David,

You make a good point: universities have to focus on being relevant to today's job market. However, I don't think Rowan deserves all the blame for a lack of web-relevant PR courses. Part of the problem is that students aren't demanding more web-oriented courses, and they don't sign up for the courses that are available. Despite the fact that we often don't have enough students signed up to justify a class, the department continues to find ways to offer the Online PR course. It is perfectly understandable that from your perspective it seems like Universities are not keeping current with the new media. While there is some truth to that view, a surprisingly large portion of the student market has not yet caught on that they need to learn more about web media. A University can't afford to offer classes that students don't take. Unfortunately it's a bit late for you, but I do know the department has already started in process a major revision of its graduate program. Online communication is to be a major focus in revising existing courses and developing new ones.

Another fact of online life that we all have to adjust to is that getting (staying) current requires a willingness, if not a love, of independent learning. By the time this stuff gets into courses and text books, the Internet has gone on to the next new thing. I think the best thing a class can do for you is to set you on the course to continue learning for yourself.

No mater what the course, there are certain basic skills that you have an opportunity to develop or enhance in graduate school that are essential to online and offline communication: good, clear writing, critical thinking, the ability to work in teams, the ability to make presentations and persuade others, to assume leadership in a work group, to set realistic goals, to schedule your time. And in Rowan's case, you also have the chance to write a thesis, which to my view is one of the more challenging opportunities for personal growth that you'll encounter anywhere.

Don Dunnington

David,

The backbone of a public relations degree is training in communications: logic, reasoning, writing, problem solving, English (in the U.S.) and other languages. If you are skilled in the arts of verbal and written persuasian, you can usually adapt those skills to whatever technology is currently in fashion.

It took decades for universities to start adding ethics classes to the curriculum. It's going to take them awhile to catch up with technology.

IAOC exists in part to fill the gap. Most professional associations have as part of their mission to help members keep up with current trends through professional development classes.

Imagine this: Of the dozens of professional development classes offered by the PRSA at its 2004 Conference, there was not a single session on blogging! Not until the IAOC filled a hole in the conference schedule with a blog program featuring B.L. Ochman (What's Next Online Blog) and Steve Rubel (Micro Persuasion) -- links in sidebar.

Let's face it, the pace of technological change is faster than academic institutions can keep up with. Even professional associations like the PRSA, IABC and IAOC have to work hard to stay on top of trends. And the pool of instructors who can teach these new skills is still rather small.

If you're looking for PR 2.0, stick around -- it's all over this site. Try the "Emerging Trends" track on November 12 at the PRSA's annual conference in Salt Lake City (http://www.prsa.org/conference2006/conference.cfm), or the Society for New Communications Research Symposium November 1 in Boston (SNCR.org), or the next IAOC annual conference in spring 2007.