Corporate Communications Certificate
Corporate communications Certificate
The Corporate Communications Certificate prepares students to connect communication strategy with business strategy and become effective communicators and leaders in today’s complex organizations.
Overview
Corporate communications is at the intersection of communication, business strategy, and reputation. As organizations navigate rapid social, economic, and technological change, communication professionals play a critical role in building stakeholder trust, advancing business goals, and shaping organizational impact.
The Corporate Communications Certificate prepares students with the strategic knowledge, business acumen, and industry exposure needed to explore and pursue careers in corporate communications and related fields.
Offered through an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Grady College and the Terry College of Business, the certificate combines communication strategy with business literacy, management, and leadership.
The program bridges classroom learning with professional practice through real-world cases and direct engagement with chief communications officers and senior industry leaders.
Applications for the Corporate Communications Certificate are open each Spring and Fall. Spring cycle applications open in late January and are due last business day of February. Fall cycle applications open in late August and are due last business day of September.
ELIGIBILITY
- The program is open to undergraduate students in the Grady College and the Terry College.
- Applicants must have at least 30 credit hours completed or in progress.
- Applicants must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher to apply.
- Admissions are open each Spring and Fall. Spring cycle applications open in late January and are due last business day of February. Fall cycle applications open in late August and are due last business day of September.
- Applicants must submit (1) a short essay (250-300 words) stating the student’s preparedness, reason to apply, and career goals; (2) a one-page resume.
CERTIFICATE TRACK: HOW IT WORKS
The Corporate Communications Certificate requires 6 courses for a total of 18 credit hours. This includes four core courses (two in Grady, two in Terry) and two elective courses (one from Grady, one from Terry).
ADPR 3870 – Introduction to Corporate Communications
This is an introductory, “gateway” course to the certificate. The course will demonstrate the critical role strategic communication plays in supporting a company’s business strategy. Through classroom learning and interaction with current chief communications officers and industry leaders, students will gain an understanding of all aspects of corporate communications: media relations, brand PR, internal communications, crisis communications, social and digital communications, government relations, investor relations, executive communications, public affairs, and corporate social responsibility/ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance.)
ADPR 5870/7870 – Advanced Corporate Communications
This course explores corporate communications from a leadership perspective. Through real-world cases and industry experts, students will learn how organizations navigate complex, multi-stakeholder environments. Topics include senior communicators and the C-suite, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in polarized contexts, crisis and risk management, change communication, business acumen, and the evolving media and AI landscape.
* Prerequisite: ADPR 3870 — Introduction to Corporate Communications OR prior approval by ADPR department.
MARK 3000 or MARK 3001 – Principles of Marketing
Examination of the ways organizations satisfy consumer and organizational needs and wants for products and services. Emphasis is placed on how the elements of the marketing mix are used to provide customer satisfaction in the marketing of goods and services, both domestically and internationally.
MGMT 3000 or MGMT 3001 – Principles of Management
Management functions and processes as applied to organizations and to individuals in organizations. Topics to be covered include strategy, job and organization design, ethics and social responsibility, diversity, global influences, leadership, motivation, human resource management, and organizational change. Other emerging managerial issues may be introduced.
ADPR 3860 – Introduction to Public Affairs Communications
This course describes the field and the role of public affairs and advocacy in shaping public policy, legislation and politics.
ADPR 5120 – Crisis Communication
Students develop crisis analysis, planning, and communication skills through class discussion, analysis of theories, case studies, and development of a crisis communication plan.
AdPR 5130 – Sports Communications
Promoting athletic teams, coordinating and planning corporate sports sponsorships, and working with athletes and managers are all part of sports promotion. This course looks at the role of marketing communications in sports. Media relations, crisis management, advertising and sports sponsorships, contemporary sports writing, and event planning will be studied.
AdPR 5880 – Business Literacy for Communications
This course offers students a practical introduction to business literacy from a communication perspective. Students will learn the fundamentals of how organizations operate and make decisions. Students will also learn how communications professionals collaborate with key functions such as legal, finance, marketing and human resources to deliver communication strategies.
* Prerequisite: ADPR 3870 — Introduction to Corporate Communications OR prior approval by ADPR department
AdPR 5910 – Public Relations Management
Students study the operation and objectives of corporate public relations programs using the case study approach. Emphasis is given to relating the management function of decision making and policy formation to the communication process.
ADPR 5930 – PR Ethics, Diverse Cultures and Cross-Cultural Leadership
Case studies and theory are applied to contemporary situations in this course to explore how economics and politics affect issues of inclusion, corporate purpose, communication and leadership across cultures.
BUSN 4900 – Communicating for Business Effectiveness
Focuses on the practice of communication for students’ success in their academic and professional careers. Specific communication skills will be practiced within the following contexts: public speaking/presentations, interpersonal communications, managing conflict, presenting data, and business writing.
FINA 3000 or FINA 3001 – Financial Management
The basic concepts and analytical tools of finance in both corporate finance and investments. Topics include risk and return, financial institutions, efficient markets, valuation theory, capital budgeting, portfolio theory, cost of capital, and international finance.
ILAD 5980 – Personal and Organizational Leadership
This course is a broad survey of leadership theory, research, and practice in organizations. Students will engage in activities to increase self-awareness and learn more about themselves to help them excel in leadership roles. Practical tactics, techniques and strategies will be used to ensure students are prepared for leadership roles.
MBUS 3010 – Introduction to Music Business
An introduction to fundamental concepts of business practices of the music industry. Course will focus on the primary sectors of the music industry and necessary skills for beginning and maintaining a professional career in music, and will emphasize practical applications of classroom knowledge to the music business.
MGMT 5440 – Business Ethics
Designed to help students deal with the ethical implications of an increasingly complex business world. Covers methods for analyzing and applying personal values, recognizing organizational and environmental forces that influence ethical behavior, and heightening the student’s abilities to recognize ethical issues and engage in effective moral debate in a business setting.
RMIN 4000 – Risk Management and Insurance
Introduction to risk identification, risk evaluation, and risk treatment methods. Consideration is given to both business and personal risks, with an emphasis on insurance as a risk management tool. The course is designed for non-majors, as well as a basis for more advanced courses in Risk Management and Insurance.
Class Sampler
ADPR 3870 – Introduction to Corporate Communications
This is an introductory, “gateway” course to the certificate. The course will demonstrate the critical role strategic communication plays in supporting a company’s business strategy. Through classroom learning and interaction with current chief communications officers and industry leaders, students will gain an understanding of all aspects of corporate communications: media relations, brand PR, internal communications, crisis communications, social and digital communications, government relations, investor relations, executive communications, public affairs, and corporate social responsibility/ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance.)
ADPR 5870/7870 – Advanced Corporate Communications
This course explores corporate communications from a leadership perspective. Through real-world cases and industry experts, students will learn how organizations navigate complex, multi-stakeholder environments. Topics include senior communicators and the C-suite, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in polarized contexts, crisis and risk management, change communication, business acumen, and the evolving media and AI landscape.
* Prerequisite: ADPR 3870 — Introduction to Corporate Communications OR prior approval by ADPR department.
AdPR 5880 – Business Literacy for Communications
This course offers students a practical introduction to business literacy from a communication perspective. Students will learn the fundamentals of how organizations operate and make decisions. Students will also learn how communications professionals collaborate with key functions such as legal, finance, marketing and human resources to deliver communication strategies.
* Prerequisite: ADPR 3870 — Introduction to Corporate Communications OR prior approval by ADPR department
FACULTY
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Zifei “Fay” Chen
Associate Professor
About: Dr. Zifei “Fay” Chen (MA ’13) teaches public relations and advertising theory and corporate communication. Her research foci include corporate social responsibility and advocacy, startup and entrepreneurial communication, digital […]
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Ben Deutsch
Executive in Residence
Ben Deutsch retired from The Coca-Cola Company in December 2017 after a 25-year career, the last 11 years of which he served as Vice President, Corporate Communications. In this global […]
Questions about the Corporate Communications Certificate?
Zifei “Fay” Chen, associate professor, co-director of the Corporate Communications Certificate program
Zifei.Chen@uga.edu
Ben Deutsch, executive in residence, co-director of the Corporate Communications Certificate program Ben.Deutsch@uga.edu
Perspectives
“The Certificate in Corporate Communications is a vital bridge for students, mirroring the cross-functional reality of modern business by blending Grady’s strategic communication expertise with Terry’s business acumen. This interdisciplinary toolkit is essential, as today’s communicators need deep business savvy just as much as business leaders must be expert communicators.”
Michael Gray (ABJ ’11)
Senior Internal Communications Manager, Culture & People, GE Vernova
Perspectives
“One of the most meaningful classes of my college experience was Professor Deutsch’s Introduction to Corporate Communications. Through this course, we studied current business and financial events and gained insight into how publicly traded companies operate and communicate from a business perspective. For our final project, we conducted an in-depth analysis of a Fortune 500 company of our choice. This provided valuable experience that strengthened my resume, helped me progress through interviews, and ultimately contributed to securing a full-time offer at the financial institution I selected for the project. Students looking to strengthen their business acumen and pursue leadership roles in their future careers will greatly benefit from this course and certificate program.”
Jennifer Natunen
Class of 2027
Perspectives
Before taking the Corporate Communications course at UGA, if you had asked me what lobbyists, investors, politicians, and employees have to do with public relations, I likely would have given you a blank stare. Now, I understand the interconnected nature of these relationships and how to engage every key stakeholder in a company’s fabric. Today, as a junior public relations practitioner, this knowledge gives me confidence in navigating complex strategic communication challenges within a corporate setting, and it continues to grow!
Wyatt Stark (AB ’26)
Brand PR Foundation Fellow, The Home Depot
Perspectives
Introduction to Corporate Communications confirmed my desire to pursue a career doing in-house comms. Ben Deutsch brings his vast network and years of experience to the classroom, giving students the opportunity to hear from real-world professionals across all areas of corporate communications every week. He does an incredible job of providing a comprehensive view of the industry while also fostering discussion and analysis of real-world issues through weekly projects and presentations. Even now, whenever I see a major crisis or campaign, I find myself analyzing it like how Professor Deutsch taught us in class.
Anna Kapustay (AB ’26)
Media Strategy Coordinator, Goldin Solutions
Perspectives
Trent Polkinghorne (AB ’24)
Associate Broker, Marsh – Property Practice
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Apply To The Certificate
Applications for the Corporate Communications Certificate are open each Spring and Fall. Spring cycle applications open in late January and are due last business day of February. Fall cycle applications open in late August and are due last business day of September.