Public Relations Specialization Courses

COMM 721 Public Relations Campaigns - 3 Credits

Course emphasizes public relations research, objectives, strategies, and campaign evaluation. Utilizes a service-learning approach wherein students adopt an organization to produce and present a comprehensive public relations campaign plan.

COMM 727 PR Management - 3 Credits

Students use case studies and focus on strategies that public relations practitioners need to know to successfully manage issues and communicate effectively with external audiences, including news media.

COMM 728 Strategic Communication and Persuasion - 3 Credits

An examination of how influence is created and resisted through communication in settings such as public relations, advertising, and political campaigns. There is an emphasis on contemporary theories of persuasion and attitude change.

COMM 719 Reputation Management - 3 Credits

An examination of the role of personal reputation in an overall organization, including how corporate culture can influence a company’s reputation and how internal communications can serve as a tool. Will also examine the factors of reputational risk and the strategies behind building a reputation.

COMM 722 Crisis Communication - 3 Credits

This course uses case studies and focuses on the six phases of crisis communication needed to successfully manage a crisis, protect an individual or organization confronted with an unexpected challenge to its reputation and communicate effectively with key stakeholders including news media.

COMM 724 Public Relations Writing - 3 Credits

Students will develop professional writing skills expected of PR practitioners for a client. Writing will be based on AP style best practices, and will include calendar news release, media advisory, fact sheets, post-event news release, bios, and media pitches. Students will also develop a key messaging document for the client.

COMM 725 Branding - 3 Credits

Students learn how to develop brands, create concepts, and develop advertising campaigns. Learn how to determine appropriate media for particular campaigns, how to organize a creative department, how to create budgets and timelines, and how to research and purchase visual imagery.

COMM 729 Topics in Public Relations - 3 Credits

Further examination of areas of interest within the fields of strategic communication and public relations. Topic areas explored could include organizational communication, health communication, political communication, sports communication or advertising.

COMM 756 Strategic Communication Writing - 3 Credits

Strong focus on honing students’ abilities to create effective strategic messages across many forms of mass media. Students create short and long strategic messages targeting specific demographic and psychographic audiences. Other topics include audience analysis, metrics, engagement, digital influence, and new media relations. PREREQUISITE: Public Relations Writing or Writing for Digital Media

COMM 723 Strategic Communication Campaigns - 3 Credits

An exploration of public communication campaigns, examining how the media can influence attitudes and behaviors related to issues of politics, health, or society.