Class Schedule: Spring 2003 #3108
Instructor: Ron Smith, Professor of Public Communication
E-mail: smithrd @ buffalostate.edu
Phone: 878-6039
Fax: 878-6730
Office: Bishop 221
Catalog Description: A course for advanced students in public communication, stressing the application of communication principles, techniques and programs to real-life organization problems and opportunities.
Prerequisites Courses:
COM 301 and COM 308, or permission of
instructor
Texts:
(Required) Public Relations Cases (5th ed.) J.
Hendrix. 2001. Wadsworth.
Purpose: The study of actual public relations cases is intended to help the student apply principles, concepts and theories to a variety of public relations situations. The primary goals of this course are for the student to develop an inventory of actual cases to draw on in the practice of public relations. More specifically, upon completion of this course, the students will be able ...
Professor's Overview: This is a rigorous course with high
professional and academic standards. Though an elective, it is a major
component of public relations education. The national Committee on Public
Relations Education recommends a course in public relations case studies as
part of every student's undergraduate education. I expect that this will be a
demanding course. Amid the rigor and high standards, however, I also hope that
you will enjoy this class. Have fun with the assignments; experience the thrill
of a tough job well done; and realize that your best efforts will pay off. And
don't ever hesitate to ask for assistance or explanation of the course
material. Personally, I'd like to see every student excel in this
course.
As a student in COM 408, you will be treated as you can expect to be treated in the work place; that is, as an adult professional, each responsible for his or her own performance.
Attendance: As a communication professional, you will be expected to be on the job every day. And as a student, you learn best when you come to class. Therefore, you are expected to come to every scheduled class meeting on time and prepared to participate. Missing more than four classes means you miss more than 15 percent of the class meetings; this will prevent you from getting higher than a C grade.
Assignments: Deadlines are a significant aspect of the communication professions, and in this class they will be strictly enforced. You will receive ample notice of assignment deadlines. All writing assignments must be typed and proofread. Assignments are due on the assigned day, either in class or in the instructor's office prior to 5 p.m. Late assignments will be accepted only until the next class, with a 10-point penalty. No assignment will be accepted beyond the one-class grace period. In general, assignments should be submitted on paper with a corner staple. If you are unable to attend class on the day an assignment is due, you may submit the assignment as an e-mail attachment (Microsoft Word document).
Participation: This class is meant to be an exercise in cooperative learning. You are expected to participate fully in each class. Participation involves more than mere physical presence. You are expected to be actively involved in this class. Take the initiative in discussion and projects; ask relevant questions; contribute to the over-all learning environment of this class. You are not in competition with other students.
Each student begins this class with the presumption that s/he is an average student capable of upper-level undergraduate work. Students will determine their grade from this basis according to their academic performance. You should plan on the following weekly workload schedule: 3 hours in class + 1-2 hours reading and studying + 1-2 hours in analysis, planning and writing.
Academic integrity is expected of each student; college guidelines on academic misconduct will be enforced. This includes issues such as plagiarism, cheating, and other breaches of academic and professional ethics.
Because of the professional nature of this class, standards of grammar, punctuation and spelling will be expected in every writing assignment the student submits. Neatness and a professional look also are expected.
Examinations ... 40%
Three exams and a quiz average make up
this course component. Each exam will draw on assigned readings from the text
or from library or Web resources that will precede class discussion on a given
topic. A series of brief quizzes will precede the discussion of each case. No
make-up exams or quizzes will be given.
Journal of Professional Observations ... 25%
Each student will
prepare a short essay each week on a topic related to public relations. These
papers will be graded on a letter scale. Journals are due on the day assigned;
no late journals will be accepted. For details, see Journal of Professional Observations.
Case Report ... 25%
A major case report will be due at
the end of the semester. Your audience for this writing assignment will be
other members of the class, who will be interested in learning more about
various cases in public relations. For details, see Case Report.
Participation ... 10%
This part of the final grade will
include the professor's assessment of each student's participatory role in the
class. It will involve objective data such as attendance and timely submission
of assignments, as well as subjective assessment of the student's attitude,
interest level, and so on.
General Grading Criteria
Connect with Ron Smith's home page.
http://faculty.buffalostate.edu/smithrd