Accreditation

Ready to earn your Accreditation in Public Relations (APR)?
We want to help you take your career to the next level.

The Accredited in Public Relations (APR) mark of distinction serves as a universal industry stamp of authenticity and professionalism and proves to your employer or clients that you have successfully demonstrated competency in effectively applying the practice of public relations in today’s business challenging arena.

What is APR?
APR is a mark of distinction for public relations professionals who demonstrate their commitment to the profession and to its ethical practice, and who are selected based on broad knowledge, strategic perspective, and sound professional judgment.

Who can pursue the APR?
Any PRSA member in good standing can take on the challenge of earning Accreditation. However, it is recommended that candidates have at least five years’ experience in the full-time practice or teaching of public relations and who have earned either a bachelor’s degree in a communication-specific field (e.g., public relations, journalism, mass communication) or have equivalent work experience. The knowledge, skills and abilities tested are confidence builders for those early in their career and sources of self-affirmation for senior-level practitioners.

What steps are involved?

1. You must complete an application -- that lets the UAB gauge your full-time public relations experience.
2. Once your application is approved, you must schedule a Readiness Review presentation, which is a face-to-face review by three APRs to determine whether you have a grasp of the knowledge, skills and abilities required to pass the comprehensive examination.
3. Prior to the Readiness Review presentation, you must complete a Readiness Review Questionnaire -- that addresses: your organization and position in public relations; overall experience; and assessment of readiness to pass the computer-based written examination.
4. Successfully pass a comprehensive examination that is administered at numerous Prometric Testing Centers around the nation.

Benefits of Accreditation

• Signifies a high professional level of experience and competence.
• Enhances a practitioner’s approach to project planning as well as daily implementation skills.
• Broadens the knowledge of practitioners working in very specialized public relations fields.
• Demonstrates interest, determination and commitment to self-improvement.
• Elevates the profession in stature as the number of accredited public relations practitioners grows.

PRSA Detroit Accreditation Preparation Session
PRSA's Detroit Chapter will host a prep session for members seeking Universal Accreditation late February or early March (dates still being determined.)

Candidates will receive a complete overview of the Universal Accreditation testing process including Readiness Review, Portfolio Presentation, preparation resources and the multiple-choice computer exam. Guest speakers - several representing Michigan universities - will present areas of practice evaluated by the exam, including:

• Communications Models and Theories
• Crisis Communications
• Ethics and Law
• History
• Media Relations
• Programming
• Research

To get a jump start on the Accreditation prep process prior to February 20, candidates are encouraged to:

• Apply for the exam by downloading the PRSA-National application. Members have one year from the date of application approval to complete the testing process.
• Select a textbook from the Preparation Resources and borrow/purchase at least one general textbook on the bookshelf list:
  • Effective Public Relations by Cutlip, Center and Broom, Prentice-Hall, 1999 Public Relations: Strategies and Tactics by Dennis Wilcox, et. al., Longman, 2000
  • The Practice of Public Relations by Fraser Seitel, Prentice-Hall, 2000
  • This is PR: The Realities of Public Relations by Doug Newsom, et. al., Wadsworth, 1999

Universal Accreditation Exam Overview
The Universal Accreditation Exam consists of:

• A Readiness Review that involves preparing a written document and a work portfolio for presentation to a panel of three local Accredited members during a one - two hour session; and
• a 2 - 3 hour 147 question multiple-choice computer test available "on demand" at any Prometric Testing Center.

About the Universal Accreditation Exam

• Based on a set of 60 knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) within 10 categories
• Designed to assess a practitioner's higher level performance
• Sixteen of the more performance-based KSAs are evaluated through Readiness Review, the remainder - which are more academic-oriented - are assessed through the multiple-choice exam.

Once approved to sit for the exam (ideally while your application is being processed) you can begin work on the Readiness Review Questionnaire and work portfolio. The questionnaire requires detailed, written answers to 18 questions covering:

• the organization you work in and your role;
• your experience; and
• the reasons you think you're ready for the written exam.

You'll submit the completed questionnaire to the local Accreditation committee for review by the three chapter members who will conduct your Portfolio Presentation.

While working on the questionnaire, you'll also be assembling a work portfolio for presentation. It must highlight a complete program or initiative that you've performed the majority of the work (the same program highlighted in the Readiness Review Questionnaire). This can be work you've done in a paid position or as a volunteer and should include samples of materials produced as part of the effort, either in hard copy or a Power Point presentation.

You must demonstrate a thorough understanding of public relations programming in both portions of Readiness Review. The Detroit Chapter's prep session will address programming and other skills necessary for Readiness Review to help candidates prepare their questionnaires and work portfolios.

Candidates who "advance" through Readiness Review are eligible to move on to the multiple-choice computer exam, which you must take within one year of your application approval date. Candidates who do not advance through Readiness Review are eligible to go through it again at any time. You cannot sit for the computer exam without advancing through Readiness Review.

In addition to the Detroit Chapter prep session, you can prepare for the computer exam using one or more textbooks from National's Accreditation bookshelf and a candidate's guide available online at www.prsa.org.

For more information, contact:
Tim Wieland APR, Accreditation Committee Chair
248.304.1414 or wieland@airfoilpr.com