Accreditation

In 1964, the Public Relations Society of America unveiled the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) credential as a way to recognize practitioners who have mastered the delivery of strategic communications. More than five decades later, the APR continues to be the gold standard of PR professionals.

When companies hire a professional with the letters APR after his or her name, they know they’re getting someone who can deliver a comprehensive communications campaign from start to finish. Those with the credential have completed a comprehensive essay-based readiness review questionnaire; they’ve sat for their readiness review, presenting their best work to a panel of their colleagues; and they’ve passed the APR exam, which is a national computer-based exam administered at testing facilities across the country.

Currently, 19% of PRSA Richmond’s membership has earned its Accreditation in Public Relations. The chapter would like to see that number continue to grow.

Since the onset of COVID-19, in-person components of the accreditation process have been on hold. PRSA is now allowing virtual completion of the process, including:

• Online study courses
• Virtual panel presentations
• Virtual examination options in a Prometric Testing Center or through a remote proctor

Members can prepare for the APR process via:

• APR Boot Camp
• Self-Guided Test Prep
• APR Online Courses