Standards for Master’s Degree Education in Public Relations

1. Educating for Complexity: Standards for Master’s Degree Education in Public Relations

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3. Acknowledgements Research led by: • Syracuse University • University of Maryland Research and report generously funded by: • PRSA Foundation • The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations Commission on Public Relations Education: • Educators and practitioners • Studied public relations education since 1975 • Undergraduate recommendations adopted nationally and internationally

4. Why We Did This • Graduate programs vary drastically in curriculum and purpose • Need for accrediting guidelines and standards across programs • Elevate and clarify what students, educators and employers can expect of a master’s degree in public relations • Boost industry support for such education

5. Overview of the Report • Research • Curriculum standards • Admission standards • Delivering the master’s degree • Resources needed • Global perspective • Summary

6. Types of Degrees Professional Graduate Program • Strategic and critical thinking • Understand and respect ethics • Provides competitive edge Academic Graduate Program • Preparation for teaching, research, doctoral program • Expand knowledge of theories and principles • Advance critical thinking and ethics

7. Research Results Phase 1: Analysis of secondary sources and online audit of websites • Increase in master’s programs (from 26 in 2000 to 75 in 2011, and still growing) • Range of program titles • Lack of uniform standards including number of credit hours • Inconsistent cumulative/capstone experiences

8. Research Results Phase 2: Quantitative survey of educators and practitioners • Four knowledge categories identified: strategic management, business, theoretical knowledge (including research methods), globalization • Comprehensive project requirement • Practitioners and educators split on whether a master’s degree is important in hiring • Completing the degree makes graduate eligible for research positions/equivalent of three years’ experience

9. Research Results Phase 3: Qualitative in-depth interviews with employers • Employers value characteristics of applicant more than knowledge or skills • Employers view a master’s as preparation for entry-level • Suggested a “better brand” needed for graduate programs • Interpreted “split” between practitioners and educators as reflection of varying graduate program quality

10. Master’s Degree Curriculum • Standards for content areas, not specific courses • A master’s degree in public relations should consist of a minimum of 30 hours • Standards are applicable to: • Master’s degree programs that are specifically called public relations degree programs • Programs in which public relations is a track, sequence or concentration

11. Master’s Degree Curriculum Should focus on knowledge and skills in the following areas: • Strategic public relations management • Basic business principles and processes • Communication/public relations theory and research methods • Global influences on the practice of public relations • Ethics

12. Master’s Degree Curriculum Should also gain a mutual understanding of business principles and processes: • Management • Marketing • Accounting • Economics and finance • Understanding strategic business outcomes

13. Admission Standards • Academic ability • Standardized entrance exams such as the GRE • Exceptional undergraduate GPAs • Integrated reasoning and/or analytical writing ability tests • Knowledge of public relations • Experience • Academic and professional credentials

14. Delivering the Master’s Degree The traditional model remains the most prevalent and widely preferred by educators and practitioners due to the benefits: • Academic services and professors are available to provide support • It is easier to structure courses for both students and faculty • Revenue for the university

15. Delivering the Master’s Degree However, traditional courses also pose some challenges: • Students must spend two-plus years on campus • Most programs force students to quit working while pursuing a master's degree • International students struggle because relocating limits work opportunities • Many universities are already operating over capacity

16. Delivering the Master’s Degree Online, blended and web-facilitated programs address such problems and provide key benefits: • Can increase enrollment and reach new markets • Hybrid learning effectively expands course content and supports knowledge analysis • Hybrid education still enables students to form bonds with peer groups and professors

17. Delivering the Master’s Degree Online and web-facilitated programs also have drawbacks: • Face-to-face connections are rarely made, which limits team-oriented learning • Students lack the benefit of a campus, professors and academic services • Students must rely on self-discipline to complete course work

18. Delivering the Master’s Degree At a minimum, a master's program must ensure that future practitioners are able to: • Contribute to the profession • Transmit knowledge • Conduct research • Apply theories in everyday work Requires rigorous curricula no matter what delivery format

19. Resources Needed • Educators prefer faculty to have academic credentials • Practitioners thought too many educators lack professional experience • Faculty should have a blend of practical experience and theoretical understanding • Faculty should also remain professionally engaged

20. Resources Needed • Universities encouraged to recognize that an individual faculty member may not possess every desired criterion • However, faculty hired for full-time positions should: • Preferably have a Ph.D • Amaster’s degree and professional experience should be the minimum acceptable credentials • Have professional credentials from a widely recognized professional society • Be engaged in ongoing professional development in both academic and practitioner environments

21. Resources Needed Financial, facility and marketing support for public relations master’s programs: • Increased autonomy for facilities and budget management • Utilize opportunities to attract greater funding from the private sector • Academic units should support global initiatives such as travel grants for international faculty and students • Use marketing techniques to attract top students to public relations master’s degree programs • Educate employers about the value of the master’s degree

22. Resources Needed Further resource considerations: • Internships, work experience and practica are essential components of professional graduate education • Employers have ever-increasing expectations of master’s degree graduates’ ability to use technology • Graduates student research should enable an understanding of using such tools and systems

23. Resources Needed • Both educators and practitioners should commit to a more effective interface with each other • Practitioners believe too many full-time faculty lack professional experience • Collaboration in preparing practitioners to teach can help improve interface • Programs should leverage educator and practitioner collaboration to increase the number of successful research programs

24. Global Perspective • There needs to be a global understanding of public relations master’s education • Countries all over the world have contributed to the development of public relations • The Commission includes members from North America, Europe, Australia and Indonesia • The Commission’s previous reports and standards have been adapted all over the world

25. Summary • Professional and academic graduate programs engage students and practitioners in furthering their education for career or academic purposes • Standards create common core elements to ensure consistency throughout public relations graduate programs that results in credibility and validity • Programs can leverage educator and practitioner collaboration to increase relevance • Educators and practitioners worldwide should consider this report and alter their graduate programs as needed

26. Commission Members • Dean Kruckeberg, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, Co-ChairUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte • Frank Ovaitt, Jr., APR, Co-ChairInstitute for Public Relations • William Briggs, Ed.D.California State University Fullerton • Kathy Cripps, APRCouncil of Public Relation Firms • Louis Capozzi, APR, Fellow PRSANew York University • Denise P. Ferguson, Ph.D., APRPepperdine University • Rochelle Ford, Ph.D., APRHoward University • Elizabeth GoenawanAnanto, Ph.D., IPRA Fellow Trisakti University • Karla K. Gower, Ph.D.University of Alabama • EmanueleInvernizziUniversità IULM • Stephen D. Iseman, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSAOhio Northern University • Colleen M. Killingsworth, ABC, APRCK Communications • Alexander V. Laskin, Ph.D.Quinnipiac University

27. Commission Members • Thomas R. MartinCollege of Charleston • John L. Paluszek, APR, Fellow PRSAKetchum • Maria P. Russell, APR, Fellow PRSASyracuse University • HongmeiShen, Ph.D.San Diego State University • Deborah Silverman, Ph.D., APR Buffalo State College • Gerald SwerlingUniversity of Southern California • Elizabeth Toth, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSAUniversity of Maryland, College Park • Katerina Tsetsura, Ph.D. University of Oklahoma • Judy VanSlyke Turk, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSAVirginia Commonwealth University • Jean Valin, Fellow CPRS, APRValinStrategic Communication • Susan Balcom Walton, APR University of North Dakota • Donald K. Wright, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSABoston University