Course Title: Public Relations Campaigns

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Public Relations Campaigns

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
COMM2089	City Campus	Undergraduate	335H Applied Communication	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 1 2009
COMM2089	City Campus	Undergraduate	345H Media and Communication	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2010, Sem 1 2011, Sem 2 2012, Sem 2 2013, Sem 2 2014

Course Coordinator: Justin Rogers

Course Coordinator Phone: 61 03 9925 1079

Course Coordinator Email: justin.rogers2@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Building 9.5.41 (City Campus)

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Pre-requisite COMM2257 COMM2359

Course Description

This course requires students to integrate skills and knowledge gained throughout the duration of the program and preparing them to transition into the professional world. Responding to a client brief, students will work in teams that replicate a consultancy environment, to apply their writing skills, strategic thinking, creativity, and theoretical frameworks in a real-time context. Students will undertake research, develop and implement a strategic and tactical response to a client problem taking into account factors such as timelines and budgets necessary to meet the client’s communication goal. The course will also require students to critically reflect on the contemporary practice of public relations and synthesise their knowledge and skills in a series of individual and group assessments.

There is a strong emphasis on being able to work in a team and interact with clients. You will need to understand and interpret the needs of a client organisation as you develop and implement your campaign project.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

 In this course you will develop the following program capabilities:
- improve your ability to apply public relations theories to public relations practice
- build relationship management skills
- refine your approach to professional PR practice
- improve your oral presentation skills
- develop knowledge of public relations campaign process and management
- professional writing and presentation techniques
- problem solving and analytical skills
- project management and teamwork skill

Upon success completion of this course, you will be able to:

- demonstrate an understanding of strategic planning
- research and articulate a communication campaign that represents a creative, relevant and practicable response to a client brief
- present appropriate reports on campaign progress that reflect the client’s priorities
- reflect on group dynamics, the relationship between practitioner and client and professional public relations practice
- collaborate as part a team to present your ideas to peers, teachers and clients in an ethical and professional manner

Overview of Learning Activities

Key concepts and theories relating to campaign development and management, and their application, will be discussed in lectures and workshops. The practical aspect of this course involves students working in groups under supervision, and meeting with their client to manage and complete a PR campaign in response to a client brief.
Students are expected to complete assigned readings and contribute to class exercises. You will meet with your group during classes and in your own learner-directed time to complete tasks set in this course.
This course will also provide you with the opportunity to receive industry feedback on some of your learning activities and to produce professional campaign materials to add to your portfolio.

Overview of Learning Resources

Readings and related resources are available on e-blackboard. There are also recommended texts. In some cases, clients MIGHT make resources (meeting space and/or materials) available to their campaign team. Other online resources such as Turniti, an academic integrity tool, might be used for some classes and assessments.

Overview of Assessment

Your appreciation and knowledge of how public relations theory is applied to practice will be improved by exploring concepts and case studies in seminars and applying them to the research, planning and presentation of an integrated communication campaign. The assessment for this unit will be based on group and individual work.

Some assessment tasks will be completed in a group with fellow PR students, and this helps to build your understanding of how to work in a team and why it is important in PR campaigns.