Course Title: Social Context of Professional Practice

Part A: Course Overview

Course ID: 033512

Course Title: Social Context of Professional Practice

Credit Points: 12


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

COMM2090

City Campus

Undergraduate

335H Applied Communication

Face-to-Face

 Sem 2 2006,
Sem 2 2007

Course Coordinator: Carol Clark and Melissa Dark

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3130

Course Coordinator Email: carol.clark@rmit.edu.au / melissa.dark@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 6.2.3 (Administrator public relations)


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

COMM2145 Communication Research and Evaluation
COMM2256 Advanced Strategic PR Planning

Highly recommended COMM2257 PR Research Project


Course Description

This course integrates and summarises the skills and knowledge of applied communication gained throughout the program; provides appropriate and challenging professional experience with a research report/ thesis; and creates a foundation for analysing that experience.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

 This course aims to:

 •  provide students with the opportunity to reflect on, discuss and present current issues in public relations
•  prepare students for the challenges and demands required in their future careers
•  give students experience in developing an original piece of research that will add to the body of knowledge in public relations



By the end of this course, students should be able to :



• demonstrate a broad understanding of the social, political, business and media environments PR professionals work in
• demonstrate their ability to design, research and write a research report (mini-thesis) by integrating and applying the skills and knowledge gained throughout this program


Overview of Learning Activities

Learning will occur through lecture/seminar and workshop/seminar modes where most of the discussion will be led by the students. Guest lecturers from industry will provide insights from a practitioner’s perspective. Students are expected to participate in discussion when not involved in the presentation.

Students will undertake a research project (mini-thesis) to address a research question or issue in the practice of public relations and/or a related field. 


Overview of Learning Resources

There is no set text for this course. Students will find that previous texts for other courses studied during their undergraduate studies will provide starting points. Students should keep in mind that they will be required to exercise independent research and that they will need to go to primary sources, not just rely on texts.


Overview of Assessment

All assignments / presentations / participation must be completed and passed to receive a pass in this subject.


Assessment Tasks and Value

  • research project/mini-thesis (5000 words) 50%
  • research design presentation 20%
  • seminar/tutorial presentation & 1500-word paper (Group) 20%
  • class participation 10%


Submission of Assessment Tasks

All assignments/presentations/participation must be completed and passed to receive a pass in this subject.

There will be a strong emphasis on the presentation of all written and audio-visual material. Only word-processed or typed assignments will be accepted.