Press Secretaries

High School

English composition, drama, and speech classes will help you develop good communication skills, while government, history, and civics classes will teach you about the structure of local, state, and federal government. Take math, economics, and accounting courses to prepare for poll-taking and for analyzing statistics and demographics. Computer science classes are also helpful.

While in high school, work with your school newspaper, radio station, or TV station. This will help you recognize how important reporters, editors, and producers are in putting together newspapers and shaping news segments. You should also consider joining your school's speech and debate team to gain experience in research and in persuasive argument.

Postsecondary Training

Most people in media relations have bachelor's degrees, and some also hold master's degrees, doctorates, and law degrees. As an undergraduate, you should enroll in a four-year college and pursue a well-rounded education. Press secretaries need a good understanding of the history and culture of the United States and foreign countries. Some of the majors you should consider as an undergraduate are journalism, political science, English, marketing, and economics. You should take courses in government, psychology, statistics, history of western civilization, and a foreign language. You might then choose to pursue a graduate degree in journalism, political science, public administration, or international relations.

Seek a college with a good internship program. You might also pursue internships with local and state officials and your congressional members in the Senate and House of Representatives. Journalism internships will involve you with local and national publications, or the news departments of radio and TV stations.

Certification

Many colleges and universities offer undergraduate and graduate certificate programs in public relations, strategic media communications, and related fields. Programs typically last six months to a year and are available in online, in-person, and hybrid formats. Contact schools in your area for information about available programs. The Public Relations Society of America offers professional certificates in many areas, including digital communication, crisis communication, advanced crisis communication, media relations, and strategic communication. Visit https://www.prsa.org/professional-development/prsa-certificate-programs for more information.

Other Education or Training

Many organizations offer continuing education (CE) opportunities for press secretaries and general public relations specialists. For example, the Public Relations Society of American offers webinars such as The Anatomy of a Speech; Five Ways To Simplify Messages; and Brand Reputation and Crisis Management: Practical Tips to Face Unexpected Issues and Crisis. It also offers courses in other learning formats. The American Association of Political Consultants, International Association of Business Communicators, and organizations at the state and local levels also provide CE opportunities. Contact these organizations for more information.