Public Relations and Issue Management
Public Relations and Issue Management focus on the negotiation and maintenance of relationships among organizations and their social, political, and economic environments. The program emphasizes communication theory and research in examining the public discourse used to build these relationships and the practical, ethical, and philosophical implications of these relationships for society.
Study in this area draws from both an established rhetorical tradition and current public relations scholarship which emphasizes a social scientific orientation. Specific foci include political issues management, international public relations, public health campaigns, environmental and risk communication, crisis communication, diplomatic and developmental public relations, corporate advocacy, strategic public relations management, and organizational legitimacy.
International Exchange Program for Graduate Students in Public Relations - Aarhus School of Business in Denmark
Click here for more information on the Aarhus Program.
Reasons to Study PR and Issue Management at Purdue
- Obtain a degree from one of the top-ranked communication programs in the nation
- Work with some of the most prolific scholars in the discipline of communication
- Participate in stimulating communication courses covering a wide variety of areas
- Design a personally-tailored plan of study that best suits your needs
- Collaborate with faculty members and fellow graduate students on research projects
- Teach or assist with undergraduate communication courses
Program Strengths and Faculty Interests
Corporate rhetoric: Joshua Boyd
Health campaigns, social marketing: Mohan Dutta
Strategic Communications: Jakob Jensen
International Public Relations; Public Diplomacy: Jeong-Nam Kim
Advertising: Stephen Robb
International advertising and communication; Public Diplomacy: Jian Wang
Ethnographic and critical studies: Robin Clair
Health media campaigns; Risk Communication: Hyunyi Cho
Selected Coiurse Offerings
Rhetorical Approaches to Issue Management (COM 610B)
Corporate Advocacy (COM 610C)
Theory of Public Affairs (COM 610T)
Interdisciplinary Connections
The PR/IM faculty is connected to many interdisciplinary programs on campus, including the Center for Education and Research in Information Security and Assurance (CERIAS) and the Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering. Students have the opportunity to develop research and professional connections through these programs.