Unit OutlineMK234/334 PUBLIC RELATIONS

Unit Number: MK234/334

Mode of Study: Internal

Delivery Method:

Credit: 3 credit points

Cost: $1,125

Pre-requisites: MK110 Principles of Marketing

Location and Time: 18/7 Aberdeen St, Perth, [time]

Learning Management System: Moodle

Course Coordinator: TBA Phone:Email:

Course Coordinator: TBA Phone:Email:

Administrative Contact Darren Smith Phone: 9221-8170Email: dsmith@sheridancollege.com.au

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IntroductionWelcome to Introduction to Public Relations (MK234/334). This unit outlines the theories and principles behind public relations and its relevance for your own business.When you make the decision to study, you can hope for two kinds of outcomes. The first we describe as Learning Outcomes, the second as Graduate Attributes.

My Expected Learning Outcomes (MELOs)As with your business venture, it is important to start your study of this unit with a clear idea in your mind about the goals (outcomes) you expect to achieve. Take a moment now to reflect on your reasons for enrolling in this unit. Have you identified a need in your business? Does this unit prepare you in some way for a specific career path? List your expectations for this unit in the in the table below. Leave the other columns blank for now. In a moment, we'll ask you to compare your personal MELOs with the Sheridan College Expected Learning Outcomes (SCELOs).

My Expected Learning Outcomes (MELOs)Aligns with

SCELOs

In tension

with SCELOs

Not included

in SCELOs

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Sheridan College Expected Learning Outcomes (SCELOs)Sheridan College also has its own expected learning outcomes for you as well. We are not neutral players in the learning process. You can find our expected learning outcomes for this unit in the table on the next page. For us, learning encompasses far more than just remembering and

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understanding. It’s our goal that each of the six (6) different kinds of learning listed below will be an outcome of your study, and we will be assessing you on each one to determine your mastery of the unit.

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You’ll note that the table also includes the learning outcomes for the Bachelor of Business as a whole. These might be described as the sum of all the individual learning outcomes from each unit of the Bachelor of Business degree. You will find these same outcomes in every undergraduate unit you take in the business faculty. The table below also shows how they align with the SCELOs for the individual subject.

Sheridan College Expected Learning Outcomes (SCELOs)

SCELOs for this unit (Selling)

Type of Learning

SCELOs for Bachelor of Business

• Recall the essential principles and concepts of public relations

Remembering

• Demonstrate that you have a broad and coherent knowledge of business, with depth in the underlying principles and concepts of one or more business disciplines as a basis for lifelong learning

• Demonstrate that you understand the principles and concepts of public relations

Understanding

• Illustrate and apply your understanding of public relations theory to simulated and real world situations, including your business start-up

Applying

• Exercise your initiative and judgment in planning, problem-solving and decision-making in professional practice

• Demonstrate your cognitive and technical skills and your capacity to adapt to diverse contexts

• Analyse and explain how individual public relations principles and concepts connect to the whole field of marketing

Analysing

• Demonstrate the cognitive skills of critical review, analysis, consolidation and synthesis of knowledge in the business field

• Reflect upon and evaluate the effectiveness of public relations theory in an actual market and through the lens of a Christian worldview

Evaluating

• Evaluate current and past theories of business in the light of practical experience and a Christian worldview

• Propose improvements to the theory and practice of public relations based on your business experience and through building creative connections with other branches of study

Creating

• Demonstrate your intellectual independence through creative contributions to the study and/or practice of business

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Knowing now where we’re going with the unit, take a moment to go back over your MELOs. Link the outcomes which seem to be fairly similar. Note those which are different. Are there points of potential conflict or tension?

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SHERIDAN COLLEGE GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES

Sheridan College graduates will be ...

Lovers of truth

Spiritual Discerners

Innovative Thinkers

Effective Communicators

Responsible Practitioners

Global influencers

Graduate AttributesBy now you will be very familiar with the Sheridan College Graduate Attributes posted around classrooms and in corridors.Study does more than equip you with knowledge in a specific academic discipline. It can have a transformational effect on your own nature. Moreland and Craig write:“Study itself is a spiritual discipline, and the very act of study can change the self. One who undergoes the discipline of study lives through certain types of experiences where certain skills are developed through habitual study: framing an issue, solving problems, learning how to weigh evidence and eliminate irrelevant factors, cultivating the ability to see important distinctions instead of blurring them, and so on. The disciplines of study also aids in the development of certain virtues and values; for example, a desire for the truth, honesty with data, an openness to criticism, self-reflection and an ability to get along nondefensively with those who differ with one.”

JP Moreland and WL Craig, Philosophical Foundations of a Christian Worldview, 2003

The higher education sector in Australia describes these kinds of outcomes as “Graduate Attributes” (GAs). GAs don't follow in a direct line from learning outcomes (LOs) but are shaped by the learning process itself. Sheridan College’s GAs are listed in the diagram above. They describe the kind of personal characteristics we hope you will exhibit when you graduate. If in future your referees use these kinds of descriptors when writing about you, we will consider this a sign of a successful higher education.

LocationThe unit will be taught on location at Sheridan College, 18/7 Aberdeen St, Perth.

ConsultationAt Sheridan College, instructors are available during office hours for individual consultations for a minimum of 25% of the total time spent teaching the unit. For this unit, the instructor will nominate an additional 45 minutes, either before or after class, to be available for individual student queries. The specific times will be set after discussions with students at the first class.

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Class expectations You are expected to attend all classes, and to be there on time. It is essential that you prepare thoroughly for each class by reading the

assigned chapters and case studies. The unit moves swiftly through to its conclusion and you will not have time to catch up on reading during class sessions

There will be a 20-minute meal/refreshment break during each class. Please return from the break promptly.

Electronic devices (mobile phones, iPads, tablets) should be placed on “silent” during classes. Students should not take phone calls during class.

Learning ResourcesSource TextBowen, Shannon A., Rawlins, Brad and Martin, Thomas, "Mastering Public Relations, v1.0", which can be found at http://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com/catalog/editions/2313Additional Readings[insert]

Managing Your Study and Your BusinessSheridan College’s unique combination of study and work places a lot of personal responsibility on you as a student. If you have made it this far, it means you have mastered (or are mastering) the time management skills required to complete your undergraduate studies. Good work!At this point, however, you might be finding that the business is occupying your thoughts and threatening to encroach on more of your time. It’s important you keep the boundaries that you set at the beginning in place. Remember your business plan. Leave sufficient time each day for the intensive reading that is required for each unit. Whatever your reasons for enrolling at Sheridan College, the successful completion of your study is still the primary outcome for being here.Don’t wait until the final week to make a start on your essay but read and plan ahead from the beginning of the course. Use your SR submissions as a source of ideas.Study GroupsAs always, we urge you to join a study group for this unit. Study groups are a great opportunity to meet with your peers, unpack the chapters and share the study load. You are particularly encouraged to form groups to complete the weekly Summary and Reflection (SR) assignments. Typically, membership of a study group is equivalent to the number of chapters that are required reading each week. However, this is not a hard and fast rule.Remember, study groups are not a license for plagiarism or coasting on the efforts of others. You are expected to contribute your fair share and not to take advantage of your classmates. The Sheridan College Academic Integrity Policy also applies within study groups.

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Assessment ScheduleLearning Portfolio Valu

eDue Date SCELOs Assessed

1. Summary & Reflection (SR)

15% Thursday, 5pm for weeks 1-3

Understand

2. Open Book Quizzes 10% Beginning of each class for weeks 2-4

Remember

3. Literature Review 25% Weeks 2-3 Analyse and Explain

4. Final Essay 50% Friday, 5pm (week 5)

Reflect upon and EvaluatePropose Improvements

Explanation of AssessmentsSheridan College assessments are designed to measure your successful demonstration of the full range of learning outcomes within the field of advertising and promotion.You must attain a pass mark in all assessments to satisfy the course requirements.All assessments must be retained by the student and will form an important component of their business portfolio, which will be submitted as part of their business enterprise placement at the end of each year.1. Summary and Reflection (SR)You will summarise the key points of each chapter and reflect on the relevance of the information for understanding or improving your workplace. SRs are based on a template provided by the lecturer. Each SR is worth 5%. You are encouraged to join a formal study group on Wednesday and together work up the summaries for each week’s readings.2. Open Book QuizzesYour recall of the previous week's readings will be assessed in 10-minute 'open book' quiz, consisting of multiple choice and true/false questions. The quizzes will be worth 10% of the total mark.3. Literature ReviewYou will be provided with a list of ten readings and required to prepare a literature review of those readings. If you are a third year student, you will also be required to research an additional ten articles on the same theme and incorporate these into the review. For guidelines on how to write a literature review see [insert link]. The literature review is worth 25%.4. Final EssayBased on your reading, further research and time spent in the field, you will be required to write a 2,000 word essay (3,000 words for third year students) arguing for a substantive change or addition to the unit textbook and justifying

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your reasons for recommending that change. The essay will be worth 40% of the final mark.Essays will be reviewed by the unit coordinator and an external reviewer. Content or delivery recommendations that are considered of a high enough quality will be included (with your permission) in future Sheridan College MIYO (make-it-your-own) versions of the unit textbook and uploaded to flatworldknowledge.com. You will be fully credited for your work.

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Guidelines for Written AssignmentsThese general guidelines will assist you in preparing and writing your assignments. Your instructor will discuss these in greater detail before you commence your assignments. If you have any questions please ask your instructor to assist you. Do not ask other students, as they may not give you the correct information.Presentation

The assignment must be typed on A4 paper with 1.5 or 2-line spacing and a 3cm margin at the top, bottom and right hand side to allow for marker's comments. Headings should be used to identify the main points in your discussion and may be underlined.

Your assignment should be grammatically correct and well punctuated. A high standard of written English is expected and your assignments should be clear, concise, neatly presented and easy to read. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in a significant loss of marks.

Academic Integrity Your assignment must be your own original piece of work and not that of

another student or previously submitted work for another subject. Students must be aware that there are serious penalties for handing in assignments that have been copied from another source (plagiarism). Your lecturer will discuss this with you during your class. The Sheridan College Academic Integrity Policy can be found at [insert link]

Students are expected to acknowledge the source of their ideas and expressions used in their written work. Sheridan Business School uses the APA Referencing style [insert link]

Submission Your assignment should be submitted to your lecturer by the start of class

on the date specified. If you require an extension of time, it is your responsibility to contact your lecturer before the due date, and provide documentation from a medical practitioner, or the student counsellor as to why you cannot adhere to the stated due date.

Any assignment submitted after the due date without the lecturer’s permission will be subject to a deduction of 10% of the original mark for each working day (including weekends) for which it is late. Assignments submitted more than one week late will only be accepted with a current medical certificate, which must be dated on the day of the illness.

You must keep a copy of the completed assignment when you submit the original document for marking.

If students are in doubt about any of these requirements, they should discuss them with their lecturer who will clarify any misunderstanding.

Assessment Moderation Your major assessment may also be marked by an external examiner, in

addition to your lecturer. This is common practice in the higher education

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industry and is designed to ensure that your marks are equivalent to students being assessed at other higher education institutions.

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Unit OutlineW

EEK

1

LECTURE TOPICS READINGS ASSESSMENTSThe Importance of Public Relations Ch.1

Summary & Reflection (SR)

What is Public Relations? Ch.2Models and Approaches to Public Relations

Ch.3

Public Relations as a Management Function

Ch.4

WEE

K 2

Organizational Factors for Excellent Public Relations

Ch.5

Open Book Quiz;Summary &

Reflection (SR)

Public Relations and Organizational Effectiveness

Ch.6

Identifying and Prioritizing Stakeholders and Publics

Ch.7

Public Relations Research: The Key to Strategy

Ch.8

WEE

K 3 The Public Relations Process - RACE Ch.9

Open Book Quiz;Summary &

Reflection (SR)

The Practice of Public Relations Ch.10Ethics, Leadership and Counseling, and Moral Analysis

Ch.11

Best Practices for Excellence in Public Relations

Ch.12

WEE

K 4 Review

Open Book Quiz; Literature Review

WEE

K 5 Examination Week

Final Essay

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