University of Central Missouri Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies Joins PRSA MBA/Business School Program

By Jeff Murphy, April 12, 2019

WARRENSBURG, MO – PRSA, the nation’s leading professional organization serving the communications community, announces that the University of Central Missouri Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies has joined PRSA’s MBA/Business School Program.

Beginning this summer, UCM will offer access to PRSA’s strategic communications course as part of its MBA curriculum. Grounded in reputation management fundamentals, the course will help students gain an understanding of corporate communications (internal and external), integrated marketing communications, investor relations, corporate social responsibility (CSR), government relations and crisis communications.

“This program helps students develop skills in strategic communications and reputation management–delivering a critical management function and a distinct advantage when these students enter the workplace,” said Ginger Killian, associate dean of the Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies at UCM.

“We are pleased to welcome the Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies at UCM to the PRSA MBA/Business School Program,” said Debra Peterson, APR, 2019 PRSA chair. “Effective management of brand reputation is more important today than ever before and the PRSA program provides students with a strategic understanding of communications, as well as how a well-defined and executed communications strategy can help achieve business results.”

The Harmon College course will be offered online and taught by Adam E. Horn, professor of public relations at UCM. Horn has more than 20 years of professional industry experience as a public relations strategist and crisis communications specialist. He has also dedicated nearly two decades to higher education and training the next generation of public relations strategists.

“This strategic communications course shows graduate students just how important public relations is in making business decisions that impact an organization’s image, brand and reputation,” Horn said. “This is largely an applied graduate level class. It’s designed to get students to think critically and then to act strategically, especially on the class assignments. The class’ online delivery is perfect for working professionals interested in studying strategic communications on their own schedule.”

The PRSA MBA/Business School Program was launched in 2013 and was developed by leading business schools including the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth in collaboration with PRSA. The course is part of the curriculum at more than two dozen schools and universities across the country:
To best meet the needs of each business school’s MBA program, the PRSA turnkey course is offered in full semester, mini-mester or seminar formats. Schools interested in the course can obtain information through the PRSA website.

About PRSA
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is the nation’s leading professional organization serving the communications community. Founded in 1948, PRSA is the principal advocate for industry excellence and ethical conduct and provides members lifelong learning opportunities and leading-edge resources to enhance professional connections and support them at every stage of their career. With more than 30,000 members, PRSA is collectively represented in all 50 states by 111 Chapters and 14 Professional Interest Sections, and on nearly 375 college and university campuses through its student organization, the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). For more information, please visit www.prsa.org.