NEW YORK, NY (April 27, 2005) - The Universal Accreditation Board (UAB) today announced the most recent results for the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations.

More public relations practitioners became Accredited in the 12 months from April of 2004 through March of 2005, than became Accredited in the corresponding 12 month period in 2004.

"To me, this signals positive momentum," said Blake D. Lewis III, APR, 2005 chair of the UAB. "While we still have a way to go to achieve our short-term target of 250 candidates by Fall, we're encouraged by the results from the past 12 months, as we're seeing the number of candidates entering the credentialing process increase."

In 2004, 80 practitioners became Accredited; from April of 2004 to March of 2005, the number of new APRs increased to 91, which represents an increase of 11.

Quarter One Results
During the first quarter of 2005, 93 candidates applied for the Examination, 33 candidates participated in a Readiness Review, 28 advanced from Readiness Review, and 48 completed the computer-based Examination. Of those 48 who took the computer-based Examination, 27 passed it and earned Accreditation - a 57 percent pass rate. The overall average pass rate since the Examination was re-engineered and introduced July 2003 is 64 percent.

Under the protocol of the re-engineered Examination, candidates cannot sit for the computer-based Examination until they advance from Readiness Review, which assesses a candidate's professional experience. Readiness Review includes a body of work review and an extended discussion between Accredited public relations practitioners and the candidate. Information gained from the Readiness Review helps the panelists assess the candidate's readiness to take the Examination and helps him or her identify specific areas of the body of knowledge in which they should focus further study.

The Universal Accreditation Board, which was created in 1998, is a consortium of ten professional communications organizations including the Agricultural Relations Council, Asociaci—n de Relacionistas Profesionales de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Public Relations Association), Florida Public Relations Association, Maine Public Relations Council, National School Public Relations Association, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Religion Communicators Council, Southern Public Relations Federation and Texas Public Relations Association. Each organization contributes resources and senior-level volunteer members who represent all segments of the public relations profession. The UAB oversees the public relations profession's professional certification program. The revised Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations was launched in July 2003.

The results include all candidate activity for the first quarter of 2005.

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