THE EDUCATION OF PUBLIC RELATIONS STUDENTS ON PUBLIC RELATIONS THEORIES: AN INVESTIGATION ON THE CURRICULUM OF PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENTS OF COMMUNICATION FACULTIES IN TURKEY

Yıl 2018, Cilt: 5 Sayı: 9, 212 - 220, 29.12.2018

Feride Akım

Öz

Since public relations is based on communication management, it is a field of social science which
must vastly utilize theoretical work and practice. Theories provide with placing public relations on a scientific
ground; they also supply the vocabulary that academics and public relations practitioners need in order to work
in the field, to develop the field and to make predictions. Utilizing theories in the public relations field helps to
determine right targets within the framework of rational paradigms, and to bring about the successful
realization of actions by presenting effective strategies and tactics.
This study examines the relationship between public relations and the contingency approach. In the era
of digital revolution, where technological advances gained momentum, contingency approach emphasizes the
understanding that with better analysis and perception of the environment in which the organization located,
the senior management make better decisions, and different strategies and tactics should be used in order to
be successful under different conditions and that this approach also reveals that there is no organizational
structure and form of administration valid everywhere and in all conditions. This study also reveals to what
extent the curriculum of Public Relations Departments of Communication Faculties in Turkey includes courses
on Public Relations theories. The population of the study is all the universities in Turkey that incorporates
Communication Faculties, and the sample is Communication Faculties that incorporates Public Relations
Departments. The undergraduate curriculum in the websites of Faculties is analyzed through content analysis
method, one of the approaches of qualitative data analyses. As a result, it is found out that there are 200
actively operating universities in Turkey, 60 of these universities at stake have Communication Faculties, 1 of
them have Communication Sciences Faculty, 4 out of these 61 faculties (30,5%) continue to build up the
necessary academic staff and substructure to start education. It is exposed that there are about 46 (80,7%)
active "Public Relations" Departments out of 57 active Communication Faculties. It is revealed that 9 (19,5%)
out of 46 Public Relations Departments have courses about the public relations theories in their curriculum.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Public relations, education, theory, contingency approach

Kaynakça

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