Back to School: Why PR Professionals Should Obtain a Master’s Degree

Most PR pros would rather take that first full-time job offer over going back to school for another couple of years. School just isn’t an enjoyable experience for many individuals. 

Honestly, at one point or another, people come to the point in their lives where reading boring text, memorizing words and phrases, writing papers, taking tests and giving presentations lose their appeal.

So, why should you go back for two or more years after receiving a bachelor’s degree? I have wondered the same thing, and am currently in a position where I am trying to decide if I need one myself. 

I want to share some important things from my own research while weighing in on the value of a master’s degree.

Job Competition

I remember when an associate degree was enough to nab a great job. Truthfully, little schooling was needed to nab a long, sustainable career—especially in PR. 

However, there are higher-level degrees available for up-and-coming PR professionals, and many employers are becoming more aware of all that these programs have to offer students.

We’re currently living in a period where a bachelor’s degree is the standard for most college students. But with the stability of the American economy in constant limbo, employers are in need of more from job seekers. 

Needless to say, considering said circumstances, a master’s degree is quickly becoming a very attractive option for companies looking to fill a variety of top-tier positions.

To be able to confidently say you’re an official master of something—especially PR, mind you—and proudly place such an accomplishment on your resumé will make you much more competitive when vying for meaningful employment after school. 

Simply put, you’ll be ahead of the game.

A Better Understanding of PR

Four-year degrees take four years for a reason. You have the opportunity to learn about numerous areas of academia and gain a basic understanding of a self-selected field. But if you want more learning, there aren’t nearly as many options.

Master’s degrees provide a more in depth look into your field of choice and allow you to understand it on a more personal level. 

You are also given many real world experiences before actually stepping out into the unforgiving mix of things. For a PR person, this is key.

Additionally, a greater and deeper knowledge of PR will make you more confident and will show future employers and co-workers that you belong in the competitive, unforgiving field of PR. 

Who knows? In spite of what the naysayers might vocalize, it may also give you a winning edge or earn you a promotion or two.

So Fresh and So Clean

In reality, there is a huge need for PR-savvy people out there, and recent graduates know it. Why? Well, they’re all competing for the same jobs. 

If you have the time and resources, it wouldn’t hurt to head back to school for two more years to gain an advantage over your peers. 

They are precious years, and receiving as much education as possible will put you ahead of the herd. After all, there’s no such thing as too much education.

So what do you think? Am I correct in planning to head off to graduate school following the completion of my undergraduate degree, or is my head stuck in the proverbial clouds? Share your thoughts on the matter in the comments section below.

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Rhett Ahlander is a PR student at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. After graduating this coming April with a bachelor’s degree, he plans to pursue a master’s degree and continue learning more about PR. When Rhett isn’t studying, he enjoys writing, running and playing soccer. Follow Rhett on Twitter to keep the conversation going.

You Don’t Need a Graduate Degree to Succeed In PR

Man, college can be a difficult time. Seriously, I get it. Relatively speaking, I haven’t been out of school for too long, and I remember all too well what it was like to eat unhealthily, cram for tests until the wee hours of the morning and then fall asleep in class the next day.

Needless to say, they’re not days that I miss all that much. Even more difficult was the decision that I had to make as to what I was going to do with the rest of my life. As far as I’m concerned, this is without a doubt the most daunting of collegiate endeavors. Especially, when faced with the daunting task of telling your parents you want to work in PR.

While it’s true that only 27 percent of college graduates actually work in jobs related to their respective majors, go ahead and try telling a college student that. He or she probably won’t believe you. Ya see, there’s this glamour surrounding college. It’s routinely seen as this safety blanket, ensuring meaningful employment and a long and happy life. 

This isn’t the case with PR. Moreover, in PR, it’s about writing ability, networking and—most importantly—finding joy in unending work. A degree or two won’t do the trick and ensure success. Nope, not even a master’s degree [gasp]. 

Keeping Up With Those Freaking Joneses

Many young PR professionals feel the need to go to graduate school because all of their peers are. Listen, if you’re a PR person, though your high school buddies are all planning on making a disgusting amount of money as doctors, lawyers and researchers, you aren’t—at least initially, anyway.

There’s no shame in not going to graduate school. Not only is it an expensive affair, but in your field of choice it just isn’t necessary. Some careers require graduate school and others don’t. Simply put, PR doesn’t demand a master’s degree.

PR Is an Ever-Changing Industry

Have you ever asked yourself why there’s no SEO major? What about one solely devoted to social media marketing? Well, the answer is really pretty simple: change. Both SEO and social media marketing strategies undergo so many changes that it’s nearly impossible for academia to keep up.

Yes, you can go to some top-tier mass communications school like Northwestern or Syracuse for a graduate degree, but what will be taught there is little more than theory of PR. To me, this seems crazy. PR isn’t rocket science. It’s sending emails and not being a jerk to people. As relationships are developed, success is bound to follow. It’s as simple as that.

Absorb Anything and Everything On the Job

Instead of choosing debt, opt for real, hands-on learning. Just because you’ve written a mock press release or two in an upper-level media writing class doesn’t mean you actually know what works out in the real world. It doesn’t mean you don’t, but it’s not a right of passage or anything. 

Look, if you’re dead set on going back to school to get a master’s of mass communication or an MBA, do yourself a favor and do base-level PR for a startup, nonprofit or, if possible, a full-blown agency. That way, once you become part of a graduate program, you’ll have concrete experiences to call upon while learning within the walls of a classroom.

Personal Experience

Fortunately, throughout the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to interview quite a few potential PR candidates. Some of them were extremely impressive, and others…well, not so much. Ultimately, at the end of each interview, a decision was made—yay or nay. 

While I certainly don’t claim to be perfect in the ways of identifying raw PR talent, I can say that I was never swayed in the slightest by an interviewee with a master’s degree. More often than not, there was almost a sense of entitlement or an upturned nose at the thought of having to start at an entry-level position—ya know, along with those who graduated in four years and immediately took the professional PR plunge.

Please know that I’m not trying to speak poorly of higher education. Perhaps there’s a even bit of jealousy buried deep within me, for all I know. Truthfully, in nearly all industries, a graduate degree is a gold. In fact, many of you are probably thinking about the many times you’ve read a job posting only to read the following: “Master’s degree preferred.” 

However, from what I’ve seen, this kind of jargon is little more than a filtration system aimed at getting rid of “fluff candidates” to make room for serious applicants. By all means, if a slight interview edge is what you’re looking for to get your foot in the door, the sacrifice is yours to make. My opinion remains the same: there are easier ways.

Clearly, some of my stronger opinions have been shared in this piece. While many of you may agree with, I openly recognize that many will not. So, with that in mind, where do you stand on the value of a graduate degree for PR professionals? Share you thoughts and feelings in the comments section below.

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Lucas Miller is the Founder of Echelon Copy. When not writing, editing or running, he's working tirelessly to perfect what he claims is the "World's Greatest Pompadour." Additionally, for what it's worth, his editorial works have been featured on Social Media Today, Business2Community, Ragan's PR Daily, Spin Sucks and many other top-tier PR publications.