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JLS732

Principles & Practice Of Pr

This course introduces the principles and practices of public relations. It explores the meaning and scope of public relations, its evolution, and its processes. The course covers writing and speaking skills essential for public relations professionals. It also examines public relations in action, including planning, non-profit organizations, and crisis communication. Additionally, the course delves into the role of public relations in society, public opinion, ethics, and relevant legal considerations.

About this course

Difficulty
Intermediate
Study hours
208 hours
Maths
None
Content
Theoretical, practical, case study
Practical work
Yes
How it is assessed
  • Assignments
  • Tutor Marked Assessments
  • Final Examination

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

JLS732 · UNIT 1 DEFINITIONS AND COMPONENTS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

1.0 INTRODUCTION Like most subjects or disciplines, public relations has as many definitions as there are authors and practitioners in the field. These authors and practitioners offer varying definitions based on their knowledge, experience and practices perspectives. However, as we examine these definitions, you will observe points of similarities and unanimity in them.

What you should be able to do

  1. Define public relations and its key components
  2. Identify and analyze the various publics of an organization
  3. Develop effective communication strategies for different audiences
  4. Apply ethical principles to public relations practice
  5. Manage crisis situations and protect organizational reputation

What it prepares you for

Careers
  • Public Relations Manager
  • Communications Specialist
  • Media Relations Officer
  • Corporate Communications Director
  • Crisis Communications Consultant
Where it is applied
  • Corporate Communications
  • Government Relations
  • Non-profit Organizations
  • Marketing Communications
  • Crisis Management

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

  • Module 2: Evolution and Process of Public Relations

    Unit 5: Research in Public Relations

    Extensive knowledge of research methodologies and statistical analysis is required to understand and apply research findings effectively.

  • Module 4: Public Relations in Action

    Unit 4: Crisis Communication Management

    Requires understanding of complex communication strategies and ability to make quick, ethical decisions under pressure.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 85 hours in total. Yours will differ.

  1. Week 1Module 1: Meaning and Scope of Public Relations
    • Unit 1: Definitions and components of public relations · 3 hours

      Read definitions of public relations. Identify common terms in definitions. Formulate your own definition.

    • Unit 2: Functions and Careers of Public Relations · 2 hours

      List and explain functions of PR practitioners. State knowledge, abilities, and skills required.

  2. Week 2Module 1: Meaning and Scope of Public Relations
    • Unit 3: Public Relations and Related Concepts · 4 hours

      Define related concepts like publicity, lobbying, merchandising. Differentiate between related concepts. Outline functions involved in PR.

    • Unit 4: Public Relations Publics · 3 hours

      Identify various publics of an organization. Show best approaches to relating with publics.

  3. Week 3Module 2: Evolution and Process of Public Relations
    • Unit 1: Origins and Pioneers of Public Relations · 4 hours

      Describe how public relations has evolved. Explain roles of Ivy Lee and Edward Bernays.

    • Unit 2: History and Development of Public Relations in Nigeria · 3 hours

      Tell the history of PR development in Nigeria. Outline major achievements of PR.

  4. Week 4Module 2: Evolution and Process of Public Relations
    • Unit 3: Models of Public Relations · 4 hours

      Define a model. State relevance of models to PR. Discuss certain PR models.

    • Unit 4: Models of Public Relations (The Melvin Sharpe's Model) · 3 hours

      Explain Melvin Sharpe's behavioral theory. Explain behavioral principles that achieve harmonious PR.

  5. Week 5Module 2: Evolution and Process of Public Relations
    • Unit 5: Research in Public Relations · 5 hours

      Explain procedure for doing PR research. Do a PR research.

  6. Week 6Module 3: Writing and Speaking In Public Relations
    • Unit 1: The Challenge of Writing and Speaking in Public Relations · 4 hours

      Describe challenges of writing and speaking in PR. Describe process of writing and composition. Explain phases and subcomponents of writing.

    • Unit 2: Editing and Proofreading · 3 hours

      Identify a passage for editing and proofreading. Outline steps for editing and proofreading. Edit and proofread required passages.

  7. Week 7Module 3: Writing and Speaking In Public Relations
    • Unit 3: The Press Release · 4 hours

      Give a brief history of the press release. Explain the basic parts of a press release.

    • Unit 4: Speaking in Public Relations · 3 hours

      Explain various PR speaking tasks. Discuss steps for researching and planning a speech.

  8. Week 8Module 3: Writing and Speaking In Public Relations
    • Unit 5: The Process of Successful Public Relations Speeches · 5 hours

      Describe process of planning, delivering, and evaluating your speech. Give a speech.

  9. Week 9Module 4: Public Relations in Action
    • Unit 1: Public Relations Planning · 4 hours

      Identify the need for planning PR programs. Enumerate reasons for planning. Discuss key considerations prior to a PR plan.

    • Unit 2: The Public Relations Plan · 3 hours

      Outline steps involved in a PR plan. Do a PR plan.

  10. Week 10Module 4: Public Relations in Action
    • Unit 3: Public Relations for Non-profit Organisations · 4 hours

      Explain what a non-profit organization is. State two major types of non-profit organizations. Discuss how to use PR in non-profit organizations.

    • Unit 4: Crisis Communication Management · 3 hours

      Define a crisis. Explain kinds of crises. Describe the stages of a crisis.

  11. Week 11Module 4: Public Relations in Action
    • Unit 5: Steps in Crisis Communication · 5 hours

      Discuss the steps of crisis communication. Explain what to do before, during, and after a crisis.

  12. Week 12Module 5: Public Relations and Society
    • Unit 1: The Role of Public Relations in Society · 4 hours

      Establish relationship between PR and society. Explain ways PR benefits society. Evolve ways to achieve better relations between PR and society.

    • Unit 2: Public Opinion and Propaganda · 3 hours

      Define public opinion and propaganda. Make a distinction between the two terms. Explain importance of public opinion in PR.

  13. Week 13Module 5: Public Relations and Society
    • Unit 3: Public Relations and the Law · 5 hours

      Discuss the role of law in PR practice. List and discuss important laws in PR practice. Explain the role of ethics in PR practice.

    • Unit 5: Cases in Public Relations · 4 hours

      Explain what a case study is. Discuss procedures for solving case studies. Solve some case problems.

Preparing for the exam

What to do
  • Create flashcards for key definitions and concepts from Units 1-3
  • Practice writing press releases for different scenarios (Units 7-9)
  • Review ethical frameworks and case studies (Units 18-20)
  • Develop a crisis communication plan for a hypothetical company (Units 14-16)
  • Summarize the main points of each module and create a concept map linking them

Questions students ask about this course

What is JLS732 about?

This course introduces the principles and practices of public relations. It explores the meaning and scope of public relations, its evolution, and its processes. The course covers writing and speaking skills essential for public relations professionals. It also examines public relations in action, including planning, non-profit organizations, and crisis communication. Additionally, the course delves into the role of public relations in society, public opinion, ethics, and relevant legal considerations.

How many units does JLS732 have?

JLS732, Principles & Practice Of Pr, has 24 units across 5 modules, over 178 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is JLS732?

JLS732 carries 3 credit units, at 700 level in Social Sciences.

Is JLS732 hard?

JLS732 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical and case study work, and it has a practical component.

How long does JLS732 take to study?

About 208 hours of study, spread across its 24 units.

How is JLS732 assessed?

JLS732 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor Marked Assessments and Final Examination.

What can I do with JLS732?

Public Relations Manager, Communications Specialist, Media Relations Officer, Corporate Communications Director and Crisis Communications Consultant.

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