UAB Accreditation Tips and Tools

UAB Accreditation Tips and Tools — February 2020

Important Updates to the APR Renewal Program

Name Change: Last year, the name of the APR Maintenance program changed to Accreditation Renewal, and the APR Renewal cost changed to $75 every three years. Participating organizations should update all materials (informational, and promotional) to reflect these changes. You can download updated forms and resources from the website.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs): New in 2020, the UAB has established CEU as the unit of Accreditation renewal. (A CEU equals 10 hours of participation in approved training or other professional development activities.) A minimum of 15 CEUs is required for renewal over the three-year period; at least seven CEUs must be in continuing education and professional development and one CEU in ethics. The CEUs will apply for members beginning their renewal cycle in January 2020. Others will continue tracking with the previous points system until their next renewal period.
Renewal Opportunities: Remind your APRs that serving on a Panel Presentation or assisting with study sessions for candidates prepping for the APR Examination count toward your renewal.

APR Renewal is a very important part of retaining Accredited members for your organization — and they have worked so hard to earn it. They are valuable resources for your organization, as well as for candidates seeking APR. Visit www.praccreditation.org for more information.

Encourage your members to make APR a New Year’s Resolution

How many times have you heard someone say I really should become Accredited? Tell them 2020 is the year! The online study course is a great way to help candidates while connecting them with an online cohort of other candidates and APR mentors. It’s a self-paced program with lots of resources to draw on including weekly webcasts, study strategies, self-paced online modules and case studies. Groups can enroll at a discount, encouraging a self-made cohort within your organization, region or Chapter. See online2learn.net/APR for more information. With the online study course, nation-wide boot camps, and local activities, it’s easier than ever for busy people to earn their APR.

Now is the time to schedule APR trainings and put it on your programming calendars

As you put together your programming calendars be sure to include your APR training sessions. Information you need such as the APR Chair’s process, the Competencies/KSAs tested, a APR coach’s study guide and the accreditation process presentation are all available to you on the APR Chairs page of the website.

If members are already an APR, make 2020 the year that they take full credit for this accomplishment

Recommend to APRs that they update their email signature, resume and Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn profiles. Or they can add “APR” after their name as well as information about their APR. Feel free to modify this template to fit their style and platform:

“(Name) has earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), an internationally recognized credential given to PR professionals who demonstrate expert knowledge, experience and judgment in public relations.”

You can find more ideas on how to share this achievement on this Advancing Accreditation webpage.

Did you know having your APR could help you earn an advanced degree?

Be sure to let prospective APRs know there are several universities that offer waivers for professionals that hold the designation. These higher education institutions recognize the mastery of strategic communication practice, competencies, and ethical standards achieved by those who have earned APR. In addition, earning an advanced degree qualifies you for automatic APR renewal during that three-year cycle.

Now is the time to plan for APR month in April.

This is a great time to plan how you will promote and celebrate Accreditation during April. The It Takes A Pro toolkit, APR brochure, Pathway to APR flyer and other items for you to use at your meeting, happy hour, or luncheon as part of your APR celebration. Also, there is an APR branded tablecloth and booth display available to you for are free – you just pay for shipping. Complete the request form and send to National. It is available on a first come/first served basis so get your request in soon.