Restricted accessOtherFirst published online 2011-8
Competencies Needed in Oral Communication in English among Thai Undergraduate Public Relations Students: A Substantial Gap between Expectations and Reality
This article investigates the competencies needed for oral communication in English among Thai undergraduate public relations students for handling public relations job interviews and performing entry-level public relations work. To identify these competencies, the study identified and involved all of the stakeholders in the data reliability assessment process. The DACUM process, a research-based methodology of developing a curriculum, was modified through interviews with experts in the field to compile and validate the list of the competencies needed. As a result, the validated list consists of four competencies needed for public relations job interviews and eight competencies needed for entry-level public relations work. For triangulation purposes, a questionnaire survey on 222 public relations students and semi-structured interviews with a focus group were conducted to explore the students’ perspectives. The article discusses a huge gap between expectations and the real-world situation and provides suggestions to help bridge this gap.
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