Job Description of Public Relations for a University
A public relations officer at a university is responsible for dealing on behalf of the university, or a department of the university, with the media and communicating with the public.
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Responsibilities
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Responsibilities of a public relations officer at a university include fielding inquiries from members of the media and the public, getting information about the university to the media and the public, promoting the university and its programs, and being the spokesperson for the university if there is a problem.
Requirements
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Most university public relations officers have a college degree or are pursuing a degree. The most common degree areas for a public relations officer are communications, journalism, public relations or English.
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Other Demands
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Public relations specialists at universities must be comfortable dealing with and discussing diverse academic topics, speaking in front of groups, making presentations, and handling difficult or confrontational questions from the media or the public. They must be good at building relationships with media outlets, and they need to be available in cases of emergency.
Job Prospects
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth in public relations is expected to increase by 24 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is much higher than the average job growth in the United States for that period.
Compensation
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Compensation for university public relations specialists varies by location, experience and organization. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average 2008 wage for public relations specialists was $51,280.
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