NYU's PR Program Named Country's Best

PRWeek magazine gave its inaugural "PR Education Program of the Year" award this year to the Master of Science in Public Relations and Corporate Communications program at the New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies (NYU-SCPS). 

Hailing the School’s four-year old graduate public relations program as being the best of its kind, the PRWeek award judges—all industry professionals— commended NYU-SCPS for its rigorous, practice-based curriculum and faculty of nearly 30 leading PR practitioners. PRWeek’s education award, which “recognizes achievement in lesson plans that educate the next crop of PR professionals,” was awarded to NYU-SCPS based on “the ability of its professors to use both real-world case studies and instructive scenarios to educate students about new media, media relations, crisis communications, and other tactics,” they wrote in the award citation.

The award was presented at a gala event at Tavern on the Green in New York on March 5, 2009.  It was generously sponsored by Padilla Speer Beardsley, a PR firm based in Minneapolis and New York.

“We are incredibly proud to have been awarded one of the preeminent public relations industry awards for our program here at NYU-SCPS,” said John Doorley, academic program director and clinical assistant professor for the NYU-SCPS graduate program in public relations and corporate communications.
 
Divisional Dean Anthony Davidson of the NYU-SCPS Division of Programs in Business added,”This award from PRWeek is a great honor and affirms the solid academic reputation our master’s in public relations program already holds in its industry, after just four years since its launch. The program is emblematic of the types of professionally-focused, practice-oriented graduate education offered at NYU-SCPS and that is in ever greater demand by working professionals.”

The accredited program features faculty that have written books including The Practice of Public Relations (Fraser Seitel), How to Manage Your Global Reputation (Michael Morley), and Reputation Management (John Doorley and Helio Fred Garcia). Its academically rigorous coursework includes core classes on writing, history, and media relations; more in-depth concentration courses for the specific PR and corporate communications tracks; studies on law and ethics; and a Capstone program where students prepare a researched report on an issue in PR and communications.
 
The program stresses a practitioner-oriented curriculum and ethical behavior, working with students so they can gain a solid grasp of the key elements of the PR industry and, once professionally involved, work to elevate the ethical and professional standards of PR. Twice a year, the program organizes and hosts the Public Relations Master Practitioner Series where professionals speak on key issues facing the industry. Past topics include “The Golden Age of PR: Effective Use of Public Relations” and “The Growing Role of Social Media in Elections.”
 
“Awards, work, faculty, [and] practical experience make this a winner,” said one judge.

Students work in teams to meet real challenges from clients. NYU's location comes into play as the school engages such local clients as the American Ballet Theatre, UN Global Compact, NBC Universal, Kiehl's, and the Tribeca Film Festival.
 
Outside pros are also involved with NYU's program, adding another level of support from the industry. MS&L annually donates $2,500 for professional development activities to the program's student organization, PR League. Representatives from companies including Ketchum, Edelman, Johnson & Johnson, Food Lion, and Publicis PR Group all serve as faculty members.

“The program is a key link to the PR industry,” said one judge, while another called it “an example for others to follow.”

The PRWeek Awards are recognized as one of the industry's highest accolades given annually to the best corporate, nonprofit and agency teams, as well as the campaigns they produce. This year, “PR Education Program of the Year” was added as a category for the first time. The awards honor best practices and creative excellence in public relations programming.