Don Boucher
Prometric, a part of The Thomson Corporation
443.923.8031
Kathy Mulvihill
Manager, Universal Accreditation Program
c/o Public Relations Society of America
212.460.1436
Baltimore, Md. – July 14, 2003 – Prometric, a part of The Thomson Corporation (TSX: TOC; NYSE: TOC), the global leader in technology-enabled testing and assessment services, and the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB), a consortium of nine professional communication organizations, today announced the July 1, 2003 launch of the re-engineered certification examination for the public relations profession.
Three hundred of Prometric’s secure testing centers throughout North America offer the written portion of the new Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations. It replaces the examination format introduced by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the world’s largest organization of professional public relations practitioners, and used successfully for more than 40 years. In order to qualify to take the Examination, candidates must first advance through an in-person Readiness Review process administered by more than 120 PRSA chapters nationwide and by the other eight organizations comprising the UAB.
Candidates who pass the new Examination will earn the same well-established certification credential known as APR (standing for “Accredited in Public Relations”), as did their predecessors. Approximately 5,000 Accredited members of the public relations profession have earned their APR designation.
The new examination is the result of years-long strategic cooperation among PRSA, the other member organizations of the UAB and Prometric.
“The new computer-delivered Examination is a remarkable advance for our candidates and for our profession,” notes Nancy Wood, APR, current chair of the UAB. “We began this re-engineering process three years ago with a broadly-based practice analysis study to determine which knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) are essential for success as a PR practitioner today. This practice analysis served as the basis for reengineering the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations. We have retained the intellectual rigor of the previous examination that allows our candidates to demonstrate their mastery of the professional body of knowledge while making it much more convenient for candidates to take.” Using the well-established computer-based Prometric format, results are scored immediately at the end of the examination and forwarded to UAB. UAB then reviews the score and communicates the results to the APR candidate. Scores are reported back to the candidate within three weeks.
Guided by Prometric psychometric authorities, UAB members and 150 public relations subject matter experts conducted detailed reviews over several months, ensuring accurate and clear examination questions and answers. The 147-question examination is based on the UAB professional practice analysis, completed in 2001, supplemented by administration of a beta version of the new Examination completed earlier this year. One hundred fifty candidates sat for the beta examination.
“This alliance among Prometric, PRSA and the UAB is certain to create and uphold a credible and respected APR credential,” said Alison Indrisano, Prometric senior vice president of Client Services and Support. “Through Prometric’s psychometric experts and the UAB content experts, we were able to create an Accreditation Examination that is state-of-the-art and underscores the value of Accreditation for the public relations profession.”
The APR Examination covers ten professional practice areas, each shown below with the percentage of the Examination devoted to each:
- Research, Planning, Implementing and Evaluating Programs (30%)
- Ethics and Law (15%)
- Communication Models and Theories (15%)
- Business Literacy (10%)
- Management Skills and Issues (10%)
- Crisis Communication Management (10%)
- Media Relations (5%)
- Using Information Technology Efficiently (2%)
- History of and Current Issues in Public Relations (2%)
- Advanced Communication Skills (1%)
The new Examination allows for online test registration and payment. After the local “Readiness Review Panel” approves each test candidate’s advancement, the candidate may schedule his or her examination through www.Prometric.com up to one year after approved.
For additional details about the Accreditation Program, visit the UAB’s Web site at www.accreditationboard.org.
About The Thomson Corporation and Prometric
The Thomson Corporation, with 2002 revenues of $7.8 billion, is a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. The Corporation's common shares are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges (TSX: TOC; NYSE: TOC). Its learning businesses and brands serve the needs of individuals, learning institutions, corporations and government agencies with products and services for both traditional and distributed learning.
Prometric (www.prometric.com) is the global leader in technology-enabled testing and assessment services for information technology certification, academic admissions and professional licensure and certifications. Prometric delivers standardized tests for more than 300 clients, in more than 25 languages, over the Web or through a global network of testing centers in 121 countries. Based in Baltimore, Md., Prometric employs more than 3,000 employees worldwide.
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
The Public Relations Society of America, headquartered in New York City, is the world’s largest professional organization for public relations practitioners, with 20,000 members and 116 Chapters nationwide. Members include public relations executives who work for corporations, agencies and counseling firms, government, associations, professional services firms and educational, health care and other nonprofit organizations.
Universal Accreditation Board (UAB)
The Universal Accreditation Board, which was created in 1998, is a consortium of nine professional communications organizations. Each organization contributes resources and senior-level volunteer members who are named to the UAB and who represent all segments of the PR profession. Collectively, the UAB members oversee the professional certification program on behalf of the public relations profession.
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