UC's PR program is one of only 20 programs in the nation to achieve the Certification in Education for Public Relations (CEPR) designation from the Public Relations Society of America. The curriculum of UC's PR program is grounded in the reports of the Commission on Public Relations Education.
The curriculum ties closely with our goals for the program. First, we want to provide our students with a thorough foundation in both the various theories of communication as well as the specific theories that relate to the study and practice of public relations. Understanding theory as well as practice enables students to utilize a set of critical thinking and analysis capabilities in the variety of situations they encounter in their college careers and beyond. We want our students to develop the specific skills required of a PR professional, and to understand how to constantly refine those skills.
Next, we want to provide both educational and practical experiences that provide students a variety of opportunities and the skills to choose opportunities wisely. We try to blend classroom and internship experiences with a variety of special project opportunities, a very active Public Relations Student Society of America chapter, and networking with the local PRSA Chapter to give students a broad perspective on the profession of public relations. We don't want them to be limited to being technicians; we want them to become professionals.
Ultimately, our goal is to graduate students who achieve not simply in the classroom, but outside of it as well. We want our students to be successful in whatever path they take. Our goal in the PR program is to enable that to happen.