Adrienne A. Wallace Grand Valley State University Editor-in-Chief Journal of Public Relations Education Email: wallacad@gvsu.edu
Issue 12-2 showcases how public relations education continues to evolve to meet the demands of an increasingly complex profession, while keeping students’ learning and futures at the center of our work.
Centering Work-Ready Learning Across the issue, authors grapple with a fundamental question: what does it now mean to be “work-ready” in public relations, and how should our programs respond. Articles in this volume deepen the conversation sparked by the Commission on Public Relations Education’s most recent report, particularly around creativity, critical and analytical thinking, emotional and social intelligence, and the soft skills that employers consistently say they need, but do not always see in new graduates. Together, these pieces argue that work readiness is no longer just a matter of mastering writing and campaigns; it is about integrating knowledge, application, and social intelligence into a coherent professional identity.
Classroom Innovation and Pedagogy Several contributions offer concrete, classroom-tested approaches that make this integration visible to students and measurable for faculty. From low‑stakes in‑class creativity exercises that explicitly tie measurable objectives to strategic thinking, to carefully scaffolded crisis and ethics assignments that walk students from memo writing to live Q&A, these authors show how active learning and reflective practice can build confidence, collaboration, and higher-order thinking in accessible ways. These teaching-focused pieces will be especially useful to instructors seeking ready-to-implement assignments that align with CPRE recommendations and accreditation expectations while still leaving room for local adaptation and student voice.
Experiential Learning and Student-Run Agencies This issue also underscores the enduring and expanding value of student‑run agencies as high‑impact, interdisciplinary learning environments. The case study featured here offers a rich, multi‑stakeholder view of a credit‑bearing agency experience, tracing its evolution from a volunteer model to a competitive, prestigious course that blends PR, design, media, and other communication disciplines. Through student, client, and instructor perspectives, the authors illustrate how agency culture, accountability structures, and intentional debriefing accelerate students’ professional growth, leadership, and sense of identity as practitioners. Their findings reinforce what many of us see in our own programs: when we treat student agencies as professional spaces—not just courses—students rise to the challenge.
Ethics, Privacy, and Emerging Demands Finally, this issue highlights the growing expectation that public relations graduates can navigate complex ethical terrain, including data privacy, cybersecurity, and corporate misconduct. The teaching brief on the Wells Fargo scandal exemplifies how privacy, ethics, and crisis communication can be intertwined in a single assignment that feels both immediate and deeply consequential to students preparing for corporate careers. By inviting students to inhabit the tensions between shareholder expectations, stakeholder trust, regulatory scrutiny, and organizational culture, this work demonstrates how PR classrooms can function as labs for ethical leadership in a digital, datafied world.
As editor-in-chief, I am grateful to the editorial staff, editorial review board, authors, individual article reviewers, and practitioners who contributed to this issue, and to the students past, present, and future whose experiences animate every page. I invite you to read these pieces not only as individual studies or teaching notes, but as parts of an ongoing, shared project to design a public relations education that is rigorous, relevant, inclusive, and truly worthy of the students we serve.
Editorial Record: Submitted June 16, 2025. Revised February 7, 2026. Accepted June 2, 2026.
Authors
Pamela Bourland-Davis (in memoriam) Professor Georgia Southern University Georgia, USA
Elizabeth L. Toth Professor University of Maryland Maryland, USA Email: eltoth@.edu
Charles “Chuck” Lubbers Professor University of South Dakota South Dakota, USA Email: chuck.lubbers@usd.edu
Hua Jiang Professor Syracuse University New York, USA Email: hjiang07@syr.edu
ABSTRACT
Stage 1 of Professional Identity provides a basis to explore how college helps prepare students for entering the workforce, especially given the prevalence of Generation Z issues represented in the professional literature in the public relations field. The literature review examines Gen Z along with studies of practitioners and students and their views of their preparation. Using in-depth interviews with practitioners, this study explored qualitatively what public relations practitioners consider “work ready” to mean. The interviewees reflected on elements related to Knowledge, Skills and Abilities, and one example was in the area of writing with some expressing satisfaction and others feeling students still need work. Beyond the KSAs, however, were a number of mentions of a variety of “social intelligence” concepts ranging from being curious to interpersonal abilities. In particular, practitioners wanted to see the new hires ready to participate, ask questions, and be engaged. One other area which practitioners identified was the need for experience – in volunteer work, internships, and generally being engaged in extracurricular organizations. Suggestions focus on the curriculum and classroom – especially in helping develop immersive experiences for the students so that they can demonstrate and have confidence in their “Work Ready Intelligence.”
Editorial Record: Submitted September 19, 2025. Revised February 1, 2026. Accepted February 27, 2026.
Authors
Alexander V. Laskin Professor Quinnipiac University Connecticut, USA Email: alaskin@gmail.com
John Powers Assistant Professor Quinnipiac University Connecticut, USA Email: John.Powers@quinnipiac.edu
ABSTRACT
Experiential learning is widely recognized as a high-impact educational practice, and student-run agencies offer a unique opportunity to replicate professional environments within academic programs. This study examines a credit-bearing, student-run public relations firm to understand how such experiences foster applied learning, professional skill development, and identity formation. Using a qualitative single-case study design, the research analyzed multiple data sources: open-ended student evaluations across several semesters, client and professional feedback, and instructor reflections. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to identify patterns of meaning in student responses, supported by triangulation with professional and instructor perspectives. Findings underscore the value of structured, classroom-based experiential learning for preparing students for professional practice. Recommendations include scaffolding onboarding, clarifying roles, and fostering agency culture—insights applicable across disciplines seeking to integrate authentic, high-impact learning experiences.
The 2023 report of the Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE) identified key areas of focus for PR educators to enhance students’ learning and preparation for successful public relations careers. Their research found both educators and PR practitioners desired strong problem solving, creative thinking, analytic thinking and strategic planning abilities, but scores were lower when asked if students delivered those in the workplace. This in-class exercise, administered in two upper-level courses, included a pre-test to assess students’ confidence in creativity and collaboration, small-group work to develop measurable objectives and creative activations for a select “Audience” and “Action” (see worksheet in Appendix C). The session ended with a post-test to reassess the same factors listed above, as well as a whole-class discussion about creativity and critical strategic thinking in public relations (see Appendix A for a step-by-step guide and discussion prompts). This exercise reinforced the CPRE recommendations noted above, as well as their call to “Encourage curiosity” and “…Teach students to align…with measurable organizational outcomes and public relations objectives rather than low-level outputs.”
Editorial Record: Submitted November 17, 2024. Revised May 27, 2025. Accepted February 7, 2026.
Author
Sheila B. Lalwani Doctoral Student University of Texas at Austin Texas, USA Email: sheila.lalwani@utexas.edu
ABSTRACT
This teaching brief outlines the banking data breach scandal as an instance of a border privacy and corporate ethics crisis communication case taught to undergraduates. In this assignment, students analyzed and presented the scandal to hone skills necessary for ethical and practical public relations crisis communication management and leadership. Skills emphasized in this assignment were critical thinking, memo writing, and public speaking. Four parts characterize this teaching note. Part I introduces the course within the university, the learning goals, and the key theories emphasized. Part II outlines assignment details. Part III summarizes student performance. Part IV reflects on this lesson and concludes the brief.
Strategic Planning for Public Relations has been a staple in the campaigns textbook carousel through six editions over more than 20 years. This seventh edition has grown substantially from the 344-page premier edition to an extensive 565 pages.
“Social Media Measurement and Management: Entrepreneurial Digital Analytics” (2nd Edition) is a wide-ranging, resource-rich, and accessible book that explores “how social networks can be understood for context about which accounts have influence, what content satisfies interests, and why specific social media management tactics tend to work within a general context of planning, goals, and strategies” (Lipschultz, 2025, p. 4). The book features 20 diverse contributors, has 10 chapters, and is divided into four units: “Foundations of Social Media Measurement and Management,” “Strategic Social Media Measurement Tools,” “Best Practices in Social Media Measurement,” and “Social Media Planning and Campaigns.”
Letter from the Special Issue Editors& Table of Contents
Emily S. Kinsky West Texas A&M University Professor Past Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Public Relations Education Email: ekinsky@wtamu.edu
Chuck Lubbers University of South Dakota Professor Past Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Public Relations Education Email: chuck.lubbers@usd.edu
Adrienne A. Wallace Grand Valley State University Editor-in-Chief Journal of Public Relations Education Email: wallacad@gvsu.edu
Editors’ Note: “Elevating PR: Insights and Trends in Graduate Education”
It is with tremendous honor and deep gratification that we introduce this special issue of the Journal of Public Relations Education, a collection of scholarly work that addresses a critical and timely gap in our field: the state of graduate education in public relations. This issue comes at a pivotal moment in our discipline, when the landscape of higher education is shifting, our industry is navigating technological disruption, and questions about the value and structure of advanced degrees are being asked with unprecedented urgency.
The Impetus for this Special Issue
Since 1975, the Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE) has maintained a steadfast commitment to studying and improving public relations education standards and practices. However, much of that effort has focused on undergraduate education and the crucial transition from the academy to the profession at the entry level. In 1999, the CPRE “Port of Entry” report established the university as the official pathway for those seeking to establish careers in public relations, recognizing both undergraduate and graduate education as essential “tooling and retooling centers” for the profession. Yet, despite the substantial growth in master’s-level public relations programs over the past decade, the last comprehensive CPRE report dedicated exclusively to graduate education was published in 2012, well over a decade ago.
The intervening years have witnessed profound transformations. The global pandemic reshaped how we work and learn, fundamentally altering the pedagogy of graduate education. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged not merely as a technological tool but as a force reshaping job functions and competencies. The profession itself has fragmented and rebranded across multiple disciplines and specializations, such as strategic communication, integrated marketing communication, corporate communication, and beyond. Master’s programs have proliferated, diversified, and dispersed across various academic units and delivery models. In the face of this complexity and growth, the need for scholarly attention to graduate public relations education became undeniable.
This special issue, titled “Elevating PR: Insights and Trends in Graduate Education,” was conceived to further bridge this pedagogical gap in tandem with the 2025 CPRE report and to spark contemporary dialogue about the future of graduate education in our field. We sought to invite research articles, teaching briefs, scholarly essays, and case studies that would explore both the challenges and opportunities inherent in graduate-level public relations education. The call extended an open invitation to examine how practitioner expectations align with graduate curricula, how best practices in internships and applied learning can be designed, how research and data analytical abilities are cultivated, and how graduate programs connect, or fail to connect, with the demands of contemporary professional practice.
What This Issue Reveals
The manuscripts brought together in this collection offer a multifaceted portrait of graduate public relations education in the United States, which expands upon the work recently published by the CPRE research committee in the Graduate Education in Public Relations: 2025 Report, released in November. Collectively, they represent the work of educators, researchers, and practitioners committed to understanding and improving the graduate student experience and, ultimately, the competency of the professionals our programs produce.
Several critical themes emerge from this collection. First, the issue addresses the persistent challenge of curricular inconsistency and lack of standardization across graduate programs. Despite decades of recommendations from the Commission on Public Relations Education, programs continue to vary significantly in their structure, titles, course offerings, and culminating experiences. Some programs house themselves within journalism schools; others reside in business colleges, communication departments, or interdisciplinary centers. This fragmentation raises important questions about what prospective students can expect, what employers should anticipate, and how our field can signal its credibility and value.
Second, this special issue grapples with the critical question of alignment—the alignment between what the industry needs and what our programs teach. The gap between employer expectations and graduate preparation surfaces repeatedly across these manuscripts. Practitioners emphasize the importance of writing proficiency, interpersonal communication, strategic thinking, and professional maturity in their graduate interns, yet many find these competencies underdeveloped. This disconnect demands our attention and our response.
Third, these articles illuminate the reality of contemporary graduate student diversity—not only in terms of students’ demographic characteristics, but also in their goals, backgrounds, and contexts. Graduate programs now serve students pursuing doctoral degrees, career advancement in practice, and specialization in niche sectors. They serve full-time and part-time students, residential and online learners, career-changers and industry veterans. The “one-size-fits-all” approach to graduate education is no longer viable…if it ever was.
Fourth, these research endeavors document important efforts to innovate pedagogically. From service-learning models that bridge community engagement with research methods training to intentional curriculum design informed by industry input, this issue captures creative and thoughtful responses to the challenges of contemporary graduate education. These examples demonstrate that excellence in graduate public relations education is not only achievable but is already taking place in pockets across our discipline.
The Articles in This Issue
The collection opens with research examining curriculum and standards insights provided by educators, followed by an audit of graduate program websites analyzing curricular offerings and assessing alignment with existing recommendations. These first two articles provide valuable empirical documentation of the current master’s-degree landscape and inform ongoing efforts by the Commission on Public Relations Education to revise and update standards.
We are also pleased to feature an examination of practitioners’ expectations for graduate education, a timely survey that captures the voices of industry leaders and updates prior research in light of seismic shifts in practice brought about by the pandemic, technological advancement, and changing social dynamics. This research provides empirical grounding for conversations about what skills and knowledge matter most in contemporary professional contexts.
This issue includes scholarship focused on inclusion, equity, and representation in graduate education, a critical imperative for our discipline. Research exploring the lived experiences of Black graduate students and faculty in public relations illuminates systemic challenges in recruitment, retention, and support. These insights are essential reading for all who work in graduate education and aspire to create more welcoming, affirming, and equitable learning environments.
Additionally, we include research examining what industry professionals expect from graduate interns, the skills, competencies, and dispositions they value, and the gaps they perceive in graduate preparation. This work provides actionable guidance for program directors and faculty committed to strengthening the professional readiness of their graduates.
The last full article shares how public relations is presented, or absent, in sport management master’s programs. This work challenges us to consider whether our field maintains visibility and voice in related disciplines, and whether professionals in adjacent fields are being adequately prepared to leverage public relations expertise.
Finally, this issue includes two teaching briefs. The first demonstrates the pedagogical value of service-learning in graduate research methods instruction, offering a practical model for educators who seek to bridge theory and application while fostering meaningful community partnerships. The second explores the creation of thought leadership articles by graduate students on LinkedIn. Such examples of class-tested project ideas are invaluable for faculty considering pedagogical innovation.
Looking Forward
As we reflect on this collection and consider its significance, we are struck by several observations. First, there is genuine consensus in these articles about what matters: graduate education must be intentional, theory-grounded, professionally relevant, and equitable. There is, however, less certainty about how to achieve these goals within the constraints of institutional structures, resource limitations, and competing pedagogical philosophies. That uncertainty reflects the genuine complexity of graduate education in an applied discipline.
Second, the research findings within this issue reveal that graduate public relations education is not in crisis. It is in transition. Our programs are responding creatively and thoughtfully to changing contexts and emerging needs. Yet they would benefit from greater alignment, more explicit communication of their value propositions, and renewed commitment to standards that ensure quality and consistency without stifling innovation and specialization.
Third, we are grateful that these articles attend carefully to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As of late, and way too often, discussions of curriculum and standards abstract away from the human experiences of students, particularly students from historically marginalized communities. This issue reminds us that excellent graduate education is not only intellectually rigorous but also humane and affirming.
We would be remiss if we did not mention the role our dear friend Pamela Bourland-Davis had in this issue – she aided in dreaming and scheming this idea. She was so enthusiastic about the potential of an entire issue of JPRE dedicated to *just* graduate education. Dr. Bourland-Davis, we dedicate this issue to you. We are certain your heart guided our work.
We are also grateful to the authors who contributed their scholarship, the peer reviewers who provided constructive feedback, and the practitioner-partners who participated in the research and shared their insights. Finally, we thank the CPRE research committee and leadership team, as well as the JPRE editorial team, for their commitment to supporting this issue and advancing scholarship in public relations education.
This special issue on graduate public relations education is offered in the spirit of generative dialogue. We hope this issue will spark conversations on campuses, in professional organizations, and in industry settings about what excellent graduate education in public relations looks like and how we, collectively, can ensure that our programs prepare the next generation of public relations leaders to navigate complexity, lead with integrity, and serve the public interest with wisdom and skill.
As we move forward, may we do so together, committed to elevating the quality, relevance, equity, and impact of graduate public relations education.
With warm regard and deep appreciation for our scholarly community,
Drs. Kinsky, Lubbers, Wallace, & Bourland-Davis (in memoriam)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Letter from the Editors Emily S. Kinsky, Chuck Lubbers, & Adrienne A. Wallace
Editorial Record: Submitted August 7, 2025. Revised and accepted December 4, 2025.
Authors
Hongmei Shen Professor San Diego State University California, USA Email: hshen@sdsu.edu
Kenneth Plowman Associate Professor Brigham Young University Utah, USA Email: Kenneth_Plowman@byu.edu
Melody Fisher Associate Professor Mississippi State University Mississippi, USA Email: mfisher@comm.msstate.edu
ABSTRACT
This article shares insights based on analyses of the 2025 CPRE online survey on master’s education in public relations in the U.S. The study focuses on knowledge areas, skills areas, and courses in disciplines related to public relations, which are identified as necessary curricular components by a national sample of public relations educators (N = 111). The core knowledge areas and skills identified by the findings suggest a graduate curriculum that is strategic, theory-based, and professionally grounded, crucial for graduates to thrive in evolving communication environments. The recommended courses in related disciplines underscore an interdisciplinary focus to enable graduates to think strategically and apply their knowledge effectively in diverse professional settings.
Editorial Record: Submitted August 7, 2025. Revised and accepted November 4, 2025.
Authors
Richard D. Waters Assistant Professor Florida State University Florida, USA Email: rdw22@fsu.edu
Elizabeth C. Ray Assistant Professor Florida State University Florida, USA Email: eray@fsu.edu
Eldaneka Rolle Ph.D. Student Florida State University Florida, USA
ABSTRACT
For graduate students in public relations, internships are essential in translating theory to practice. Their supervisors often presume they will deliver on day one, due to the depth of knowledge and experience gained as advanced degree seekers. However, there is increasing criticism that colleges may not provide them with enough practical preparation, as many pause that development at the undergraduate level. To explore how graduate programs can better prepare advanced students for industry expectations, semi-structured interviews were conducted with public relations experts. Results indicated that professionals are concerned about graduate students’ writing, interpersonal and networking abilities. Suggestions for curriculum improvements are discussed, along with future directions and limitations.
