On-Campus Course Schedule for Summer 2023

Grassroots Communications

Note: The average consumer is bombarded with thousands of messages every single day. Grassroots and word-of-mouth communications can cut through the clutter, make your message stick, and persuade people to take action. Grassroots is the oldest form of communications and among the most effective. But many marketing and communications professionals overlook these important, yet inexpensive, strategies. In this course we'll discuss the history of grassroots communications, the theories behind it all, and develop "how-to" tactics that can help any business, non-profit or political organizer succeed in the 21st century.

MPS PR/CC Internship

This one-credit course is designed to give credit for students doing an internship with an organization that requires them to receive credit. The internships should be substantive and have the goal of providing relevant industry experience, portfolio items or other professional work for students to use when looking for jobs. This course is also meant as a way to help support students who are doing internships. Students are expected to check in every week with the instructor about their experience so that the instructor can give guidance for the internship and for working within a professional organization. Students must ask for permission to take this course.

Note: Extensive, documented academic activity and experimental learning outside of the classroom (min. 6-8 hours per week) is required. Program approval is required.

MPS PR/CC Internship II

This one-credit course is designed to offer students the opportunity work as interns with an organization that requires the student to receive academic credit for work performed during a given semester. The internships should be substantive and have the goal of providing relevant industry experience, portfolio items or other professional work for students to use when seeking future employment. As an extension of MPPR 863: MPS PR/CC Internship I, this course is designed to help students solidify their career as a strategic communications professional. This course is also meant as a way to help support students during their internship experience. Students are expected to check in every week with the instructor about their experience so that the instructor can give guidance regarding the internship and working within a professional organization. Students must ask for permission to take this course. The query email to the instructor should include the following: Name of organization and internship supervisor Contact information (email and phone number) for supervisor List of internship duties Hours expected to work each week Proposed start and end dates A completed Internship Agreement form If needed, program administrators can generate a letter to send to the organization to confirm that the student is receiving credit.

Note: Extensive, documented academic activity and experimental learning outside of the classroom (min. 6-8 hours per week) is required. Students to complete this course after Internship I. Program Approval is required.

Public Relations and Corporate Communications Capstone

Capstone is the final academic opportunity to assess and apply your strategic communications skills and knowledge. The course focuses on the comprehensive skills you have built throughout your time in MPS PR/CC by evaluating your writing, strategic thinking, creativity, and ethical framework in a real-time context. During your final challenge, you will apply your strategic communications skills to an existing communications challenge identified by a company/organization of your choosing. Working individually, you will respond to a communication problem or opportunity for your client. At the close of the semester, you will be expected to write and present a well-researched, insightful, creative plan that illuminates how your strategic considerations will lead to positive outcomes for your client. Your plan will tell the story of the original research, implementation plan, timelines and budget necessary to meet the client’s communication goal. Although the primary focus for the semester is on creating a comprehensive plan, there will be in-class assignments to review and diagnose your mastery of specific concepts in strategic communications planning and responsible communication. The capstone experience is intended to ensure you have the strategic skills and confidence necessary to be a leader in responsible communication, and provide a unique networking and career-enhancing opportunity. In addition to the minimum, cumulative grade point average of 3.0 required for graduation from the MPS PR/CC program, you must receive a minimum grade of a B in the capstone course to graduate. Students with a 3.0 cumulative GPA, who receive a final grade of a B- or below may receive one opportunity to retake the course, if approved by the associate dean.

Note: A minimum grade of "B" is needed to pass. Must have completed MPPR 500- Ethics and MPPR 505 – Elements of Communications Planning if you started the program prior to Fall 2017. If you started the program in Fall 2017 or later, you must have completed MPPR 500 Ethics, MPPR 505 Elements of Communications Planning, MPPR 508 PR Writing, and MPPR 502 Communications Research. This course requires an additional 180 minutes of instruction.

Social Media

Note: Social media is the interaction between individuals to create, share, and exchange information. Platforms are ever-changing, always exciting, and forever in need of strategic practitioners to manage the conversation. Through this course, students will develop the skills necessary to communicate and engage with key publics on social media. The course will begin by exploring the differences between legacy and emerging (new and trendy) social media, and how to determine which to use to best achieve client goals and objectives. Students will then apply their new-found platform fluency to practice developing engaging content, write resonating copy, and monitor for impact. In addition, the course will focus on community management practices, social listening techniques, and social media campaign measurement, helping students prepare for real-time strategy and activation. By the end of the experience, students will have hands-on experience developing social media campaigns and be prepared to integrate effectively into communications planning.