Public Relations and Publicity

FACULTY OF COMMUNICATION - PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY

The primary aim of university education is to develop global awareness, problem-solving skills and critical thinking. Guided by the principles of universality and flexibility, our University aims to educate students not only as communication professionals who meet international standards, but also as agenda-setters, entrepreneurs, critical thinkers, creative individuals, mediators, experts and pioneers.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY

Public relations plays a vital role in contemporary business and management practices. The Bahçeşehir University Department of Public Relations and Publicity aims to educate communication professionals who specialize in various dimensions of strategic and corporate communication, including reputation and image management, crisis management, media relations, digital strategy, social media strategy, content production, investor relations and event management. Our department, which received Türkiye's first communication education accreditation from the Communication Education Evaluation and Accreditation Board, offers a curriculum aligned with national and international public relations programs.

We recognize the importance of staying one step ahead in the constantly evolving communication sector. Accordingly, our curriculum includes courses designed to equip students with the latest knowledge and skills required in the field. Our courses cover all core areas of modern public relations, including strategic communication, media relations, crisis communication, design, creativity, digital marketing, data analysis, ethics, sustainability, political communication, social media and content production, community management, event management and the metaverse.

Through our approach, which focuses on strategic thinking and the innovative use of new media, our students gain the competencies needed to manage online communities, develop digital strategies and communicate effectively with the media. Our students' work receives various awards every year in communication competitions such as TÜHİD Golden Compass and Young Communicators. The BAU Department of Public Relations and Publicity also presents the "BAU Special Award for Innovative Use of Technology in Communication" at the PRIDA Communication Awards organized by the Communication Consultancy Companies Association.

Our students are encouraged to find the most suitable role in the sector based on their individual interests, talents and goals. With very strong industry connections, our department offers internship opportunities at leading agencies and companies in Türkiye. These internship opportunities help our students build important professional relationships and find employment before graduation.

In addition to our Industry-Based Education Model and CO-OP collaborations, we host industry representatives in the seminars and workshops we organize each semester. In this way, our students become closely acquainted with the sector, learn about current trends, build professional networks and explore potential job opportunities. In addition, our department has an application agency where students develop projects for non-governmental organizations. Through the Certificate of Expertise program, BAU Public Relations and Publicity students also have the opportunity to specialize in areas such as design and visual communication that support their own field.

OBJECTIVE

To educate communication professionals who are internationally specialized, generate knowledge, are creative, master the dynamics of the technological communication environment and shape the future with their vision.

PROGRAM

To graduate from Bahçeşehir University, students must complete a course load of 130 credits. During the first two years, our students take the core courses required for the Public Relations and Publicity program (such as Organization, Management and Communication, Introduction to Public Relations, and Media and Communication Theories). All courses in the first two years are mandatory. Beginning in the third year, students start taking elective courses in addition to the mandatory courses required for the field. Third-year electives are Departmental Elective, Non-departmental and General Elective courses, which aim to broaden students' worldview and provide additional skills. Students may also choose to take COOP courses conducted in collaboration with the industry. The curriculum, which maintains a balance between theory and practice, also prepares students for professional life through the Public Relations Campaign projects carried out in the final year.

LABORATORIES

Focus Group and CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing) research laboratories, together with computer laboratories that are continuously updated to keep pace with technological developments, help our students get to know the sector more closely.

MISSION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY

The primary aim is to educate graduates who contribute creative solutions to the problems faced by government, industry and non-governmental organizations. The program aims for graduates to be not only crisis communicators but also agenda-setters, entrepreneurs, critical thinkers, creative individuals, mediators, experts and pioneers. In this regard, the Bahçeşehir University Department of Public Relations aims to educate communication professionals who specialize in all dimensions of public relations, one of the core functions of contemporary management, ranging from corporate communication to reputation management. In addition, in parallel with technological developments, it aims to graduate individuals equipped with up-to-date knowledge and experience who conduct research and can generate new solutions.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY

• Specialized to provide 360-degree services in communication management,
• Knowledgeable and well-equipped in all areas of communication and up to date with technological developments,
• Having the research knowledge required for the strategic management of public relations, able to follow and shape the agenda with problem-solving and trend analysis skills, and able to select and use the most effective tools and methods,
• Having strong theoretical knowledge and contributing to the development of their field through multidimensional thinking, interpretation and inference skills with a critical and analytical perspective,
• Sensitive to the problems of the society they live in, respectful of the rights of all living beings, responsible and committed to ethical principles,
• Knowledgeable, sensitive and expert in sustainability and sustainable development,
• The department aims to educate creative, persuasive and entrepreneurial communicators who lead, shape the field and create change.

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES

• To prepare students to become communication professionals by focusing on strategic thinking, professional writing, ethical practices and the innovative use of traditional and new media.
• To explain and define problems related to the relationship between concepts and realities in fields such as public relations, persuasive communication, communication management and corporate communication.
• To understand how organizational culture operates and how employees and leaders create messages as communication agents.
• To critically discuss and interpret theories, concepts, methods, tools and ideas in the field of public relations.
• To create effective public relations plans that include core planning components such as situation analysis, target audience, objectives, strategies and tactics.
• To analyze primary and secondary research data in areas such as persuasion, reputation management and corporate communication.
• To develop creative and persuasive management skills in reputation, employee relations, leadership and similar corporate practices.
• To explain and define marketing activities, economics, business law and global business practices.
• To research, write and design materials such as articles, press releases, flyers, brochures and advertisements for different target audiences, media and contexts.
• To use information and communication technologies and computer software competently in public relations, marketing communication, persuasive communication, communication management and corporate communication. Learning Competence
• To recognize and understand the national and international, social and cultural dimensions of public relations. Field-Specific Competence
• To use theoretical concepts related to mass communication, consumer behavior, psychology, persuasion, sociology, marketing and other related fields to understand the processes of public relations.
• To apply fundamental communication theories and the safety practices required by the profession in different types of public relations processes and campaigns. Competence to Work Independently and Take Responsibility
• To take responsibility individually or as part of a group when developing solutions to scenarios given in public relations processes.

ADVANTAGES OF BEING A BAHÇEŞEHİR STUDENT

I) Our University is located in a highly advantageous area and has a very strong academic staff composed of faculty members recognized across Türkiye.

II) Bahçeşehir University is the only university in Türkiye with universities and campuses abroad that are registered in those countries. Our sister universities are currently BAU-Germany in Berlin and BAU-USA in Washington, both of which have campuses and facilities in these cities. There is also an English language school in Washington. A student admitted to Bahçeşehir University may, if they wish, complete the Preparatory School in Washington and then study the first and second years in Türkiye. The programs of Bahçeşehir Istanbul and its sister universities are fully compatible. With this structure, BAU is the only university that offers global students the opportunity to complete their education not only in Türkiye but also in two of the world's most important centers, the EU and the USA. Bahçeşehir University is also working to expand this system to other countries, particularly Hong Kong, in the near future. In addition, Bahçeşehir University has student exchange agreements with more than 50 universities worldwide, and our students may also benefit from the Erasmus program if they wish.

III) Bahçeşehir University is the first university in Türkiye to put university-industry/business collaboration into practice in a truly meaningful way. This collaboration is carried out within the framework of the COOP program. Within the COOP program, professionals from the institutions and agencies we partner with come to the University for 14 weeks to teach students how work is done in their organizations, and they also provide on-site training by taking students to their organizations. Before graduation, Bahçeşehir students gain extensive knowledge of how work is done in institutions and agencies. Current COOP partners of our department include Ajans Press, Bersay Communication Group, Rhino Runner, Grand Carre, The Others Brand Experience Agency, KİD (Corporate Communicators Association), Turkcell and Samsung, and these partnerships continue.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Our Career Center helps graduating students find jobs. Our graduates work and find employment as strategic communication specialists, corporate communication specialists or public relations specialists in advertising agencies, public relations firms, media planning and buying companies, political parties, non-governmental organizations, in-house agencies, and national and international companies; they may also establish their own communication agencies. As mentioned above, Bahçeşehir University offers students several important advantages in finding jobs in the future. These are:

1) The opportunity to establish direct contact with the industry and its senior executives while still studying, thanks to the COOP program

2) The international experience gained by completing part of their education abroad (BAU-Berlin or BAU-USA)

3) An education that is as strong in practice as it is in theory (working with real briefs from the industry for Public Relations Campaign projects)

FIELDS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR GRADUATES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY

Our department offers a wide range of career opportunities in both the private and public sectors. Our graduates may work in communication departments of companies or public institutions, public relationsagencies, digital communication/digital marketing/social media agencies, media planning and buying companies, non-governmental organizations or political parties. Some of the roles our graduates may hold in the organizations they work for include:

• Strategic Communication Specialist/Director
• Financial Relations Specialist/Director
• Investor Relations Specialist/Director
• Health Communication Specialist/Director
• Fashion Communication Specialist/Director
• Brand Manager
• Customer Relations Director
• Brand Marketing Specialist
• Corporate Communication Specialist/Director
• Digital / Social Media Manager
• Social Media Community Manager
• Content Manager
• Creative Project Director
• Event Manager
• Change Management Specialist
• Change Manager
• Sustainability Consultant/Coordinator
• Public Affairs Manager
• Internal Communication Manager
• Technology Communication Manager
• Research Communication Manager
• Science Communication Consultant/Specialist
• (Strategic) Insight Director
• International Communication Manager
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist
• Governance Strategist
• Copywriter

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY RANKINGS AND BASE SCORES

The 2021Public Relations and Publicity rankingsand base scores have been announced. The 2021 TYT-AYT (YKS) base scores and success rankings are the university placement scores and rankings of 2020. You can make your program preference by comparing your score and ranking for 2021.

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