ANOTHER INNOVATION FROM İZMİR UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS FACULTY OF COMMUNICATION

IUE Faculty of Communication Department of Public Relations and Advertising instructor Sema Misçi stated that the major difference of DDP from existing Public Relations and Advertising was that the students would receive dual diploma and they would have the right to work in the USA for one year. She said “The students who complete a Public Relations and Advertising undergraduate program receive one diploma. However, when they complete DDP they will have two diplomas. They receive diploma both from İzmir University of Economics and SUNY (The State University of Newyork) Fredonia Campus in the USA. With this program, students will experience the life abroad and they will have the chance to witness their applications. The USA is the center of public relations and advertising. It is very important to see the sector there and learn about different cultures. Studying at a different university adds a new vision to the student. Besides, if they develop their relations in the university they can have the chance to perform their internship there. Moreover, they may get a job and stay there.”

Misçi stated that the 1st and 3rd grades will be studied at IUE, 2nd and 4th grades will be studied in the USA and said “The students will study first and third grades at İzmir University of Economics and the second and forth grades in the USA. Studying the 4th grade abroad is an advantage for them. Because when they study the last year there, they have the chance to work there for one year. They will take courses mostly related to public relations in the USA and the courses at İzmir University of Economics are mostly about advertising. The program in the USA is more up to the student. The student chooses the courses related to his/her interest. That is why s/he has to know himself/herself and know what s/he wants. Apart from this, since the mostly offered foreign languages in the USA are French and Spanish, the students who prefer DDP should choose these languages as the second foreign language at İzmir University of Economics.”

Misçi also underlined the fact that the quota for this program is 10 one of which is with scholarship. She said “At the end of the first year, the students have the right to transfer to DDP from the existing Public Relations and Advertising Program. For transfer, the student’s grade should be 2.40 out of 4, his/her raw score should be 210 in OSS and at least 250 when success grade is added. The student has the chance to have a scholarship. For this, the GPA should be 3.50 out of 4. But this is the obligation of IUE. The conditions in the USA are different. It must be discussed with the university there. DDP Department of Public Relations and Advertising is in Fredonia Campus. The students who study at that campus have to stay in the dormitory. The main reason is to keep the student at the university, doing many things at the campus, because the campus life in America is very different. The campus is like a small city.”