COMM411: Public Relations

Effective public relations skills are essential to much of business and personal success. Public relations efforts address how we wish to present ourselves to others and how to deal with the perceptions of who others believe we are. Public relations tactics are just as useful for large international corporate projects as they are for personal networking. Most communications courses are based on addressing how we relate to others. The field of public relations takes the theories of human interaction and applies these theories to get real-life results. This course will help prepare you to conduct public relations suitable for small start-up businesses, international companies, political campaigns, social programs, personal development, and other outreach projects. There are many tools that are useful for conducting effective public relations. As we review the components of a public relations campaign, you will learn how to prepare the key materials that will help you get the job done. You will examine what has worked for others as you craft your own form and style. You may develop your own public relations portfolio, including news releases, pitch letters, biographies, position papers, crisis communications, and other tools of a strategic public relations kit. You will accomplish this by referring to diverse resources and examining extensive materials from successful practitioners in the field.