Strategic Presentation Skills Exemption Information

Qualifying students can participate in an exemption exam for Strategic presentation Skills (SPS) via Canvas, the university’s learning management system. Pre-registration is required for this exam.  Please CLICK HERE to pre-register by July 22, 2023 at 11:59PM ET.  Once the exam is released, students have time to respond to a workplace communication prompt by creating visuals and recording a brief webinar.

 

SPS Exemption Exam Eligibility

To qualify to take the exemption exam, students must:

• submit a current resume, highlighting three or more years of professional experience beyond an internship; and,
• attach a summary that details past presentations for clients or colleagues, highlighting the preparation (types of visuals created), the format of delivery (face-to-face or webinar) and the purpose of the speech.

 

Webinar Submission and Evaluation Criteria:

To submit a video, students must:

• review the syllabus and the rubric to ensure mastery of the learning outcomes;
• adhere to the prompt and the time limit (3 – 4 minutes);
• create visuals using PowerPoint or a preferred slideshow presentation tool;
• show visuals (on the screen) with the webcam (student presenting) simultaneously;
• save the presentation to a video hosting platform (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo, Wistia); and,
• upload the link (not the video) to Canvas by the deadline.

 

Important Information

Students who do not currently use a specific webinar platform can register for a free trial using any software. A paid account is not required. Also, video links should not be marked private. Faculty will not contact students for access. 

 

Notification of Exemption Status

Students who earned an exemption based on their professional experience and presentation skills will be notified by Heinz College Academic & Advising Services prior to the start of the semester. At that time, students approved for an exemption can work with their advisor to select an alternate 6-unit course. All others should plan to complete the required course.

Students cannot complete an exemption exam more than once. For those who do not pass the exemption, they will receive extensive feedback by taking the course. Feedback for the exam is not provided. The minimum passing score is 90%.