What It Is
The Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) credential certifies your drive, professionalism, and principles, setting you apart from your peers and positioning you as a leader and mentor in the competitive public relations field.
To achieve the APR credential, a practitioner must demonstrate a general knowledge of the broad field of public relations, and must have a comprehensive understanding of his or her concentration within the field. A member who achieves “Accredited in Public Relations,” or APR, has earned the highest status available to anyone in the public relations profession.
Those individuals listed as “Fellow PRSA” have achieved the APR status, in addition to being nominated and accepted into the PRSA College of Fellows in recognition of contributions to the profession and the community after 20 years of experience in public relations.
How It works
Earning the APR demonstrates your mastery of today’s strategic communications practice and your commitment to lifelong learning and ethical standards. Accreditation is attained by successfully completing both a readiness review conducted by a panel of three peers and a computer-based examination.
When you’re ready to pursue your accreditation, complete the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations Application online. From there, you will study and sit for a Panel Presentation then complete the proctored examination.
We offer Readiness Reviews for APR candidates on-demand. After you pass the Readiness Review, you’ll have one year to take the written exam. The exam is administered at Prometric either at their testing centers or through remote proctoring.
Learn more about the process and tools for starting your APR journey.
CMPRSA is pleased to have the following members who have achieved APR and/or Fellow status:
- Monica Ackerson, APR
- Amy Adamy, APR
- Barb Holland, APR
- Brian D. Barthelmes, APR
- Elizabeth Battiste, APR
- Elizabeth Driscoll Boyd, APR (Retired)
- Andrew D. Corner, MA, APR, Fellow PRSA
- Denise Donohue, CAE, APR
- Kevin Bryce Downey, APR
- Danelle L. Gittus, APR
- Barb Holland, APR
- Jennifer Lynn Holton, APR
- Melody Kindraka, APR
- Douglas Klein, APR (Retired)
- Barbara J. Lezotte, APR
- Jayne E. Marsh, APR
- Roger L. Martin, APR
- Gretchen M. Mensing, APR
- Angela Minicuci, APR
- Melissa Molenda, APR
- Amy L. Morris, APR
- Cynthia A. Orlandi, ABC, APR (Retired)
- Andie Poole, APR
- Carrie Rathbun Hawks, APR
- Anne Readett, APR
- Kate M. Snyder, APR
- Colleen Gehoski Steinman, APR
- Rose Tantraphol, APR
- Jessica Tramontana, APR
- Fred Woodhams, APR
- Jessi Wortley Adler, APR
For more information about earning the APR designation, contact Jessi Wortley Adler, APR, CMPRSA Accreditation Chair at jessicawortley@gmail.com, or visit the PRSA website on accreditation.