West Virginia University’s P.I. Reed School of Journalism and College of Business and Economics are partnering to offer a master’s in business administration-level course in strategic communications.
The two schools are the latest to join the initiative launched by the Public Relations Society of America, the largest of professional organization serving the country’s public relations community. As part of the School of Journalism’s ongoing partnership with PRSA, the School’s Integrated Marketing Communications master’s program is developing the MBA-level course through the collaborative partnership with the College of Business and Economics.
The course was formally launched on Sept. 18, following the completion of a successful pilot program and publication of a white paper on strategic communications at the MBA level, issued by PRSA in partnership with five leading business schools.
“West Virginia University deserves credit not just for offering strategic communications at the MBA-level but for doing so in a highly collaborative manner that bridges talent and resources across schools,” said Joe Cohen, APR, chair-elect of PRSA. “In a business environment where the lines continue to blur between the disciplines, this forward-looking approach to education is of tremendous benefit to the students, their future employers and the schools themselves.”
“The Strategic Communications Course will be an elective in both our MBA and Executive MBA programs,” said Dr. Gary S. Insch, Associate Dean, Graduate Programs, WVU College of Business and Economics. “We feel this course will provide excellent exposure to an area that is currently not addressed in our curriculum, specifically the areas of strategic communication and crisis communication. We’re very excited about this partnership with the School of Journalism, and we are always looking for opportunities to collaborate with other colleges on campus to provide innovative offerings for our students.”
The School of Journalism is equally excited about the new opportunity.
“As leaders in strategic and integrated marketing communications, we are thrilled to work collaboratively with our nationally recognized colleagues in the College of Business and Economics to make this coursework available to their MBA students,” said Diana Martinelli, Widmeyer Professor in Public Relations at the School of Journalism.
By confirming to offer the course beginning in Summer 2014, West Virginia University joins an elite and diverse group of universities that include the Tuck School of Business Management at Dartmouth, the Kellogg School of Business Management at Northwestern University, the Robert H. Smith School of Business Management at the University of Maryland and others.
