PR199
Campaign Planning & Management
Course Syllabus
Professor: Dennis L. Wilcox, Ph.D.
Office: DBH110
Phone: (408) 924-3243
Email: dwilcox@casa.sjsu.edu
Office Hours: MW:
TR:
Or
by Appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION;
Welcome to PR199, the senior level seminar course in the
public relations degree progam. This is a capstone course designed to
integrate previous courses and internship for the purpose of providing a comprehensive
overview of how all the elements of strategic public relations programming are
done.
COURSE PREREQUISITES
Students MUST have completed PR99, PR190 or PR191, PR192,
and MC111 (internship) prior to enrolling in this course. Concurrent enrollment is NOT permitted except
in the case of enrollment in one of the remaining writing courses (PR190 or
PR191). Prerequisites are rigidly
enforced and failure to meet the prerequisites will result in disenrollment.
Graduate students may have prerequisites waived if they have
professional experience in an area of public relations and receive the
permission of the instructor.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The objective of the capstone course in the public relations degree program is to integrate all aspects of the student’s learning and experience into a coherent understanding working as a professional in the public relations field. Students should gain knowledge in:
REQUIRED TEXTS
Smith, Ronald D. Strategic Planning for Public Relations.
Recommended:
Seniors in public relations are expected by potential
employers to be aware of current trends and issues in public relations
practice. Consequently, it is
recommended that students regularly read (or even subscribe) to PRWeek, Public
Relations Tactics, Public Relations Quarterly, and even the Public
Relations Review. All of these
publications are available in the Brown Reading Room (DBH109).
FORMAT OF THE CLASS
The course is taught as an interactive seminar, which requires everyone to participate. An effective seminar, for maximum learning and enjoyment, has the following characteristics: (l) strenuous practice in close reading of the assigned book chapters, (2) careful listening, (3) precise thinking, and (4) concise expression of ideas.
Students have the responsibility of (l) being willing to stretch themselves by actively thinking about the content of the readings, (2) making every effort to keep focused on the topic at hand, and (3) respecting the ideas and contributions of other students. The professor has the responsibility of facilitating discussion, guiding students to think deeply about the meaning and value of the readings, assuring a supportive environment for interactive learning, and encouraging the expression of student ideas and experiences.
ASSIGNMENTS
The following course work is required:
Assignments will be made in the required text. In addition, supplemental handouts will be
distributed in class.
Discussant Role/Class Participation
Students will be assigned in advance to be a "discussant" on a particular reading. This means that the professor will first call on them to give a short commentary (up to five minutes) about the reading being reviewed for the day. On occasion, a group may be assigned a "discussant" role. The role of a discussant is to NOT just summarize the major points of the chapter, but to provide some perspective and analysis of a major concept advanced by the book’s author. General class participation in the discussion will also be evaluated by the professor at the end of the semester Note: You may have perfect attendance but, if you don’t say anything in class, it will be counted against you.
Written Critique
Students will prepare a written critique of two chapters in which they are not serving in a discussant role.
Cover Letter/Resume/Portfolio
Students will prepare a tailored cover letter for a specific job opening that they have found. In addition, they will prepare a professional resume and organize a portfolio of past accomplishments.
Group Project
Students will divide into teams and prepare a public relations program proposal for a "real-world" client. The proposal will be professionally written and produced; it will include all elements of a program plan. In addition, students will make a professional presentation to the client
Peer Evaluation
The group project will be evaluated in several ways. One way is the evaluation of other team members regarding your contributions. A second way is scoring of the formal presentation by the client. A third area involves professor feedback.
Exams
This course has no mid-term or final exam. The campaign plan, presented to the client,
constitutes the final exam.
GRADING
Discussant Role/Participation 10 percent
Written chapter critiques 10 percent
Cover letter/resume/portfolio 20 percent
Group Written Plan 20 percent
Group presentation 20 percent
Peer evaluation 20
percent
The student, for the final course grade, will need the following GPA in the course:
3.7 to 4.0 = A 2.7 to 2.9 = B- 1.3 to 1.6 = D+
3.5 to 3.6 = A- 2.3 to 2.6 = C+ 1.0 to 1.2 = D
3.3 to 3.4 = B+ 2.0 to 2.2 = C 0.7 to 0.9 = D-
3.0 to 3.2 = B 1.7 to 1.9 = C- 0.0 to 0.6 = F
OTHER NOTES
Keeping Up With the Class
The course requires extensive cooperation and work with a team of fellow students. Everyone, including you, have busy schedules but its imperative that you make every effort to meet regularly with your group and finish parts of a campaign plan in a timely manner. It’s also important to keep up with the readings, since they provide a contextual framework for much of the group work.
Dropping the Course
University policy requires a "serious and compelling reason" for dropping a class after the drop deadlines, usually three weeks after the semester begins. After this date, the professor will NOT drop a student except for documented work conflicts or health reasons. Failing grades, lack of interest, or whatever -- are NOT considered a "serious and compelling reason."
Petition for Late Adds
Students who want to receive credit for taking the course must be officially enrolled by the University’s established ADD deadlines. The professor will NOT sign any Late Add petitions after this date.
Incompletes
On occasion, a student has major difficulty completing the course on schedule. However, a student may only petition for an Incomplete if he or she has completed 70 percent of the course and has a documented reason. In other words, an Incomplete can only be requested if all requirements for the course are completed except the final exam.
Professor as
The objective of the class is to have a good learning experience. To that end, the professor is available for consultation and conversation. You should contact the professor (during office hours or online) if you have questions about assignments or have other concerns.
HOUSE RULES
Dlw8/24/05