COM 302 Public Relations & The Media

This course is designed to teach students the symbiotic relationship public relations has with journalism. While public relations is not a media outlet, it is a media support industry. Journalists depend on public relations practitioners to provide accurate and timely information. Public relations practitioners depend on the press to disseminate accurate information regarding the clients they represent. Both professions use AP style and have a similar code of ethics. This course will cover internal and external public relations in a variety of professions. Ethical dilemmas are stressed as are current events. Students are required to use critical thinking skills and read case studies. In addition, students will present a public relations proposal for a given client. This will be a professional presentation including goals, objectives, research, strategies, tactics, budget, timeline and examples of professional work. This work may be included in a student's portfolio. Students will work in teams (the composition of the teams is dependent on the class size). The public relations industry is a growth industry. Understanding media relations is essential for any journalism or public relations student as the two must interact on a professional basis.

*Please note: In the Spring term, this course is predominantly taken by CEA students.