2023 Best Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Public Safety Administration

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Deciding which college to attend can be a daunting task. For many, it will be the most important decision that they make in their lives. To make an informed decision, you have to consider a lot of variables, such as cost of attendance, financial aid, student-teacher ratio, academics, student life, and more. These factors will either positively or negatively impact the quality of education that you receive.

Do you want to acquire a bachelor’s in public safety administration but don’t know what institution you should attend? Well, if you are as ambitious as I was in my late teens, then you want to attend a top school, instead of an average or mediocre one. Fortunately, we have already done the legwork for you. To help you find the right school for your interests and goals, we’ve compiled a list of 2022’s best bachelor’s in public safety administration programs.

What institution did we omit from this list? Leave your suggestions in the comment section below.

  1. University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

At the University of Oregon, learners can prepare for great careers in public relations by pursuing a BS or BA degree in public relations. These programs are the only ones in Oregon to have earned the competitive licensure from the Public Relations Learner Society of America (PRSSA). With these programs, learners the chance to learn the ins and outs of public relations. During their time at the University of Oregon, learners get experience by creating campaigns for area clients and even developing a portfolio while working for the institution’s public relations firm, which is led entirely by learners. Learners can take advantage of generous financial support through scholarships such as the Joyce McHolick Scholarship in Advertising and Public Relations.

  1. Flagler College-St. Augustine, St. Augustine, FL

Learners attending Flagler College-St. Augustine can enroll in a fantastic strategic communications (public relations) major degree program that teaches how to plan and create communication plans and helps them develop valuable advertising and public relations skills. The degree program offers great opportunities for real-world experience in areas such as promotions, radio, media sales, and television. To enjoy additional support, learners can join the PRSSA, which has leadership and networking opportunities and even helps them build professional portfolios.

  1. SUNY at Fredonia, Fredonia, NY

Learners can learn public relations from a theoretical and practical standpoint by attending the school’s BS in public relations degree program. In addition to developing their public speaking and writing skills, learners can participate in a capstone experience in which they design a campaign for a real business or organization. In addition to their excellent academic experience, public relations learners get unique opportunities to travel abroad to places such as Australia and Italy, and they can select from seven relevant clubs to join, including the PRSSA and Lambda Pi Eta honor society.

  1. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg, PA

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania is home to a BA in mass communications degree program that has several tracks, including public relations. Learners who enroll in this fantastic degree program can build their PR knowledge by learning public relations theory as well as the practical side of the field. As learners navigate the degree program, they can improve the skills they obtain in the classroom by joining the campus’s PRSSA chapter. The institution assists learners who are interested in attaining additional real-world opportunities through an array of great internship options.

  1. Lee University, Cleveland, TN

Lee University is proud to offer a BS in public relations and BA in public relations, both of which aim to prepare learners for professional and academic careers in public relations while incorporating a biblical worldview. Each degree program teaches learners public speaking, media law, and public relations writing; learners also learn by planning their own public relations campaign. To get real-world experience, learners are urged to participate in communication internships focused on public relations such as those offered by the Austin Hatcher Foundation, American Red Cross, American Heart Association, and Habitat for Humanity.

  1. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has a bachelor of journalism in advertising and public relations with a public relations emphasis. This program is designed to prepare learners for roles in public relations involving planning and management, communication with public audiences, and crisis management in business. Learners get great opportunities to work with real clients and brands during their time in the degree program. They can also obtain support during their academic journey through clubs and organizations such as the PRSSA and Jacht, which enable learners to participate in the agency experience.

  1. Murray State University, Murray, KY 

Learners who want a stellar academic experience in public relations can enroll in either the BA or BS in public relations degree program at Murray State University. While in the degree program, learners will amass a portfolio of work they can utilize to help them get jobs in crisis management, speech writing, or other careers in public relations. The Department of Journalism and Mass Communications, in which the degree programs are housed, is one of only three in the state of Kentucky to be sanctioned by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC).

  1. Appalachian State University, Boone, NC

The Department of Communication at Appalachian State University is home to a BS in public relations that teaches learners to develop their writing and research skills and fully prepare for careers in public relations. One course available in the degree program gives learners the chance to prepare a campaign for a client and to submit their campaign into a case study competition. Upon completion of the degree program, learners will have graphic design, writing, and strategic plan samples to show to potential employers, bolstering their odds of beginning a fantastic career.

  1. SUNY College at Oswego, Oswego, NY

The university offers more than 110 majors, minors, and programs, including the 45-credit BA in public relations degree program that prepares learners for careers that consist of graphic design, campaign development, and persuasive writing. The Communication Studies Department has distinct media labs and studios in Lanigan Hall, including a TV station and journalism laboratory, to help learners hone their communication skills. Campus organizations geared toward learners in public relations and media are also available, including the PRSSA and Voices of Diversity for minorities in media.

  1. The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

The university offers a great opportunity for learners to pursue or improve an existing career in public relations through BA and MA in public relations programs. The BA in public relations prepares learners to design and share credible messages for organizations. The MA in public relations ensures that learners are ready for management roles in the field. Learners enrolled in programs unconnected to public relations can benefit from the school’s holistic public relations minor. During their time in their respective programs, learners have the chance to get involved in the Arlyn S. Powell Chapter of the Public Relations Learner Society of America, which enables them to develop professional skills by working for the learner-run firm called the Capstone Agency.

  1. Texas State University, San Marcos, TX

Texas State University is home to more than 200 degree programs, including a holistic BS in public relations and mass communication. This degree program, which teaches learners public relations from an international viewpoint, has concentration options in sports media, digital media, and multimedia production. Learners can take advantage of the institution’s fantastic PRSSA Mentorship Program, which enables them to connect one-on-one with a PR professional from whom they can obtain advice and job mentorship. Enrollees can even benefit from the KGBTexas Scholarship, which is geared specifically toward learners in this degree program.

  1. University of Idaho, Moscow, ID

At the University of Idaho, learners can pursue either a BA or a BS in public relations. Each degree program is designed to teach learners how to work with organizations to design sustainable relationships between them and their intended audiences. During their time in the degree program, learners can benefit from hands-on learning opportunities through the institution’s newspaper, magazine, and radio station. Internships are also available through Gritman Memorial Hospital and other nearby organizations and businesses.

  1. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Michigan State University is proud to offer an MA in public relations with concentration options in nonprofit fundraising and media and information studies. Program enrollees will learn to improve their skills in media relations, public relations management, quantitative research methods, and more. At the undergraduate level, learners can pursue a public relations minor, which teaches them how to develop public relations strategies and design eye-catching portfolios. Both graduate and undergraduate public relations learners can seek financial aid through scholarships, including the Richard E. Augenstein Public Relations Scholarship.

  1. University of Georgia, Athens, GA

The University of Georgia has an AB in public relations, which prepares learners to work in public relations as a planner or analyst. Learners enrolled in this degree program can take advantage of superb opportunities to get real-world experience through study abroad programs that can take them to China, France, or London. The school also has an array of campus clubs and organizations that can help improve learners’ academic and future career prospects, including the PRSSA, Creative Consultants, and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

  1. Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ

Rowan University is the home of a holistic two-year BA in public relations, which helps learners develop their skills in public relations writing, research, and more. The institution also has an MA in strategic communication (previously referred to as the MA in public relations), which teaches strategic writing, online public relations, visual communication, and media relations. In addition to the institution’s chapter of PRSSA, learners can benefit from PRaction, the school’s learner-run PR agency that enables them to plan public relations campaigns for real clients.

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