APR Accreditation
Earn Your APR
Make this the year that you give your career a lift! The Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) credential certifies your drive, professionalism, and principles, setting you apart from your peers and positioning you as a leader and mentor in the competitive public relations field.
Review this brochure, check out this helpful Candidate Process chart, and contact the PRSA-IE APR Chair, Stephanie Graham, APR, who can help guide your APR journey.
GET STARTED
To sit for the APR, it is recommended that you have a minimum of five years of professional experience. You may apply at any time. The exam fee is $385 for PRSA members, with a $100 rebate to PRSA members who pass the exam on the first try. Check with your employer to see if they will pay for all or part of your APR costs (watch this video by Michael N. Daily, APR for advice in this regard).
Complete the APR Application, and submit it to the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB) with the exam/application fee. UAB will inform your local APR Chair that you are eligible for your panel presentation, and the Chair convenes the panelists and coordinates the date.
PANEL PRESENTATION
The Panel Presentation plays an important role in the Accreditation process. It evaluates, through a questionnaire and live presentation, knowledge, skills and abilities that cannot effectively be judged in the examination. Check out the Panel Presentation Guide and Panel Presentation Secrets to Success.
Once you are recommended to advance to the exam by the Readiness Review panel, then you can schedule your exam and begin (or continue) studying.
STUDY
Some enjoy studying with others. Some prefer to study on their own. There are options available for your preferred study style.
- Review videos (free) from the PRSA National’s APRPREP Online Study Course as part of your studies.
- Check with your Chapter’s APR Chair about possible study partners in your Chapter or region.
- Sign up for PRSA National’s virtual study course ($400)
- Consider signing up for the APR Study Session conducted by the Orange County PRSA Chapter. They offer an online, 10-week series of instructional, 1.5-hour evening classes each spring that prepare mid- to senior-level practitioners to sit for the panel presentation and computer-based exam. An accredited PR professional instructs each class, and candidates are provided with a structured process for learning the material and studying with each other. The course includes instructional classes, mock panel presentation, portfolio preparation, and formally evaluated panel presentation. The OCPRSA course costs $250 (nonrefundable), with a $100 rebate for participants who complete the full process and earn their APR within a year from initially submitting their application. To sign up for this year’s APR Study Session (March 2–May 4, 2026) contact Patrice Smith.
Your PRSA-IE APR Chair is available to help you find the resources you need, locally or online.
the test
There currently are 132 scored questions on the Examination. However, there are also beta (unscored) questions being tested for possible inclusion on future versions of the Examination (You will not see a distinction between beta and scored questions.) Therefore, the number of questions candidates take during an exam will be higher than 132. More than half the questions on the Examination are posed as brief situations or scenarios. All responses are multiple-choice. You will have three hours and 45 minutes (including 15 minutes of recommended practice/tutorial time before you start the Examination) to complete the Examination. Time for an optional 15-minute break is included.
- Examination question FAQs
- Curious what the test is like? View a sample online test or take a Practice Exam ($35).
Pursuing your APR is an investment in yourself and in the future of public relations. It’s a commitment to your professional development and advancement within the PR field. We look forward to celebrating this achievement with you!
JOIN OUR GROWING APR COMMUNITY!
current Accredited Inland Empire Chapter Members
Angela B. Burrell, APR
Stephanie Graham, APR
Katherine Juhl Griffiths, APR
Tim L. Hussey, APR
Joyce Kiehl, APR
Diana Meza, APR
Janice M. Newman, APR
Jessica Ann Newton, APR
Mary Ann Pearson, Ph.D., APR
Christopher A. Perez, APR
Josue Reyna, MBA, APR
Sidney A. Robinson, APR
Robin Rockey, APR
Diana Ruiz, APR
Robert M. Swinford, APR
Marilyn J. Thomsen, Ph.D., APR
Bonnie J. Woodrome, APR
