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Article
Training Future PR Practitioners and Serving the Community Through a "Learn by Doing" Undergraduate University Curriculum
Public Relations Quarterly (2008)
  • Douglas J. Swanson, Ed.D APR
Abstract
The Journalism Department at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) has created a public relations (PR) curriculum that adequately balances students' preparation in conceptual knowledge and practical skills by introducing “hands on” public relations work. At Cal Poly, students gain valuable expertise from the beginning of their academic experience by providing PR work for community clients. Moreover, dozens of nonprofit organizations in Cal Poly's community have been helped by getting PR support of the highest quality—support that they need but cannot afford to pay for. Details are provided of Cal Poly's PR curriculum and structure for seven of its courses.
Keywords
  • public relations education,
  • public relations undergraduate curriculum,
  • student-run agency,
  • student-run public relations firm,
  • California Polytechnic State University,
  • Cal Poly
Publication Date
2008
Citation Information
Douglas J. Swanson. "Training Future PR Practitioners and Serving the Community Through a "Learn by Doing" Undergraduate University Curriculum" Public Relations Quarterly Vol. 52 Iss. 3 (2008)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/dswanson/51/