Undergraduate - UnitATS1897 - Public relations theory, principles and practice

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

print version

6 points, SCA Band 3, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Organisational Unit	School of Media, Film and Journalism
Offered	Gippsland First semester 2015 (Off-campus)
Coordinator(s)	Angela Mak (Berwick); Ms Elizabeth Hart (Gippsland)

Synopsis

The primary aim of this unit is to introduce students to the range and depth of contemporary theory and practice of public relations in an organisational setting. Applications of stakeholder theory, relationship management and public relations theory, communication theory, systems theory and critical theory. Compare different approaches to public relations theory and understand the trends that shape and direct public relations practice and the diversity of that practice .The contributions which public relations can make to an organisation's performance, the ethical codes important to public relations practice and legal requirements for practice.

Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to demonstrate:

A critical understanding of the context of the public relations industry and its theoretical base;
The ability to interpret, analyse and critique current practices and issues and understand the trends of public relations and their impact on practice and management;
A capacity for critical reflection about the meaning and value of socially responsible and ethical public relations practice and the codes of practice that guide the profession globally;
Knowledge and understanding about the legal implications for public relations activities;
The ability to identify publics for public relations clients, issues and activities and;
Skills in the development and use of stakeholder mapping techniques.

Assessment

Within semester assessment: 70%
Exam: 30%

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Chief examiner(s)

Angela Mak

Prohibitions

PRL1001, PRJ2221