Course Description
Study the foundational elements of public communications and its many facets. You'll cover everything from employee communication to media relations, to the changing nature of public communications in a digital landscape. The course content will blend a theoretical overview with a practical application of public communications, focusing on learning by doing – writing, public speaking, media relations and more – on your own and with your peers. Participants will recognize how strategic public communications enables an organization to create and maintain meaningful relationships with its ‘public,’ safeguard its reputation, and communicate effectively in an information-laden society.
Course Outline
- Module 1: An Introduction to Public Relations/Strategic Communications
- Module 2: The Requisite Skills for Public Relations
- Module 3: Writing: Communications Tactics
- Module 4: Public Speaking: Speeches & Presentations
- Module 5: Internal & External Communications
- Module 6: Media Relations
- Module 7: Social Media & Public Relations in the Digital Landscape
- Module 8: Brand, Image & Reputation Management
- Module 9: The Communication Strategy & The Communication Plan
- Module 10: The Communications Audit
- Module 11: Corporate Social Responsibility & Public Relations Ethics
- Module 12: PR as a Strategic Management Function: How and Where Does it Fit?
What You Will Learn
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- analyze communication methods;
- create strategic communication practices;
- recognize the ethical and social responsibilities that accompany public relations (PR)
- realize the individual and collective responsibilities of the public relations function and its importance as a critical leadership skill; and
- implement practical tactics and strategies through newly-honed communication skills.
Microcredential
This course provides learners with the opportunity to earn a microcredential. A microcredential is evidence of a skill or competency that is employment related. Dalhousie microcredentials are developed in collaboration with employers, industries, and/or organizations that relate to the content.Program Design A microcredential can be displayed on social media pages, digital resumes, personal webpages, and in email signatures. To earn the microcredential in this course, learners will need to successfully complete a competency-based assessment.
Learn more about this Human Resources microcredential on our website.
Notes
The Faculty of OLCD recommends an intermediate level of English language proficiency for the most effective learning and participation in our online and face-to-face courses. A list of minimum recommended scores on some common English tests can be found on our website. If you have questions about your English language proficiency and ability to succeed in this course, please contact openlearning@dal.ca.
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.Recommended For
This course is recommended for anyone interested in strengthening relationships with an organization’s internal and external stakeholders or committed to building their communication skills. Whether you’re a new employee or a retiree, an executive or on the front lines, customer-facing or behind the scenes, everyone in an organization has a role to play in effective public communications. It’s also strongly recommended for anyone considering career advancement given that public communications and communication in general are critical leadership skills.
Applies Towards the Following Certificates
- Diploma in Executive Fire Leadership : Electives
- Certificate in Human Resource Leadership : Required
- Non-Credit Diploma in Professional and Leadership Studies : Required - Human Resource Leadership
- Certificate in Police Leadership : Elective
- Post-Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Leadership : Required
- Public Safety Communicator Leadership Certificate : Electives
Theresa is a public relations professional with a Bachelor of Public Relations, Master of Arts in Communication and 25 years’ communications experience. She has had the privilege of working with a municipal police service, two international airlines and an airport authority, providing strategic counsel to senior leaders in each of these roles. She has documented crisis communications plans for various organizations and effectively managed internal communications at Air Canada during 9/11, and crisis communications for various public safety issues, including the 2018 runway overrun of a B747 cargo aircraft in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Additionally, she has 16 years’ experience serving as a spokesperson.
Don, who possesses a Bachelor of Arts, has served in senior executive roles in municipal and provincial government as well as a not-for-profit organization. He was a police officer for 35 years, during which he was a skilled mediator, crisis negotiator, suicide intervention trainer and a coordinator and instructor of critical incident training; all of these skills are highly transferable to strategic communications. He was also the Public Information Officer for a municipal police service for three years and served as a spokesperson from a management perspective for another seven. Since 2018, he has enjoyed serving as an instructor in the Faculty of Open Learning & Career Development at Dalhousie University. Since 2019, he has co-owned/operated a boutique public relations agency, meeting various client’s diverse, strategic communications needs.