Public Affairs Professional Certificate
Public Affairs
Professional Certificate in Public Affairs communications
The Public Affairs Communications program provides students with specialized communications skills aimed at educating, shaping or changing public opinion on public policy, legislation, political candidates or issues.
Overview
Public Affairs Communications (PAC) is at the forefront of politics, policymaking and issue advocacy. Grady College is home to the first program in the nation to provide undergraduate students with practical training in this emerging field.
The PAC program provides students with specialized communications skills aimed at educating, shaping or changing public opinion on public policy, legislation, political candidates or issues.
Grady College and the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) jointly offer their students the opportunity to obtain a Public Affairs Professional Certificate. The PAC program and certificate are designed to prepare students for careers in public affairs.
The PAC program is preparing the next generation of public affairs communicators by offering them unparalleled access to leading practitioners in the field and equipping them with the real-world skills they will need to be successful.
ELIGIBILITY
- The PAC program is interdisciplinary, meaning any UGA student can apply. Students must be accepted into the PAC certificate program and applications are open for a few weeks during the spring semester.
- The certificate offers two tracks: (1) Public Affairs Communications (PAC) for Grady College students and (2) Applied Politics for political science students. The certificate is designed to offer a competitive professional advantage to students majoring in both Grady College and SPIA who want to combine their interests in communication and politics.
- Admission is open to majors in Grady College who meet the following criteria: the completion of 24 hours, including POLS 1101 (American Government) and one upper-division studies course [3000-5000 level] offered by the Department of Advertising and Public Relations. Applicants must have an overall GPA of 3.2 or higher to apply. Applicants must submit a formal essay explaining their interest in public affairs communications.
- The certificate program is designed to be completed in four semesters. Grady College students apply either when they apply to be a Grady College major or their first semester as a major. Upon admission, students take two required core courses—one offered by Grady College, one offered by SPIA—as a cohort. Students then take two additional required courses and two electives.
CERTIFICATE TRACK: HOW IT WORKS
The PAC track requires 6 courses: two core courses in PAC, two courses in Political Science and two PAC- relevant Grady special topics or experiential courses.
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.
POLS 5030 – Introduction to Applied Politics
This “launch pad” course will introduce students to substantive issues and knowledge needed to pursue a career in politics and politically oriented advertising and public relations.
ADPR 3960 – Advanced Public Affairs Communications
This course provides an in-depth dive into public affairs communications through the study of elements and tools that can be used and ethics needed to create a full-scale public affairs communications campaign.
POLS 4150 – Research Methods & Design
POLS 4155 – Analyzing Political Behavior
POLS 4510 – Public Opinion
POLS 4515 – Campaign Politics
POLS 4520 – Electoral Behavior
POLS 4530 – American Political Parties
POLS 4540 – Interest Group Politics
POLS 4551 – Political Propaganda
POLS 4600 – Legislative Process
POLS 4605 – Politics of Congressional Elections
POLS 4610 – US Presidency
POLS 4660 – Southern Politics
Choose any of the following for a total of 6 hours
ADPR 5010 – PAC Related Internship
*requires prior approval by ADPR department
ADPR 5011 – PAC Related Internship
*requires prior approval by ADPR department
ADPR 5991 – Advertising & Public Relations Field Study
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 5940 – Topics in PAC
JOUR 3190 – Information Gathering
JOUR 5320 – Journalism Ethics and Diversity
The course considers social responsibility and presents a contemporary framework for transparency and community with a focus on diversity as a guiding journalistic principle.
JOUR 5420 – Credibility, the News Media & Public Trust
Class Sampler
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.
POLS 5030 – Introduction to Applied Politics
This “launch pad” course will introduce students to substantive issues and knowledge needed to pursue a career in politics and politically oriented advertising and public relations.
ADPR 3960 – Advanced Public Affairs Communications
This course provides an in-depth dive into public affairs communications through the study of elements and tools that can be used and ethics needed to create a full-scale public affairs communications campaign.
ADPR 5011, ADPR 5991 – Grady in Washington, D.C.
Grady in Washington, D.C., provides a unique opportunity for Public Affairs Communications students to satisfy all 6 of the required Level III credits. This 12-week summer program allows students to receive credit for interning full time in Public Affairs in Washington, D.C. (ADPR 5011- 3 hours) while also taking a course offered at UGA’s Delta Hall campus (ADPR 5991- 3 hours).
ADPR 5940 – Topics in Public Affairs Communications
This course is flexible such that a different public affairs communications topic can be covered each semester. For example, the course could focus on: (a) turning polling data into successful strategy, (b) studying the elements of successful public affairs communications campaigns or (c) creating advocacy advertising.
FACULTY
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Learn More
Joseph Watson
Carolyn Caudell Tieger Professor of Public Affairs Communications
Joseph Watson, Jr. is the inaugural Carolyn Caudell Tieger Professor of Public Affairs Communications at Grady College. In this role, Watson oversees the first program in the nation to provide […]
BENEFACTOR
Carolyn Caudell Tieger
It was due to Tieger’s generous gift and pledge in 2013 that Grady College was able to establish the Carolyn Caudell Tieger Professorship in Public Affairs Communications and the Carolyn Caudell Tieger Fellowship in Public Affairs Communications.
A Washington, D.C., communications veteran based now in Naples, Florida, Tieger is one of the top public affairs strategists in the country, especially on tough legislative issues and reputation management. Her career spans the U.S. Congress, the White House, two international PR firms and her own company.
Tieger chaired PR giant Burson-Marsteller’s worldwide environmental practice and she was managing partner of Porter Novelli’s Washington, D.C., office where she led the company’s global public affairs practice.
Currently, Tieger is president of her own public affairs consulting business, Tieger Public Affairs, LLC.
Tieger, a member of the Grady Fellowship, also serves on the Grady Board of Trust and the Cox International Center Board at Grady College. An active and involved participant in the program, she serves as a valuable resource for the Tieger Professor, Joseph Watson Jr.
Questions about the Public Affairs Professional Certificate?
Joseph Watson, Jr., Carolyn Caudell Tieger Professor of Public Affairs Communications
Joseph.Watson@uga.edu
Blog
Catch up on the latest news with the Public Affairs Professional Certificate.
Grady College and SPIA graduate leaves transformational $1.5 million estate gift
The University of Georgia is honored to announce a generous gift of $1.5 million from the estate of the late Joshua W. Jones, a proud alumnus and distinguished professional in […]
AdPR students explore Washington D.C.’s communications industry
The following recount was written by third-year public relations student Margot Murphy. She is involved in Grady College’s Public Affairs Professional Certificate as well as Terry College’s Institute for Leadership […]
Students named Tieger Fellows in Public Affairs Communications
The University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication announced the selection of three new Tieger Fellows for the 2023-2024 academic year: Sydney Branton, Gracie Englund and Anna […]
PAC Students Celebrate Graduation
Graduating Public Affairs Communications students gathered to celebrate their experiences in the PAC program with a catered dinner at the Georgia Center on May 3, 2023. Program director Professor Joseph […]
PAC Alumni Spotlight: Maggie Martin
For Maggie Martin, a recent PAC graduate who double majored in public relations and political science, using communication to “help people accomplish their unifying goals” is her passion. Communicating is […]
PAC Student Spotlight: Sydney Branton
For Sydney Branton, joining the PAC program was the “perfect” way to combine her two majors. After Branton was accepted to the Grady DC Field Study & Internship Program for […]
#ProfilesofTenacity: Sarah Dorr
Fourth year public relations major Sarah Dorr can trace her love for public relations back to her time in pageants, which allowed her to create her first advocacy campaign. Now, […]
PRSSA’s annual D.C. Agency Tour returns
The following is a first-person reflection written by PRSSA Vice President and Public Affairs Communications Tieger Fellow, Sarah Dorr. Last month, eight Grady College students traveled from Athens to the […]
#ProfilesofTenacity: Jin Lee
Third year public relations major Jin Lee is passionate about learning on the go. Some of her highlights from her time at Grady include co-directing ADPR Connection, studying abroad in […]
Perspectives
“To students considering the PAC program: this program is one of a kind and will
provide you with the kind of skills that employers in the public affairs realm need.”
Caroline Kurzawa
AB ’22
Perspectives
“The PAC certificate has prepared me for my internship by strengthening my writing
skills, while also giving me insights into how to network with people.”
Jake Strickland
AB ’22 MA ’23
Perspectives
“My PAC experience has helped prepare me for this role, which sits at the
intersection of public and private sectors and has helped me better understand
how firms prepare to advocate for a position or cause with the foundations of PAC.”
Patrick Femia
AB ’21
Perspectives
“Coming into the PAC program, I knew that I wanted a career in public affairs
communications, however, I neither had the needed skillset or depth of knowledge.
I can honestly say that if it were not for Professor Watson’s dedication and the
support of my cohort, I would not have the professional experience, confidence or
expertise that I have today.”
Sarah Geary
AB ’21
Perspectives
“[PAC] inspired me a lot and motivated me to go out and seek those opportunities
more so than I think I would have without the program.”
Sydney Branton
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Apply To The Certificate
Applications for the PAC certificate are open every year in the spring. Visit the PAC Eligibility page for application dates and details.