School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Public Relations Strategies
  • Unit Code

    CMM5180
  • Year

    2021
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    20
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Judith Ann ELUND

Description

This unit will introduce the strategic role of public relations in applying communication techniques in different settings to reach effective outcomes. Students will use information gathering and analysis as the foundation for communication planning and implementation. The unit also examines financial and budgetary aspects of public relations management as well as the ethical and social ramifications of public relations practice.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse and evaluate the role and application of public relations theory and practice in the commercial and public sectors.
  2. Compare the characteristics of the main areas of public relations practice, including the public relations' role in addressing and responding to sustainability and cross-cultural issues.
  3. Develop and apply problem-solving, decision-making and creativity skills in public relations activities.
  4. Construct basic public relations plans to meet the requirements of actual organisations and situations while considering cultural and social needs of the audience.
  5. Identify, analyse, and act on ethical and risk issues relevant to public relations practice.

Unit Content

  1. The history and development of public relations as a discipline.
  2. Relevant theories and principles from public relations, communication and the social sciences, and their application in PR practice.
  3. Creativity, problem-solving, decision-making and project management individually and in teams.
  4. Public relations research, measurement and evaluation.
  5. Communication planning and development of persuasive messages and their implementation.
  6. Ethics, risks, issues and crises as they apply to the field of public relations.
  7. The characteristics of public relations practice in the corporate, government, consulting and not-for-profit sectors.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECUs LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 1Not Offered13 x 3 hour seminarNot Offered
Semester 2Not Offered13 x 3 hour seminarNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures covering a variety of public relations specialties. Tutorials, including real life case studies. Assessments, requiring individual consideration of professional ethics and group work on community based organisations. Readings and research on current public relations activities and outcomes.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Case StudyCommunication Audit30%
AssignmentCampaign Plan40%
PresentationGroup Pitch Presentation30%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Case StudyCommunication Audit30%
AssignmentCampaign Plan40%
PresentationGroup Pitch Presentation30%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

CMM5180|1|1

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Public Relations Strategies
  • Unit Code

    CMM5180
  • Year

    2021
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    20
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Judith Ann ELUND

Description

This unit will introduce the strategic role of public relations in applying communication techniques in different settings to reach effective outcomes. Students will use information gathering and analysis as the foundation for communication planning and implementation. The unit also examines financial and budgetary aspects of public relations management as well as the ethical and social ramifications of public relations practice.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Analyse and evaluate the role and application of public relations theory and practice in the commercial and public sectors.
  2. Compare the characteristics of the main areas of public relations practice, including the public relations' role in addressing and responding to sustainability and cross-cultural issues.
  3. Develop and apply problem-solving, decision-making and creativity skills in public relations activities.
  4. Construct basic public relations plans to meet the requirements of actual organisations and situations while considering cultural and social needs of the audience.
  5. Identify, analyse, and act on ethical and risk issues relevant to public relations practice.

Unit Content

  1. The history and development of public relations as a discipline.
  2. Relevant theories and principles from public relations, communication and the social sciences, and their application in PR practice.
  3. Creativity, problem-solving, decision-making and project management individually and in teams.
  4. Public relations research, measurement and evaluation.
  5. Communication planning and development of persuasive messages and their implementation.
  6. Ethics, risks, issues and crises as they apply to the field of public relations.
  7. The characteristics of public relations practice in the corporate, government, consulting and not-for-profit sectors.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECUs LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 1Not Offered13 x 3 hour seminarNot Offered
Semester 2Not Offered13 x 3 hour seminarNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures covering a variety of public relations specialties. Tutorials, including real life case studies. Assessments, requiring individual consideration of professional ethics and group work on community based organisations. Readings and research on current public relations activities and outcomes.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Case StudyCommunication Audit30%
AssignmentCampaign Plan40%
PresentationGroup Pitch Presentation30%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Case StudyCommunication Audit30%
AssignmentCampaign Plan40%
PresentationGroup Pitch Presentation30%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

CMM5180|1|2