Students who have successfully completed this course in the Applied Communication Arts will get credit. Foundations of Public Relations 64 hours This course introduces the student to the field of public relations - the different approaches to and aspects of public relations as well as the environment within which public relations functions. Areas examined are the role of PR in employee communication, media relations, and special events planning. In the second semester the course explores other functions of the public relations practitioner including, community relations, financial management, government relations, lobbying, issues management, crisis communications and international public relations. Students who have successfully completed this course will have demonstrated the application of public relations tools through writing copy, conducting a communications audit and communications plan, producing a media kit, and organizing a special event, developing budget and analysing its effectiveness.
Effective writing is fundamental to the practice of public relations.
This course focuses on effective internal communication, and the importance of commitment to open, two-way communication. Students obtain hands-on experience applying persuasive communications as they prepare written documents. Students who have successfully completed this course will have written features and profiles for internal publications, as well as persuasive memoranda. The external audience consists of constituencies outside the organization but relevant to it, such as the media and consumers. This course concentrates on writing techniques for target external publics.