Professional Communication Organizations

Professional communication organizations at the international, national, regional, or state level are nonprofit associations that provide administrative structures for members of a communication discipline or communication profession (such as journalism or public relations) to make connections among members, provide for professional [Page 1329]development, promote the development and dissemination of research, and strengthen the function of the discipline or profession served by the association. Professional associations range in size, function, purpose, and goals, reflecting the diversity of the study of human communication. Some professional communication organizations emphasize instruction and research for academics who research or teach communication in a wide variety of communication contexts, whereas others focus on media, journalism, and other professional applications of communication.

Many communication organizations provide guidelines or standards of excellence for academic and professional programs. They also organize (usually annual) conventions that provide a forum for sharing research, pedagogy, information, and ideas related to communication. Given the interdisciplinary nature of communication study, professional communication associations have been especially helpful in the development of communication as an academic area of study in colleges and universities, although some organizations focus primarily on professional and vocational standards. Communication associations provide the body or structure for a discipline to function. Larger professional communication associations have a professional staff that coordinates the work of the association. Much of the work of most professional communication associations, which are nonprofit organizations, comes from volunteer leaders and association members who offer their time to promote the goals of the association. This entry discusses the history of professional communication associations and provides information on national and international professional communication associations.