Public Relation Courses

Public Relation is a profession that involves promotion intended to create goodwill for a person or an institution. It is basically the job of maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship with internal and external public with whom an organization is related. Public relations include the monitoring and evaluation of attitudes of both internal and external public. Internal public include the employees and opinion leaders of an organization whereas external public include shareholders, suppliers, consumers, Government and the media. Today there are various Public Relation courses offered by a number of institutes in India.

The public relation officers (PROs) ensure a smooth running of the organization by maintaining a two way flow of communication among the employees and the employers. The need for employing PROs came into being when government and private companies felt the need for marketing their products or services.

In case of an internal crisis the role of the PRO becomes prominent as he saves the day for the organization through timely communications. Public relations also encompass the job of preparing house journals for maintaining contact with public.

Qualifications: Usually diploma or post graduate diploma courses on public relations are conducted by various institutions. Candidates armed with a bachelor's degree, preferably with a background of social sciences or humanities can opt for these courses. Other than these there are also short term certificate courses. Very few institutes offer a two year master degree course in public relations. Most courses on advertisement also comprise an additional paper on public relations.

Certain institutes admit candidates on the basis of entrance tests conducted by them while others depend completely on merit lists. Few of the institutes conducting Public Relations courses in India are:
Symbiosis institute of Mass communication, Pune
Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism, Bhopal
School of Broadcasting and Communication, Mumbai
Xavier Institute of communication Mumbai
Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi
Mudra Institute of communication, Ahmedabad
The Indian Foundation for PR education and Research, Greater Kailash, New Delhi

Benefits: Public Relations officials are in high demand these days. People who have good communication skills, analytical mind, patience, good organizational skills, resilience and the courage to handle crisis can find their dream jobs as public relation officers.

Scopes in India: For students of public relations in India there are opportunities galore. They can be employed in public sector, private sector, hotels, hospitals, banks, tourist agencies, consultancy firms, and a host of other places. The various posts where a student of public relation can apply are:
Public Affairs Coordinator
Communications associate
Communications Officer
Communications Manager
Media Relations officer
Press Secretary
Director of External Affairs
Marketing communication Specialist
Communications Professional
Development Director
Communications/Research Analyst
Public figures like a film actor or a politician in the present day also hire PROs to create their public image.

Scopes Abroad: Outside India PR personnel with a background in Medicine, Finance, Science & Technology, International Affairs and other such specialized fields are in high demand. In the USA, PR practitioners are hired mainly for business, schools, universities , media and government centers. Majority of PR professionals abroad are appointed by PR agencies providing their services to clients based around the globe.

Source: http://www.indiaedu.com/career-courses/public-relation-courses/index.html