Establish a New Chapter

PRSSA Chapter Application Form (PDF)

Each year, the Public Relations Student Society of America grows bigger and better as more and more chapters are formed. If your school is interested in starting a chapter, read the guidelines below and the contact National PRSSA Headquarters for more information. If you are unsure if your school has a PRSSA chapter, check our chapter directory.

The Student Society was established in 1967 by the Public Relations Society of America. The PRSA National Board of Directors has the sole authority for granting PRSSA charters to qualifying colleges and universities.

Requirements For Establishing A PRSSA Chapter

In accordance with PRSA Bylaws, and PRSSA National Bylaws, Article IX:

1. A PRSSA chapter may be established and maintained only at a college or university which offers baccalaureate degrees, is accredited by a nationally or regionally recognized accrediting association or board, offers a sequence of at least five courses in public relations and is supplemented by additional courses allied to this field of study. While it would be inappropriate for PRSA to try to characterize the specific nature of the courses of study in public relations, we subscribe to the subject areas and credit hours identified by the 1999 Commission on Undergraduate Public Relations Education. The areas of study identified are:

   1. Introduction to Public Relations

   2. Public Relations Writing and Production

   3. Public Relations Research

   4. Public Relations Strategy and Implementation (e.g. Case Problems, Campaigns Course)

   5. Supervised Public Relations Experience (Internship)

   6. The minimum number of students required for establishing a chapter is ten. Eight of the students must be at or below the junior level.

2. Students petitioning for a PRSSA charter must elect as their proposed chapter faculty advisor a teacher of at least one of the public relations courses required for the establishment of a PRSSA chapter. The faculty advisor must be a Member or Associate Member of PRSA.

3. Petitioning students must also elect one or two professional advisors, each must be a Member of PRSA, and one with at least 5 years public relations experience. (Associate members do not qualify for this position.)

4. Each application for a PRSSA charter must be endorsed by the president and four additional members of the sponsoring PRSA chapter.

5. A non-refundable application fee of $100, payable to PRSSA, is due when submitting a PRSSA Charter application.

Names and addresses of PRSA chapters and their presidents may be obtained from PRSA Headquarters.

For further information contact:

Jeneen Garcia
Public Relations Society of America
33 Maiden Lane, 11th Fl.
New York, NY 10038-5150
Tel. (212) 460-1474
Fax (212) 995-0757
jeneen.garcia@prsa.org

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