

“We do have a lot of interest, and there is a lot of buzz,” Duhé said.

Students can learn more information about the public relations major and minor at the Oct. 11 major information session that will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Meadows Museum.