Syllabus

About the Course

COMM 234 gives students an overview of the most influential form of strategic communication in our society: Public Relations. It is also the first approach to the practice in this concrete professional field. Students familiarize themselves with different conceptions and definitions and with some indispensable names associated to the study and the practice of Public Relations. They also learn basic concepts about the history of the concept and deal with the main theories that try to explain the nature of this particular communication dynamic. The course is based on readings, student research and case studies.

Readings

We will not use any textbook in this course. All the information you need will be available in the learning units.

Grading Elements

1st Quiz 20%
2nd Quiz20%
3rd Quiz20%
Final Exam30%
Participation10%

Examinations

There will be three quizzes and a final exam, which includes the contents of the whole course. The three quizzes will cover material from every week’s learning modules indicated in this syllabus.
The instructor will post every Monday the corresponding evaluation.

Participation

Each Student is expected to participate in the online discussion forums that will appear every week in the course’s home page. The participation grade will be based on the regularity of your participation and the quantity and quality of your entries.

Missed Assignments

You will have 90 minutes to complete the quizzes and 180 minutes the final exam. The instructor will post quizzes and final exam in the “Examinations” folder at the course’s home page. If by any reason you cannot make it the day scheduled for the exam, immediately contact the instructor. The instructor suggests knowing all the online tools well enough and allowing ample time in case of problems.

General Considerations

The instructor reserves the ultimate right to modify the schedule of contents, assignments and tests for the class as it deems necessary. In addition, the professor reserves his rights to assess the overall ability of the students to meet the expectations of the course and will exercise his right to pass or fail the student accordingly.

Incompletes

The University’s policy on the awarding of incompletes is discussed in the catalog and will be followed in this class.

Academic Dishonesty

CCSU has a zero tolerance policy on academic dishonesty. Academic dishonesty includes cheating on homework or exams, and also plagiarism. Plagiarism is basically taking someone else’s work and presenting it as your own. Plagiarism can include copying someone else’s work (quoting someone else’s writing without giving them credit, or buying or downloading someone else’s paper from the Internet). Demonstrated cases of academic dishonesty can result in severe penalties including receiving an “F” in the class and being expelled from the University.

Tentative Course Outline

1st Week: May 26 – 29

Learning Unit 1: Introduction to the Course

  • Introduction to the Course
  • Public Relations Defined
  • Ethics and Communication

2nd Week: June 1-5

Learning Unit 2: (PR History)

  • Historical development of the PR profession
  • PR Models
  • Case Studies:
    • Public Relations during the American Revolution
    • The Ludlow massacres
    • Torches of Freedom
    • Four Freedoms Campaign
    • China’s Candidacy for the Olympic Games 2008
Discussion Forums: Ethics in Communication
1st Quiz (June 5th)

3rd Week June 8-12

Learning Unit 3: PR Theory

  • Scott Cutlip’s Four Step PR Model
  • Chapter 5: Research
  • Chapter 6: Program Planning
  • Chapter 7 Communication
  • Chapter 8 Evaluation

Learning Unit 4: Public Relations and Public Opinion

  • The Role of Public Opinion in Contemporary Society
  • Social-Engineering
  • Public Opinion Structure
Discussion Forums: Public Opinion
2nd Quiz (June 12th)

4th Week June 15-19

Learning Unit 5: Crisis Communication

  • Crisis management
  • Case Studies:
    • Exxon-Valdez environmental catastrophe
    • Crisis management in the Tylenol crisis

Learning Unit 6: PR and Mass Media

  • Mass Media Effects
  • Communication Conditions
Discussion Forums: Crisis Communication
3rd Quiz (June 19th)

5th Week June 22-26

Learning Unit 7: Applications Fields

  • Philanthropy
  • Community Relations
  • Sponsoring
  • Environment
  • Political Communication
Discussion Forums: Contemporary Public Relations
Final Exam (June 26th)