The Department of Communication offers an Honours Bachelor in Public Relations jointly with Algonquin College (in English) and with La Cité (in French). The Department of Communication will provide theoretical, analytical and critical foundations, while courses at the college will focus on practical training. The program is ideal if you are looking for the perfect balance between public relations theory and practice.
In Canada, the public relations industry employs more than 40,000 people. A career in this area offers you a wide variety of functions and tasks: developing communication plans and strategies; writing communication materials; building and maintaining relationships with the media; organizing press conferences, product launches, inaugurations, open houses and exhibits; acting as spokesperson; lobbying and public affairs; developing multi-media kits; producing videos; designing web sites; creating and implementing social media strategies; and managing crises. Public relations are ubiquitous in politics, in business, non-governmental organizations, and even in the entertainment industry.
Explore the structure of this program
There are two ways to complete this degree:
- Register for the Honours bachelor's degree at the University and, after completing 75 credits (five sessions), transfer to Algonquin College to complete the diploma program in public relations. Because of space limitations at Algonquin, the University can only accept 25 students in this stream. In addition, upon completion of 75 credits at the University of Ottawa, you must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 6.0/10 (70%) to be admitted to Algonquin College.
- Start by completing two years in public relations at Algonquin College (a minimum average of 3.0 is required) and then transfer to the Honours Bachelor in Public Relations at the University of Ottawa to do five more sessions (75 credits). The University has no registration limits in this stream.
Upon completion of your studies at Algonquin College and at the University of Ottawa, you will obtain two certifications: the Diploma in Public Relations from Algonquin College and the Honours Bachelor in Public Relations from the University of Ottawa.
Admission procedure