An oft-used barometer for gauging the status of PR is college enrollment/graduations statistics for PR majors or those declaring their intent to pursue a PR job. So recruiters and academicians should be pleased to learn that the number of PR programs on the undergraduate and graduate levels continues to grow.
This conclusion was based on data supplied from 211 schools on more than 300 academic programs for the 35th edition of the annual "Where Shall I Go To Study Advertising and PR?" directory.
Since 1992, when PR programs were added to the guide, the number of advertising programs has dropped from 120 to 108, while the number of PR programs has increased from 119 to 145, according to directory editors Billy Ross (Louisiana State Univ.) and Keith Johnson (Texas Tech Univ.).
The annual research project is funded in part by the American Association of Advertising Agencies, Direct Marketing Association and PRSA, among others. (AEP, 806/795-6257)