Public Affairs Professional Certificate

This course describes the field and the role of public affairs and advocacy in shaping public policy, legislation and 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.

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.

*requires prior approval by ADPR department

*requires prior approval by ADPR department

Students develop crisis analysis, planning, and communication skills through class discussion, analysis of theories, case studies, and development of a crisis communication plan.

The course considers social responsibility and presents a contemporary framework for transparency and community with a focus on diversity as a guiding journalistic principle.

A central conflict in journalism: sustaining credible practice in a time of wrenching change. Understanding change offers the chance to resolve this conflict in favor of credible practice. Focus on media trust and credibility, as well as trust in institutions, and their sources and consequences from theoretical and practical perspectives.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Evaluation of graduate students differs significantly from that of undergraduate students. Not only will graduate students be assigned more readings and additional projects, they will also be graded with higher expectations than undergraduate students. Specifically, graduate students will be assigned an additional research or applied project depending upon the discretion of the instructor. Research projects may involve secondary research reviews and synthesis, whereas primary research studies will involve collection and analysis of data. Applied projects will consist of an original professional-level project delivered as a written report and/or oral presentation.

This course describes the field and the role of public affairs and advocacy in shaping public policy, legislation and 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.

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.

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).

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.