Should You Go To Grad School as a PR Pro?
⌛ By Kaylin R. Staten ⌛
This week is the second part of our New Professionals series. As someone who was once a new professional myself, I struggled to find answers to these pressing questions. I want to ensure that you don’t have to spin your wheels like I did! While I don’t have all of the answers -- or even ones that will resonate with you -- I do hope that something will spark interest, action, or understanding for you along the way.
This week, we’re delving into the deep waters of grad school and if it’s for you -- or if you should keep that $20K or so in your pocket.
Do I need to go to grad school to have a career in PR or communications in general?
Ah, grad school. The question that always comes up but there is no clear-cut, one-size-fits-all solution.
My short answer is always yes and no. I know that sounds convoluted, but it depends on where you envision your career journey taking you. If you are eager to start working and gaining experience, then my suggestion is always to get a job first. You will have that real-world experience that will allow you to grow and learn. You will learn what you want out of your career and life in general. You’ll give yourself the space and grace to succeed and fail in your own way.
I flirted with the idea of going to grad school after earning my B.A. in public relations. I imagined being a lifelong scholar and wanted to teach PR eventually. However, the allure (and necessity of money) took precedence. Since then, I have had a wide array of experiences that I am not sure would have been enhanced by getting my Master’s degree right after my Bachelor’s. Perhaps I wouldn’t have taken the long way around in some respects, but I have no regrets about my journey. I feel as though obtaining your APR (Accreditation in Public Relations) is a more specialized, cost-effective way to test the waters before getting your Master’s. You have to have at least seven years (as of press time) of experience in the industry first before you can go through the application, panel presentation, and examination processes. You’ll master new skills and strengthen and refresh others. My particular path has allowed me to become an expert in the profession, start a company, earn my APR, and continue to learn new skills. They used to call it “the school of hard knocks,” but I have learned more from work experience than in college. Undergraduate degrees are good for the foundational skills, and Master’s degrees build upon what you have learned in undergrad. You learn more about the industry, people, and yourself after you leave your college campus.
In short, public relations is more about the practice and experience than theory. So, getting a job, even if it’s not your dream job, will often aid you at the beginning of your journey. This is especially helpful if you don’t have a specialization or don’t really know which sector interests you.
This is just my particular take on it. Each person’s situation is different. You can become an expert either way. I will say, a lot of colleges and universities are offering Master’s Degrees for those who have worked in the industry for a while. Some don’t require the GRE, and if you have your APR, some classes can be waived. That is tempting. As a lifelong learner and someone who has been at this for more than a decade, that is something I can get behind (and will likely do in the next couple of years).
A lot of people use grad school to put off the inevitable -- the “adult” job or the stress of flinging yourself into the real world. While this isn’t the reason for everyone, do a cost and benefits analysis for your specific situation and goals. If the potential benefits outweigh the costs, then you could be poised for another 2+ years of school or a deeper foray into a professional position.
Here are some other things to consider as you’re doing your cost/benefit analysis.
The cost. If you don’t want to add to your college loan debt (or even if you had full-ride scholarships), you may not want to shell the extra cash in order to go to grad school. This is the most feasible and logical reason to not go to grad school, especially if you can’t get a scholarship, want to attend a school that is out of your price range,
A specialization. When we are undergrads, it’s sometimes hard to come up with your specialization. Sure, you have a minor or perhaps even a double major, but getting your feet wet in the industry (even through internships and other ways, as mentioned in last week’s blog post) will allow you to explore what you like and don’t like about the industry. For example, I learned that I am not meant to do solely political campaigns. I do not enjoy the entire “House of Cards” vibes. More power to you if you enjoy that! I actually think it’s pretty awesome if you do enjoy that type of work, but it’s just too convoluted for me. Make a list of aspects of PR you know you like and those you don’t like. What are you eager to learn more about? What are you passionate about? That will allow you to choose a program that is meant for you. You may choose to be in healthcare communications, integrated communications, PR leadership, or any other combination of focus.
Job postings. You’re most likely well versed in writing cover letters, sending your resume, and finding relevant job postings. What do all of these have in common? If they require 1-2 years of experience and don’t really mention a Master’s Degree, then I wouldn’t emphasize getting one (at least not directly after your Bachelor’s.) Pay attention to the requirements for jobs that interest you and are within your scope. Often, at least in PR and related communications, experience is the main goal -- not another degree.
Teaching. Your Master’s degree will aid you in a plethora of ways if you decide to get one. You may desire to move up the corporate ladder and hold a VP or CEO position. You could want to teach at a college or university. These are valid reasons for getting a Master’s degree, and if role changes and increased salaries are part of the package, then your ROI will be well worth it. I do advise you, however, to not get a degree just for the title or mirage of prestige it can give you. We all know someone who is like, “I have three Master’s degrees.” I mean, that’s cool, but make sure you are practicing what you have learned, even if you are in the education realm. If you’re teaching students, you need to be currently doing something relevant to what you are teaching them. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to learn from someone who has a thousand degrees but doesn’t actively practice some form of PR. So, again, that brings us back to experience. You may also want to get a Master’s degree if you want to switch gears career-wise (inside or outside of communications fields).
Whether you decide to get your Master’s degree or not, still remain a sponge. Learn everything you can about industry trends, hone your skillsets, and get outside of your comfort zone. You can be an efficient and successful communicator, regardless of your path in PR. It honestly just takes consistency, resilience, hard work, and a dash of skill and intelligence in your profession. Once you know which path you want to take in the forked road, you will have more clarity on if and when you want to obtain your Master’s.
BRB, researching programs so I can get mine eventually! But, just know this: You can build a career, business, whatever you want with or without an extra degree.
What else would you like for us to answer? Hourglass Media loves to help new pros on their journeys to finding their purpose. Send us a question in the below box, and we could use it in a future blog post!
Kaylin R. Staten, APR, is an award-winning, accredited public relations practitioner and writer based in Huntington, WV, with 18 years of professional communications experience. As CEO and founder of Hourglass Media, she uses her compassionate spirit and expertise to delve into the heart of clients’ stories. She is a recovering perfectionist, mental health advocate, wife, boy + cat mom, and Leia Organa aficionado. Connect with Kaylin on LinkedIn.