PRSM 500 – Strategic Planning for Multichannel Communication Campaigns (2 units)

This course explores the contemporary practices of multichannel public relations, including branding and advertising, and its expanding role in a broader, converged communication context.

In this course you will:

• Evaluate the use of or approach to paid, earned, shared and owned (PESO) media for a multichannel communication campaign plan.
• Recommend ways to address opportunities, challenges, key stakeholders and diversity for a holistic communication campaign plan.
• Develop a multichannel communication plan using the Strategic Integrated Planning (SIP) Model.
• Select appropriate metrics to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated, multichannel communication campaign plan.

PRSM 505 – Data-Driven Brand Storytelling (2 units)

This course explores the evaluation of research and analysis methods, generating data insights and creating compelling and accurate stories using data visualization techniques.

In this course you will:

• Integrate effective methods for analysis and research into persuasive storytelling for a multichannel communication campaign.
• Generate actionable insights from data or research that informs persuasive storytelling.
• Develop a research-based story that incorporates data visualization.
• Construct a compelling research-based story intended to drive a targeted audience to take specific action.

PRSM 510 – Leadership and Ethics for Communication Practitioners (2 units)

This course explores the leadership skills and ethics required in today’s complex organizations, communication with key stakeholders, creative problem solving, and promoting diversity, equity, inclusion or access.

In this course you will:

• Develop a personal philosophy of ethics and leadership responsive to innovation and ever-changing circumstances.
• Propose a solution to a communication or public relations challenge or opportunity.
• Devise a strategy to build relational equity and equitable communication among stakeholders with potentially competing priorities.

PRSM 515 – Business and Economic Literacy for Communicators (2 units)

This course covers fundamental business, finance and economics knowledge needed to better align the communication function with organizational goals and communicate effectively with key stakeholders.

In this course you will:

• Evaluate basic macroeconomic and microeconomic topics.
• Consider the potential impact of changing economic conditions on an organization.
• Create effective economic or financial messaging for a target audience.
• Assess how corporations or startup companies are formed, capitalized or governed.
• Weigh ethical considerations when making business decisions or creating business messages.

PRSM 520 – Multiplatform Content Creation I (2 units)

This course introduces brand storytelling and the tools used to create content across paid, earned, owned and shared media, with a focus on web-based content.

In this course you will:

• Assess the building blocks of a brand for the purpose of storytelling.
• Recommend a brand storytelling technique for a communication challenge, opportunity or project.
• Design a basic website to support a brand’s story.
• Evaluate appropriate content creation tools for a communication challenge, opportunity or project.
• Develop multimedia content for a target audience using fundamental principles of persuasive messaging, design and production.
• Assess effective techniques for search engine optimization (SEO) for a communication challenge, opportunity or project.

PRSM 525 – Multiplatform Content Creation II (2 units)

This course covers brand storytelling and tools used to create content across paid, earned, owned and shared media, focusing on image, audio and video content creation.

In this course you will:

• Assess a brand’s competitive landscape.
• Develop multiplatform content using effective storytelling techniques.
• Create compelling multimedia content for a target audience in support of brand and organizational goals.
• Evaluate appropriate website metrics and analytical tools to integrate into communication content.
• Plan the implementation of a multichannel content strategy for a communication campaign or project.

PRSM 530 – Employee Communication (2 units)

This course explores internal communication strategies, tools and channels used to engage employees and develop them as brand ambassadors in support of organizational purpose and goals.

In this course you will:

• Create effective multichannel communication strategies to connect, align and engage employees.
• Craft compelling messaging that supports a business strategy, organizational change, project or campaign.
• Build a plan to listen to employee sentiment, capture feedback and assess the effectiveness of internal communication.

PRSM 535 – Social Media Advertising (2 units)

This course covers the development of comprehensive social media advertising strategies that maximize budgets, ethically target its audiences and meet the goals of communication campaigns.

In this course you will:

• Develop social media advertising objectives, strategies and tactics for a communication campaign or project.
• Make media program or campaign planning decisions that are informed by social media research and data.
• Recommend ethical ways to achieve target audience objectives for a social media campaign.
• Devise ways to maximize the budget for social media advertising.
• Create an approach to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of social media advertising in supporting an integrated paid, earned, shared and owned (PESO) communication campaign or project’s goals.

PRSM 540 – Influencer Relationship Management (2 units)

This course explores how influence works, influencer-related functions in public relations, marketing, brand management and advertising, managing influencers and ethical considerations in influencer campaigns.

In this course you will:

• Recommend an approach to influencer management that aligns with multichannel communication project or campaign goals.
• Structure a communication project or campaign’s influencer strategies to leverage psycho-social-cultural perspectives on how influence works.
• Devise ethical and actionable influencer tactics and strategies to achieve the objectives of a multichannel communication project or campaign.
• Incorporate strategies to address diversity, equity, inclusion or access in a project or campaign that utilizes an influencer.
• Create an approach to evaluate the effectiveness of influencer strategies in supporting a multichannel communication project or campaign’s goals.

PRSM 545 – Crisis Communication (2 units)

This course focuses on crises and their potential impacts and the importance of careful brand communication in the context of a crisis.

In this course you will:

• Assess a situation to determine the need for a crisis communication response.
• Compose strategic messages for diverse stakeholders in response to a crisis situation.
• Develop a crisis communication plan to prepare for potential crises.
• Incorporate ethical considerations in the development of a crisis communication strategy.

PRSM 550 – Brand Purpose Communication (2 units)

This course explores best practices for brand communication, social issue engagement and advocacy, value alignment, guiding stakeholders on purpose communication and planning purpose-led campaigns or projects.

In this course you will:

• Evaluate the authenticity and relevance of a purpose campaign.
• Convince internal stakeholders of the rewards of brand purpose communication.
• Develop a strategic plan for an authentic purpose-led campaign that aligns with organizational goals and a desired societal impact.
• Integrate purpose communication best practices into a multichannel strategic plan for an authentic purpose-led campaign.
• Execute an element of a strategic multichannel plan for an authentic purpose-led campaign.

PRSM 555 – Emerging Game-Changers for Communication Practitioners (2 units)

This course explores impacts of emerging technologies, innovation and entrepreneurial concepts and the centrality of emerging technologies in shaping the digital future.

In this course you will:

• Convince internal stakeholders of the potential communication rewards associated with an emerging technology that outweigh its potential risks.
• Assess ethical considerations of emerging technologies.
• Recommend measurable ways to use emerging technologies for communication campaigns or projects.
• Propose a multichannel communication campaign or project that incorporates a feasible vision for utilizing emerging digital technologies.
• Integrate diversity, equity, inclusion or access principles related to emerging technologies into a communication campaign or project plan.