CAB399 - Public Relations the Profession and Practice

Outline information
Semester
Schools offering this subject
Last revision date 2023-05-29 00:16:46.469
Last review date 2023-07-31 00:15:03.799

Subject Title
Public Relations the Profession and Practice

Subject Description
This introductory subject in public relations will present to the students the fundamental tools of public relations as well as provide an understanding of the emerging trends within this field.  Due to rapid and profound changes in globalization and technology, effective public relations have become critical to the survival of most organizations in our society. The need for fast and accurate communication between all corporations and the public has made the practice of public relations essential and has made the vehicle of choice, Facebook and Twitter, Blogs, etc. 
 
Disseminating messages both ethically and effectively encompasses both the art and the science of public relations practice.  This subject will explore this profession and examine how it is implemented on both a tactical and strategic basis.  The "how? and the ??why? of Public Relations will be stressed in the utilization of all social media. Case studies will be explored that will demonstrate how and why the practice of public relations practice has succeeded or failed.  This will be examined in many areas including media relations, employee communications, not-for-profit, corporate and government relations as well as many others.

Credit Status
Creative Advertising Diploma Program

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject the student will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an awareness of the fundamental concepts of public relations and how they operate in the world of social media and the integrated communications approach to the programs offered by School of Creative Advertising at Seneca College.
  2. Describe and apply the four models of public relations and understand how they work in the real world of business, media, not-for-profit and community relations etc.
  3. Communicate a comprehension of how effective public relations is achieved first at the tactical and then the strategic level.  Students will do this through the study of public relations case studies and will discuss how they were implemented with Facebook, Twitter etc. and whether or not this was the best tool for getting the job done.
  4. Demonstrate an awareness of the history of public relations and how it has evolved in history to the present day.
  5. Identify the process of public relations from research, to strategic planning and action, through to evaluation.
  6. Differentiate the publics in these fields and apply an understanding of how and what social media tools they choose in order to communicate their messages.
  7. Demonstrate their knowledge in the practice of public relations by making presentations in Government Relations, Nonprofit Organizations, and Corporate Relations and others.
  8. Understand the role that public relations plays within an Advertising Agency and the added value it can offer to client campaigns.
  9. Be an active participant contributing effectively to the assigned tasks and the process of group work within in-class and/or workshop exercises for evaluation.
  10. Understand the purpose of and effectively meet all deadlines and project requirements.

Academic Integrity
Seneca upholds a learning community that values academic integrity, honesty, fairness, trust, respect, responsibility and courage. These values enhance Seneca's commitment to deliver high-quality education and teaching excellence, while supporting a positive learning environment. Ensure that you are aware of Seneca's Academic Integrity Policy which can be found at: http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/academic-integrity-policy.html Review section 2 of the policy for details regarding approaches to supporting integrity. Section 2.3 and Appendix B of the policy describe various sanctions that can be applied, if there is suspected academic misconduct (e.g., contract cheating, cheating, falsification, impersonation or plagiarism).

Please visit the Academic Integrity website http://open2.senecac.on.ca/sites/academic-integrity/for-students to understand and learn more about how to prepare and submit work so that it supports academic integrity, and to avoid academic misconduct.

Discrimination/Harassment
All students and employees have the right to study and work in an environment that is free from discrimination and/or harassment. Language or activities that defeat this objective violate the College Policy on Discrimination/Harassment and shall not be tolerated. Information and assistance are available from the Student Conduct Office at student.conduct@senecapolytechnic.ca.

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
The College will provide reasonable accommodation to students with disabilities in order to promote academic success. If you require accommodation, contact the Counselling and Accessibility Services Office at ext. 22900 to initiate the process for documenting, assessing and implementing your individual accommodation needs.

Camera Use and Recordings - Synchronous (Live) Classes
Synchronous (live) classes may be delivered in person, in a Flexible Learning space, or online through a Seneca web conferencing platform such as MS Teams or Zoom. Flexible Learning spaces are equipped with cameras, microphones, monitors and speakers that capture and stream instructor and student interactions, providing an in-person experience for students choosing to study online.

Students joining a live class online may be required to have a working camera in order to participate, or for certain activities (e.g. group work, assessments), and high-speed broadband access (e.g. Cable, DSL) is highly recommended. In the event students encounter circumstances that impact their ability to join the platform with their camera on, they should reach out to the professor to discuss. Live classes may be recorded and made available to students to support access to course content and promote student learning and success.

By attending live classes, students are consenting to the collection and use of their personal information for the purposes of administering the class and associated coursework. To learn more about Seneca's privacy practices, visit Privacy Notice.