Public Relations Graduate Certificate

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Public Relations has been defined as the management function that entails planning, research, publicity, promotion and collaborative decision-making to help any organization’s ability to listen to, appreciate and respond appropriately to those persons and groups whose mutually beneficial relationships the organization needs to foster as it strives to achieve its mission and vision. The graduate certificate in public relations is designed to provide students with the principles and theories that guide the work of public relations practitioners in commercial, public and non-profit contexts.

The graduate certificate in public relations is designed for working professionals who already have earned bachelor’s degrees but who would like to enhance or upgrade their skills in the area of public relations. Non-degree students who enroll in the MA program following completion of the certificate may transfer up to 12 hours of credits earned for the certificate into credits for the MA degree. The certificate also is designed for students enrolled in a CU Denver master’s program, including the Department of Communication’s MA program. For such students, the certificate can be completed as part of or in addition to the course work required for the master’s degree (recipients of the undergraduate certificate in public relations are ineligible to complete this certificate).

Certificate Requirements

The graduate certificate in public relations requires four courses (12 semester hours):

COMM 5240 - Organizational Communication gtPATHWAYS:
-OR- COMM 4805 - Graphics gtPATHWAYS:
COMM 5635 - Principles of Public Relations gtPATHWAYS:
COMM 5640 - Advanced Public Relations gtPATHWAYS:
COMM 5665 - Principles of Advertising gtPATHWAYS:

Total: 12 Hours

Students may be permitted to take courses other than those listed above to fulfill the requirements for the certificate if those courses fit their professional goals better (COMM 5635, Principles of Public Relations may not be substituted, however). Requests for approval of substitute courses, including an explanation for the substitution, must be made in writing to Hamilton Bean.

Grade and Residency Requirements

A grade of B must be earned in each course completed as part of the certificate. All of the credit hours for the certificate must be earned at the University of Colorado Denver.

Application Procedures and Additional Information

Students should apply for the graduate certificate in public relations after the completion of the required courses. To apply, students must complete the certificate application and return it to Dr. Hamilton Bean in his mailbox in room 102-A of the Plaza Building or mail to Department of Communication; P. O. Box 173364, Campus Box 176; University of Colorado Denver; Denver, CO 80217-3364. The approved certificate is mailed to the student.

Students who are not already enrolled at CU Denver must also complete an Application for Non-Degree Admission prior to registering for courses. The form should be returned to the Office of Admissions in the annex of the CU Building.

Additional information about the graduate certificate in public relations may be obtained from Dr. Hamilton Bean, Department of Communication, Plaza 102-Q, 303-352-3876, Hamilton.Bean@ucdenver.edu.

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