Course Description:

In this class, I was given the opportunity to take an elective from the M.A. in Communication and Leadership Studies curriculum. I chose to take this class, because it allowed me to better understand the importance of leadership in public relations and how to more effectively use communication in my own leadership. This class studied the trends of strategic planning and the importance of communication plans. We ultimately got a hands-on experience learning about real-life examples of how to manage communication in a crisis, how to lead an organization into future endeavors using communication, work with media campaigns, and the basis and growing impact of social media. This course also focused on the importance of relationship building with the public and internal stake holders, showing how intended information can be received with public relations. Two big projects that we were able to work on for this class highlighted my experience. The first included a ‘communication checklist,’ that incorporated the background, problem at hand, research, strategy, implementation, and evaluation of a public relations campaign. The second included a ‘media kit,’ that was a thirteen page document that covered the organization, the organizational issue, the facts about the organization, frequently asked questions, a mock press release, social media campaign content, and an infographic.

 

Course Artifact:

I have two documents to highlight this course:

 

1. I included my media kit that details the entire culmination of the course work that I was able to work through. This was an opportunity to relay the ideas behind public relations and gain a better understanding of the in depth research needed to respond to a potential crisis and the different avenues that people can be reached. With the press release, the poster/infographic, the outlined strategy, and the social media opportunities, I was able to grasp the ideas that build the foundation for a public relations opportunity.

 

2. I included our communications plan that outlines the crisis management techniques an organization can take when working through public relations. Our team project outlines the communication steps to be taken including, outlining the problem, researching the issue, understanding the key stakeholders and the audience, the strategy approaching the situation, and the measurement of the implementation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course Materials:

 

Books:

Caywood, C. L. (2012). The handbook of strategic public relations and integrated communications (2nd ed.). Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Professional.

 

Wilson, L. J., & Ogden, J. D. (2008). Strategic communications planning: For effective public relations and marketing (5th ed.). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Pub.