Accreditation

April Signals Spring and PRSA Accreditation Month

Spring is the perfect time to take on a new challenge – like pursuing the Accreditation in Public
Relations (APR) credential. April is PRSA Accreditation Month. Visit the PRSA Accreditation
web page for more information, and plan to participate in the free APR Open House webcast
April 12 at 2 p.m. You’ll hear from other Public Relations professionals and learn about
the resources that can help you earn the APR. This webcast will include, Kathy Mulvihill,
Accreditation Manager for the Universal Accreditation Board, Dr. John Forde, Professional
Development Chair on the UAB. Click here to register.

PRSA Chicago Completes Inaugural APR Study Session

PRSA Chicago helped prepare local members for the Accreditation challenge by recently completing its first formalized APR Study Session series. Six evening sessions were held from September 2010 through March of this year. Interested chapter members attended the two-hour courses to learn more about the process to earn the Accredited in Public Relations credential and review the core competencies tested on the Comprehensive Examination. The interactive study sessions covered “how-to” steps for earning the APR, and instructors made plenty of time for questions and discussion. The series was led by Joyce Lofstrom, APR, chapter Accreditation Chair. Thanks to Accredited PRSA Chicago chapter members who helped promote and provide instruction for this volunteer activity. The Accreditation Committee will review recommendations for future sessions and present to the chapter board for consideration in the fall of 2011.

Why Earn Your APR?

Accredited members of the PRSAChicago chapter share their insights on why they earned
the APR credential. (See other document with quotes)

Chicago PRSA Announces Accreditation Survey Results

CHICAGO (March 19, 2010) – Better than 9 out of 10 members of the Chicago Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) say the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) designation holds value to those professionals who earn it.

That was a key finding from a recent online survey on Accreditation conducted by PRSA Chicago, one of the largest PRSA chapters with more than 500 members.. Members polled in late February and early March favored Accreditation by a 91.3 percent margin.

The survey showed that 41 percent of those polled said they would consider pursuing the APR, the industry’s only designation exclusively for public relations professionals.

More than 5,000 professionals in the agency, corporate, association and education fields hold the APR. The Accreditation program is administered by the Universal Accreditation Board.

View the survey results

Accept the Challenge: Become Accredited in Public Relations

Life is full of challenges , personally and professionally. Earning the privilege to add “APR” after your name is one challenge all public relations practitioners serious about the profession and long-term career growth should consider. The Accredited in Public Relations designation is awarded to those who complete a rigorous process that gauges your knowledge of accepted public relations practices, ability to apply that knowledge and real life experience. It’s a testimony to your commitment to the profession and to yourself.

There are three key steps in the Accreditation process:

1. Complete a detailed survey that addresses your experience and knowledge of modern public relations practices.

2. Undergo a Readiness Review analysis performed by a panel of APRs, and present a portfolio of work.

3. Successfully pass the computer administered Comprehensive Examination that tests your knowledge, skills and abilities in accepted public relations practices and theories.

Administered at ProMetric testing centers around metropolitan Chicago, the online examination is updated regularly to keep the questions in line with modern public relations practices. The Comprehensive Examination covers the following 10 areas of professional practice:

• Research, planning, implementing and evaluating programs
• Ethics and law
• Communication models and theories
• Business literacy
• Management skills and issues
• Crisis communication management
• Media relations
• History of and current issues in public relations
• Using information technology efficiently
• Advanced communication skills

Interested and ready for this leap in career and personal development? First, make sure you are qualified. Accreditation is open to members of PRSA and participating organizations who have at least five years of paid, full-time experience in the professional practice of public relations, or in the teaching or administration or public relations courses in an accredited college or university. Second, learn more by visiting the Become an APR web page.

The APR process is administered by the Universal Accreditation Board, a consortium of nine industry organizations, include the Public Relations Society of America. The UAB has developed several tools to help guide candidates through the Accreditation process, including:

1. An Online Demonstration of the examination.
2. An Online Study Guide preparation resource.
3. A Short Bookshelf of suggested texts.

And, you can join the APR Facebook page to learn more.

For detailed information on the Accreditation program, visit www.praccreditation.org or call Kathy Mulvihill at (212) 460-1436 or via email at kathy.mulvihlll@prsa.org.

For clarification or questions, contact PRSA Chicago Committee Member Edward M. Bury, APR, at 773-463-9811 or edwardmbury@yahoo.com.