CPRS Recognition of Education Programs

CPRS has worked with a few programs over the years to support PR and CM education. This recognition offers mutual benefits in that particular programs are appropriately acknowledged by a Canadian professional association and CPRS in turn can influence PR and CM program offerings.

With the establishment of the Pathways program, CPRS will partner with institutes whose programs effectively demonstrate all or most of the following or who demonstrate a strategy towards incorporating the following:

• Incorporation of Pathways program outcomes into those of the educational program and inclusion of performance measures into courses
• Incorporation of recommended content elements in program design
• Sound curriculum and program design
• A clear vision for the program
• A commitment from the institute for the PR program, which includes appropriate resourcing
• The professional accreditation of core faculty members or teaching instructors such as the APR designation
• Promotion of the CPRS annual National Conference and the Educators' Forum to teaching faculty
• Active consultation with CPRS on the Pathways program
• A commitment to five–year review cycles which will correspond with the endorsement timelines

The Pathways recognition program is based on a review of a program's alignment with the CPRS Pathways to the Profession™, a guide to public relations (PR) and communications management (CM) curriculum in Canada. Pathways to the Profession™ outlines what, as determined by CPRS, should be included in PR and CM education programming in Canada and as such, will form the basis of how programs will be recognized by the National CPRS.

The Pathways outlines five (5) different Pathway levels into the profession, each of which follows a Course Framework to ensure specific outcomes are achieved. An overview of the Pathways to the Profession™ Course Framework may be found here.

Each institution will self–assess their program(s) to determine which Pathways level is the best fit and proceed to the application for recognition. The 5 Pathways are:

• the Technical Pathway
• the Career Pathway
• the Management Pathway
• the Leadership Pathway
• the Scholar Pathway

To review the full Pathways to the Profession™ document, click below to view in an English or French pdf.

For a PDF of the English Pathways Document, click here.

For a PDF of the French Pathways Document, click here.