Program Requirements
The field of Public Relations and Communications Management has been changing dramatically in recent years. Digital (including social media) is changing the way public and organizations communicate. Increased consciousness by companies of their social responsibility, and a need for greater accountability to stakeholders, have led to an awareness in both the corporate and the not-for-profit sector that organizations need to rely on the advice and services of well trained professional communicators. The program content is continually updated with best practices in industry. Students have opportunities to discuss real and evolving public relations cases directly with industry professionals.
Required Courses (30 credits)
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CPRL 214 Applied Public Relations Methods 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Public Relations : Context, resources, learning activities, and guidance to conduct comprehensive, primary and secondary public relations research, and assess, edit, revise and proofread public relations materials for print, electronic and digital media.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Andrews, Richard (Fall)
Corequisite: CPRL 223
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CPRL 220 Fundamentals of Fund-Raising (3 credits)
Overview
Public Relations : Current status of fund-raising and philanthropy in Canada. Donor motivations, strategies for attracting support from different donor audiences, development of fund-raising campaigns for not-for-profits, charitable foundations, para-public and public-sector organizations. Role of donor organizations. Theoretical knowledge, technical skills and ethical considerations.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Lynch, Shaun (Fall)
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CPRL 223 Basics of Public Relations (3 credits)
Overview
Public Relations : An overview of public relations theory, principles and practice, including the development of the discipline and its role in society, its function in different organizations, and the techniques used in the different sub-specialties of the field.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Durocher, Andre (Fall)
- CPRL 224 Applied Public Relations Methods 2 (3 credits)
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CPRL 225 Social and Traditional Media Relations (3 credits)
Overview
Public Relations : Organizations must communicate with diverse publics against the background of a rapidly changing media landscape. With the increasing presence of digital (including social) media, publics are both fragmenting and coalescing in new ways. This course will cover the context, theory and best practices that are evolving as a result.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Durocher, Andre (Winter)
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CPRL 226 Corporate Communications (3 credits)
Overview
Public Relations : Issues and conditions affecting the communication of corporate issues and identity will be examined including corporate branding, financial communications, social responsibility, the reciprocal effects of internal and external publics, and planning and production of corporate communication vehicles.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Pealow, Kristy (Winter)
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CPRL 227 Internal Communication (3 credits)
Overview
Public Relations : An examination of how internal communication strategies are designed and implemented to ensure people within an organization work together effectively and efficiently to support the organization's business plan, including the definition and purpose of internal communications that add value, as well as the communication needs of internal stakeholders.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Pickering, Victoria (Fall)
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CPRL 228 Event Management (3 credits)
Overview
Public Relations : Effective use of public and media events for communication and relationship-building with key stakeholders, including research, identification of publics, design, timelines, logistics, protocol, speeches and programs, and dealing with suppliers, as well as promotion and evaluation of the event.
Terms: Summer 2025
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
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CPRL 321 PR Issues Management (3 credits)
Overview
Public Relations : Mechanisms by which organizations participate in the public policy process will be examined through an understanding of the social and political contexts where public issues occur and the inherent communication processes at all levels and specifically dealing with the roles of lobbying, media relations and social responsibility.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Bernardino, Paula (Winter)
Prerequisite(s): CPRL 223.
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CPRL 322 Cases in Public Relations (3 credits)
Overview
Public Relations : Preparation of communication plans for organizations and current situations will provide the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained throughout the program. In addition, recent developments and methods in key areas of practice will be addressed.
Terms: Summer 2025
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
