Course Title: Issues, Risk and Crisis Communication

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Issues, Risk and Crisis Communication

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
COMM2688	City Campus	Undergraduate	345H Media and Communication	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2015, Sem 2 2016, Sem 2 2017, Sem 2 2018, Sem 2 2019, Sem 1 2020, Sem 2 2020, Sem 2 2021, Sem 2 2022, Sem 2 2023, Sem 2 2024
COMM2699	RMIT University Vietnam	Undergraduate	345H Media and Communication	Face-to-Face	Viet1 2016, Viet2 2016, Viet1 2017, Viet2 2017, Viet3 2017, Viet1 2018, Viet2 2018, Viet3 2018, Viet1 2019, Viet2 2019, Viet3 2019, Viet2 2020, Viet3 2020, Viet1 2021, Viet2 2021, Viet1 2022, Viet2 2022, Viet3 2022, Viet1 2023, Viet2 2023, Viet3 2023, Viet1 2024, Viet2 2024, Viet3 2024
COMM2760	Melbourne transfer to Vietnam	Undergraduate	345H Media and Communication	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2016
COMM2776	RMIT Vietnam Hanoi Campus	Undergraduate	345H Media and Communication	Face-to-Face	Viet2 2019, Viet3 2019, Viet2 2020, Viet3 2020, Viet1 2021, Viet3 2021, Viet1 2022, Viet2 2022, Viet3 2022, Viet1 2023, Viet3 2023, Viet1 2024, Viet2 2024, Viet3 2024
COMM2846	Singapore Inst of Management	Undergraduate	345H Media and Communication	Face-to-Face	Offsh1 21, Offsh1 22, Offsh3 23

Course Coordinator: David Micallef

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 4315

Course Coordinator Email: david.micallef@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Building 9, Level 4

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment- please email

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Required prior study   You should have satisfactorily completed COMM2689 Public Relations Essentials: Concepts or Practice OR COMM1161 Foundations of Public Relations before you commence this course. Alternatively, you may be able to demonstrate the required skills and knowledge before you start this course. Contact your Course Coordinator if you think you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning.  Further information go to the RMIT Student Page on Applying for Credit.

 

Course Description

In this course you will explore what to do if an issue or crisis threatens an organisation, and how effective response demands commitment and involvement across all areas of management. The reputation of an organisation can be damaged overnight in the current digital media environment. The identification of issues and how an organisation responds to them is fundamental to understanding modern crisis and risk communication.   This course provides an overview of key concepts in issues, risk and crisis communication, using case studies to examine the concepts in action. You will explore how issues and risks are communicated and how appropriate communication can make the difference between issues escalating into a crisis or resulting in a public that understands. The perspectives of both the producers and receivers of the messages will be explored as well as the core concepts of trust, reputation, credibility and control.

 

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Program Learning Outcomes    This course contributes to the following program learning outcomes:  

• Demonstrate the ability to research, plan, implement, evaluate and present public relations communication that respond to the needs of the client organisation.
• Demonstrate creativity and innovation when identifying and solving problems in diverse contexts within public relations.
• Communicate using diverse formats and strategies to audiences within and external to your discipline.
• Work with others in a range of roles and contexts, demonstrating cultural, environmental and social awareness and ethical and reflective practice.

Course Learning outcomes

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

1. Identify and describe the process involved in risk and issues management.
2. Compare and contrast issues, risks and crises, using appropriate theoretical frameworks.
3. Evaluate Crisis Communication Strategies Undertaken by a Range of Organisations. 
4. Create a risk or crisis communication plan that addresses what to do in response to a real-world issue or crisis.

Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in learning that involves a range of activities such as lectures, tutorials, seminars, project work, class discussion, individual and group activities.

Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. A list of recommended learning resources will be provided by your lecturer, including books, journal articles and web resources. You will also be expected to seek further resources relevant to the focus of your own learning. The University Library has extensive resources for public relations students. The Library has produced a subject guide that includes quality online and print resources for your studies: http://rmit.libguides.com/pr The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help via your Liaison Librarian.

 

Overview of Assessment

Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes. Assessment may include essays, reports, reflective papers, creative projects and presentations, individually and in groups. Assessment will cover both theoretical and practical aspects of your learning.

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.

Assessment Tasks
Assessment 1: Report, 'What's your issue? (35%, Individual) Linked course learning outcomes: 1, 2.
Assessment 2: Report, 'Why take a risk?' (35%, individual) Linked course learning outcomes: 1, 2.
Assessment 3: Report and Presentation, 'Crisis, what crisis?' (30%, group)  Linked course learning outcomes: 2, 3, 4.

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. 

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal.