Special savings

Register for all courses in the program at once and receive a 10% discount!

Please note: Online registration is not available for this special offer. Call Continuing Education Registration at 403.440.3833 to register. This offer cannot be applied or adjusted after the start of the first course.

Block Code: PREL  Regular price: $2,295. Special savings: $2,065.50.

Required Courses

Fundamentals of Public Relations and Communications Management
This course provides the fundamentals of public relations and communication management as practiced by working professionals. The student will develop an understanding of how public relations builds relationships, how it is professionally planned, and how it is practiced in an ethical manner.

Note: This is the first course in the certificate program. It is highly recommended that students take this course before taking any other course in the program as it provides foundational knowledge.

Subject (for registration): Basic Public Relations

Applied Writing and Editing for Public Relations

As the writing course in the certificate program, this course will allow students to demonstrate and develop and apply grammar and writing skills in crafting common materials utilized by PR professional including, but not limited to, a news release, public service announcement (PSA), newsletter brochure, speeches, web communication and more.

Subject (for registration): Basic Public Relations

Communications Research, Evaluation and Analytics
In the third course, public relations and communications management professionals are called upon to demonstrate how much their work contributes to achieving business and organizational goals. This course identifies and explains methods, tools, and techniques used to evaluate and measure the impact of public relations programs. Topics discussed include the application of analytics and the use of big data and artificial intelligence for public relations, as well as critical thinking for measurement and evaluation.

Subject (for registration): Basic Public Relations

Business Basics for the PR Practitioner
Successful public relations and communication management depend upon an understanding of business and the organization for whom the work is conducted. This course focuses on ways to assess and understand organizations and employees and how public relations and communication management can contribute to business success.

Subject (for registration): Basic Public Relations

Social Media Strategies and Crisis Communication
Students will delve into social media strategies and determine how to utilize them as professionals. Social media used for business and organizations by public relations and communication management professionals is significantly different than personal use. Social media can also inflame online and offline issues into crisis situations. This course reviews social media strategies for public relations and communication management as well as providing direction and guidance on preparing for and navigating through crisis communications situations.

Subject (for registration): Basic Public Relations

Each course may be offered in a variety of formats. Check the “Courses and fees” tab for more information.

The schedule above is subject to change. Courses start on various dates within each semester. Fall schedule and registration available in June. Winter schedule and registration available in November. Spring/Summer schedule and registration available in March.

No textbook required. Course Materials will be provided to students on Google Classroom, 3 days prior to class start.

Sheridan McVean, APR, MBA, FCPRS

Sheridan McVean is an accomplished public relations, communications, and marketing professional, with more than 30 years of experience. He holds a Masters in Business Administration, a Bachelor of Arts, is accredited in public relations, and became a Fellow of the Canadian Public Relations Society in 2016.

Sheridan currently leads professional certification on a national basis for the Canadian Public Relations Society. He has been teaching public relations and communication courses in the Mount Royal University degree program and for Continuing Education since 2011.

Vicki Barnett, BA, BA, MCS, MA

Vicki Barnett, BA (English), BA (Journalism), MCS (Communications Studies), MA (Leadership), has more than a decade of experience in teaching public relations in university degree and certificate programs. For more than a decade, she has taught writing courses in Mount Royal University's Public Relations certificate and degree programs. At two other Calgary post-secondary institutions, she has taught courses such as issues and crisis management, strategic communications planning, communications research, employee communications, an introduction to public relations and social media for PR.

Vicki's extensive experience in public relations includes working in senior positions at the University of Calgary, the Calgary Fire Department, TransCanada Corporation and the National Energy Board. Prior to her public relations career, Vicki worked for the Calgary Herald as a journalist, columnist and editorial writer.