Required Courses (6 credits):

    COMM 2004 Public Relations Principles

  •     COMM 3035 Public Relations Writing

Elective Courses (9 credits) from the following:

  •     COMM 3004 Organizational Communication
  •     COMM 3030 Events Planning for the PR Professional
  •     COMM 3244 Public Relations Campaigns
  •     COMM 4480 Crisis Communication in a PR Context
  •     FILM 1501 Cinematic Storytelling
  •     PSYC 1201 General Psychology
  •     PSYC 3310 Social Psychology
  •     PSYC 3318 Psychology of Everyday Persuasion (Wroxton option)

Course Descriptions

  • COMM2004 This course explores the field of professional public relations covering the role, origin and trends affecting the future of the practice. Additionally, the course will cover topics such as effective writing skills, campaign development and ethical and legal implications of the profession.

  • COMM3004 This course offers a comprehensive examination of organizational communication from the Industrial Revolution to the present. Primarily, it will examine the meanings of actions and practices in organizations. The aim will be to develop and use multiple frameworks for the analysis of everyday organizational life. Through these frameworks, the course will explore such topic areas as organizational politics, globalization, leadership, power, motivation, empowerment and workplace ethics.

  • COMM3030 Event planning is an important component of marketing and public relations. Events have the power to build consumer awareness and create a connection to a company or brand that other channels can't match. From product launches to fundraising galas, effective events can help brands and organizations achieve measurable business goals. But event planning is more than just throwing a good party -- each production takes months of planning and strategy. In this course, you'll learn how to create successful events from conception to completion. You will develop essential materials for your event including invitations, advertisements, calendar listings, and media alerts to create awareness, you will create and manage an even budget, and think creatively to build exciting strategic collaborations.

  • COMM3035 This course will introduce students to the field of public relations and provide them with a good repertoire of writing skills and techniques for use in public relations. It will discuss both the theory and practice of public relations with particular emphasis on writing for the media, for crisis communication and for advertising and publicity.

  • COMM3244

  • COMM4480 This course specifically examines the dynamic practice of crisis communication on the organizational level. It seems that we live in a culture of crisis - organizations must be proactive and reactive in their public relations practices. Topics discussed will include image repair strategies, options available to organizations facing crisis, crisis management teams, crisis management as a form of public relations, and examination of case studies. Using the most recent scholarship, students will learn about this timely topic in an interactive and engaging environment.

  • FILM1501 A basic introduction to the art of telling the visual story, examining the work of the screenwriter, art director, producer, director, actor, music composer, editor and studio executive. Such subjects as a films theme and focus, genre and market are closely discussed. The class consists of viewing film clips, readings and discussions on what are all the elements that contribute to the visual story - the how and why.

  • PSYC1201 An introduction to basic and essential principles and practices of contemporary psychology. Topics included are psychological methods, motivation, emotion, perception, learning, thinking, problem-solving, intelligence, personality development. Fall, Spring

  • PSYC3310 A study of the individual's behavior and experiences under the influence of social processes and institutions; socialization, role perception and role behavior, social norms and conformity; interpersonal attraction, social power, leadership. Fall or Spring

  • PSYC3318 The 21st century is characterized by "information overload". Individuals in Western democracies are subject to influence and manipulation of representations in all their forms. Democracy, built upon persuasion, has become viewed with cynicism. This course investigates the historical development of the techniques used by Public and Commercial organizations. Issues such as advertising, public relations will be amongst the topics studied. Students will be assisted to develop techniques for detecting and resisting propaganda whilst on the course.