Course Syllabus

Jump to Today

Week# Title of Course

Instructor

Angela Bradbery

Phone Number

(202) 669-6517

Email

abradbery@jou.ufl.edu

Office hours/reaching me

  • In person students: Given COVID-19, we can’t meet in my office. I’m happy to meet outside or in a classroom where we can socially distance. Contact me any time at abradbery@jou.ufl.edu or call my cell, 202-669-6517, to arrange a meeting.
  • In-person and remote students: I’m available by phone, zoom and email. Contact me any time at abradbery@jou.ufl.edu or call my cell, 202-669-6517. Please allow at least 24 hours for a response during the week and 48 hours on weekends and holidays.

Teaching Assistant

n/a

Credit Hours

Content

For questions about course content, your grade or other personal issues, use the Canvas email tool or email me at abradbery@jou.ufl.edu. You also can call my cell, 202-669-6517. Please allow at least 24 hours for a response during the week and 48 hours on weekends and holidays.

 

Course Information

PUR 4800 is the capstone course for the undergraduate program in public relations. In this course, students apply all they have learned to date – public relations principles, research methods, strategy, writing and visual communications – to develop a public relations campaign for a real organizational client. The course is designed to help you master the elements of a strategic communications campaign through direct experience as a practitioner. Working in teams, you will develop a robust, strategic, measurable and actionable communications plan for a client assigned to you by the instructor. Along the way, you will hone your team building and development presentation skills. By the end of the course, you will have a product that you will be proud to show to prospective employers. In addition, students will use the principles and techniques of public relations to analyze case studies and track current public relations issues. 

Class time will be dedicated to lectures and discussions, with some time reserved for team meetings and work sessions. Students should prepare to dedicate ample time outside of classroom hours to complete their campaign projects. I recommend that teams set up regular weekly meetings outside of class as soon as the teams are formed. For the campaign-planning portion, class members will form account teams, representing the same organization client. Students will be expected to meet the high standards required in their first job in public relations.

Course Objectives

This course is designed to enable you to: 
• Apply strategic, creative thinking to develop a public relations campaign and collateral materials; 
• Discuss and apply the basic principles of public relations campaign management, including applied research, planning, communication, evaluation and stakeholder relationship management;  
• Develop a standard of excellence by analyzing real-life campaigns; 
• Analyze and develop communication programs to solve real-world problems; 
• Manage a complex project and meet project deadlines;
• Work effectively in a team;
• Present your work with professionalism and confidence; and
• Consult and advise clients on strategic public relations campaign development.


College of Journalism and Communications Objectives  
The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications requires that by graduation all students should be able to: 
• understand and apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press for the US 
• demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of professionals and institutions in shaping communications; 
• demonstrate an understanding of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and, as appropriate, other forms of diversity in domestic society in relation to mass communications; 
• demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures and of the significance and impact of mass communications in a global society; 
• understand concepts and apply theories in the use and presentation of images and information; 
• demonstrate an understanding of professional ethical principles and work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity; 
• think critically, creatively and independently; 
• conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to the communications professions in which they work; 
• write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve; 
• critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness; 
• apply basic numerical and statistical concepts; 
• apply current tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work, and to understand the digital world. 
 

HyFlex Teaching and Learning

What is HyFlex?

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UF is adopting a HyFlex model, short for Hybrid-Flexible, which combines online and classroom-based instructional components. Classrooms equipped with HyFlex technology provide instructors the ability to teach in-person and remote learners simultaneously and to record their lectures for their online sections while teaching face-to-face. In a HyFlex course, all learning content and materials are designed for both classroom and online learning environments and address all learning outcomes, regardless of the delivery medium. This way, whether a student attends class in a face-to-face environment, remotely through their computer, or by watching a recording if a recording is available, the learning objectives and outcomes will remain equivalent. (Source: Teaching in a Classroom with HyFlex - Center for Instructional Technology and Training - University of Florida)

For more information on learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, refer to the UF Keep Learning website: Keep Learning - eLearning - University of Florida

What to expect during the class session?

You have registered to attend the class sessions in person or remotely. 

If you are joining a class session remotely, practice using Zoom ahead of time. Plan to have access to a microphone, speakers or headphones, and a webcam. Most laptops should have all these components. In cases of slow Internet connectivity, you can participate through your phone (audio only) by joining the Zoom meeting via a telephone number. (Keep Learning - eLearning - University of Florida)

The URL to the live class sessions will be shared with students via Canvas notifications.

Zoom sessions will not be recorded. 

Course Requirements

Required textbook

Bobbit, R., & Sullivan, R. (2013). Developing the Public Relations Campaigns: A Team-Based Approach 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson. 

Additional required reading:
Hallahan, K. (2017). Organizing a Communications Campaign/Program at a Glance. Retrieved from https://kirkhallahan.files.wordpress.com/2017/02/organizerataglance0217.pdf. 

Mundy, D. (2015). Diversity 2.0: How the Public Relations Function Can Take the Lead in a New Generation of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Initiative. Retrieved from https://instituteforpr.org/diversity-2-0-public-relations-function-can-take-lead-new-generation-diversity-inclusion-di-initiative/. 

Other online reading materials will be provided throughout the course.

Recommended reading:

Smith, A., & Aaker, J. (2010 ). The Dragonfly Effect: Quick, Effective, and Powerful Ways to Use Social Media to Drive Social Change. Jossey-Bass: A Wiley Imprint.

Continuing reading: 
Students are expected to read news periodicals (local, national, and international) and communication-related professional and academic journals regularly. Higher levels of professional competence and authority demand not only awareness of current news events but also an applied understanding of how economic, political and social trends affect the communication profession. 

Suggested resources include, but are not limited to, the Journal of Public Relations Research, Public Relations Review, Public Relations Journal (http://www.prsa.org/prjournal/), and PRism (http://www.prismjournal.org). Other helpful practitioner-based resources include The Institute for Public Relations (www.instituteforpr.com), PRSA (www.prsa.org), PRWeek (https://www.prweek.com/us), and PR News (https://www.prnewsonline.com/about).

Prerequisites

PUR 3000 and PUR 3801 and PUR 4100 and VIC 3001 and senior standing. 

Minimum technology requirements

The University of Florida expects students entering an online program to acquire computer hardware and software appropriate to his or her degree program.  Most computers are capable of meeting the following general requirements.  A student’s computer configuration should include:

  • Webcam
  • Microphone
  • Speakers or headphones
  • Broadband connection to the Internet and related equipment (Cable/DSL modem)
  • Your instructor might request that you obtain the Iclicker Cloud (Reef) (free for students) to respond to polls and in-class quizzes
  • Microsoft Office Suite installed (provided by the university)

You also will need Adobe flash (for viewing video content) and Adobe PDF reader.

Minimum technical skills

To complete your tasks in this course, you will need a basic understanding of how to operate a computer, how to use Zoom, how to use iClicker, and how to use word processing software.

Materials/supply fees

There is no supply fee for this course.

Zoom

Zoom is an easy to use video conferencing service available to all UF students, faculty, and staff that allows for meetings of up to 100 participants.

You can find resources and help using Zoom at https://ufl.zoom.us.

Course Policies

Class attendance 
Attendance is required for each class. You will lose points from your participation grade if you are absent. If you have an excused absence, please notify me immediately. An excused absence is one supported by documentation (e.g., from UF or a doctor’s office) or specially approved by me prior to the absence. Regardless of the reason for any absence, you are responsible for all class work missed, and a missed class is not an excuse for missing a deadline. 

Class-related notifications 
Please log into Canvas daily to check for class-related announcements. You may set up alerts to forward messages directly to your UF email address. To adjust your notification settings in Canvas, follow these guidelines. 

Requirements for make-up exams, assignments, and other work in this course are consistent with university policies that can be found at catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/academic-regulations/attendance-policies/

Course professionalism
Please be on time to class and -- for those of you who will be taking the class remotely -- keep your camera on throughout class. Please do not text, check email or social media unrelated to the class, browse unrelated websites or do other work during class. Please be collegial and respectful in your interactions with your fellow students, and welcome and treat with respect the diverse perspectives of others. Violators will be asked to leave the class. 

Diversity statement
Some of the topics we will cover in this class may be difficult and uncomfortable. While I expect rigorous discussion and even disagreement in the course of our class discussions, I ask that you engage in discussion with care and empathy for the other members in the classroom, recognizing that people come from diverse backgrounds and have an array of perspectives. My aim is for students from all backgrounds to find this course valuable and to view the diversity that students bring to the class as a resource and benefit. I aim to present materials that are respectful of diversity of ethnicity, race, culture, gender, sexuality, disability, age and socioeconomic status. However, I recognize the limitations of the materials and encourage suggestions for additional materials that offer diverse perspectives. Please let me know if you have any ideas as to how to make the course more effective for you and/or other students. If something was said in class (by anyone) that makes you uncomfortable, please talk to me about it. (Anonymous feedback is always an option). If any class meetings conflict with your religious events, please let me know so that we can make arrangements for you.

Deadlines
Public relations work is deadline-oriented. Deadlines must be met. If they are not, you will not receive credit for the assignment. The only exceptions will be for students with medical emergencies (you must have a doctor’s note) or other genuine, documented emergencies. Please notify me as soon as possible if you have an emergency that will prevent you from completing an assignment.

If submission of your assignment is delayed because of technical issues with Canvas, please report the problem immediately, receive a ticket number from the UF Computing Help Desk and email it to me immediately. The ticket will document the time and date of your issue. 

For technical issues related to Canvas, contact the UF Help Desk at http://helpdesk.ufl.edu or (352) 392-HELP (4357).

Writing for this course
Writing assignments should be free of factual errors and errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and word choice. Concepts should be presented clearly and concisely. Please use AP style for writing and APA style for citations.

Academic honesty 
UF students are bound by The Honor Pledge, which states, “We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honor and integrity by abiding by the Honor Code. On all work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either required or implied: “On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment.” The Honor Code specifies a number of behaviors that are in violation of this code and the possible sanctions.  Read the Honor Code here. You are obligated to report any condition that facilitates academic misconduct to appropriate personnel. If you have any questions or concerns, please ask me.

When referencing materials obtained from other sources, such as organizations’ websites, you must attribute them.

In every assignment for this course, you must clearly attribute the source of your information, including information obtained from organizations’ web sites or internal documents. You cannot copy anything word for word, regardless of the source, without putting quotes around it and attributing the source. 

Miscellaneous
For many of you, this is an online class, you are responsible for observing all posted due dates, and are encouraged to be self-directed and take responsibility for your learning.

Please be on time. If you join the class session remotely, try and join the session a few minutes before the class starts. Before your first class session, try joining about five minutes in advance to make sure that everything works.

Grading Policy

I will make every effort to have each assignment graded and posted within one week of the due date. 

Grades are earned via: (1) assignments; (2) a case study presentation; (3) a final team campaign project and team presentation; (4) class participation; and (5) peer review.  

§ Assignments include individual writing assignments and/or in-class assignments that will require you to apply the principles, techniques and skills you’ve learned to real-world scenarios and solve various problems. Some writing assignments will be related to your team project.  
 
§ For case presentations, each student will select a case study from the PRSA Silver Anvil website or from an approved casebook of public relations campaigns, analyze it and present it to the class.  
 
§ For the final campaign project, students will work in teams to research and propose a public relations campaign for an actual client selected by the instructor, with a brand platform, objectives, strategies, tactics, evaluation methods and visuals. Students will meet with the client three times: Once to gather initial information about the communications challenge to be solved; once to present the vision statement and research plan; and a final time to present the campaign.
 
Note: Because of the semi-remote learning environment we will be using in the spring, the final campaign books will be in electronic version only. Teams will not have to purchase supplies to produce copies of a written campaign plan for the client. 
 
§ Participation points are earned by: 
– Attending class.
– Answering questions in class.
– Contributing to and participating in discussions in class.
– Participating in online discussion boards. 

§ Peer review. Using confidential forms, team members will evaluate each other’s contributions to the campaign project. Your level of engagement and participation in class discussions and work attitude throughout the semester are part of this review.

Course Grading Policy

Area Percentage of Grade
 Assignments 20%
 Case study 10%
 Campaign project 45%
 Participation 15%
Peer review 10%

 

Grading Scale

Percent

Grade

Grade Points

93 – 100.0

A

4.00

90.0 – 92.9

A-

3.67

87.0 – 89.9

B+

3.33

83.0 – 86.9

B

3.00

80.0 – 82.9

B-

2.67

77.0 – 79.9

C+

2.33

73.0 – 76.9

C

2.00

70.0 – 72.9

C-

1.67

67.0 – 69.9

D+

1.33

63.0 – 66.9

D

1.00

60.0 – 62.9

D-

0.67

0 – 59.9

E

0.00

See the current UF grading policies for more information.

 

UF Policies

University Policy on Accommodating Students with Disabilities: 

Students with disabilities requesting accommodations should first register with the Disability Resource Center (352-392-8565, https://disability.ufl.edu/) by providing appropriate documentation.  Once registered, students will receive an accommodation letter that must be presented to the instructor when requesting accommodation.  Students with disabilities should follow this procedure as early as possible in the semester.

 

University Policy on Academic Conduct:

UF students are bound by The Honor Pledge which states, “We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity by abiding by the Honor Code.  On all work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either required or implied: "On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment."  The Honor Code (http://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/process/student-conduct-honor-code/) specifies a number of behaviors that are in violation of this code and the possible sanctions.  Furthermore, you are obligated to report any condition that facilitates academic misconduct to appropriate personnel.  If you have any questions or concerns, please consult with the instructor or TAs in this class.

 

Netiquette and Communication Courtesy: 

All members of the class are expected to follow rules of common courtesy during, before, and after class, in all email messages, threaded discussions, and chats. 

 

Getting Help

Technical Difficulties:

For issues with technical difficulties for Canvas, please contact the UF Help Desk at:

Any requests for make-ups due to technical issues should be accompanied by the ticket number received from the Help Desk when the problem was reported to them. The ticket number will document the time and date of the problem. You should e-mail your instructor within 24 hours of the technical difficulty if you wish to request a make-up.

 

Health and Wellness

  • U Matter, We Care:  If you or someone you know is in distress, please contact umatter@ufl.edu, 352-392-1575, or visit umatter.ufl.edu to refer or report a concern and a team member will reach out to the student in distress.
  • Counseling and Wellness Center:  Visit counseling.ufl.edu or call 352-392-1575 for information on crisis services as well as non-crisis services.
  • Student Health Care Center: Call 352-392-1161 for 24/7 information to help you find the care you need, or visit shcc.ufl.edu.
  • University Police Department: Visit police.ufl.edu or call 352-392-1111 (or 9-1-1 for emergencies).
  • UF Health Shands Emergency Room/Trauma Center: For immediate medical care in Gainesville, call 352-733-0111 or go to the emergency room at 1515 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32608; ufhealth.org/emergency-room-trauma-center.

 

Academic and Student Support

 

Course Evaluations

Students are expected to provide professional and respectful feedback on the quality of instruction in this course by completing course evaluations online via GatorEvals. Guidance on how to give feedback in a professional and respectful manner is available at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/students/. Students will be notified when the evaluation period opens, and can complete evaluations through the email they receive from GatorEvals, in their Canvas course menu under GatorEvals, or via https://ufl.bluera.com/ufl/. Summaries of course evaluation results are available to students at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/public-results/.

 

Tips for Success

Taking a HyFlex can be a lot of fun! Here are some tips that will help you get the most of this course while taking full advantage of this format:

  • Schedule "class times" for yourself. It is important to do the coursework on time each week. You will receive a reduction in points for work that is turned in late!
  • Read ALL of the material contained on this site. There is a lot of helpful information that can save you time and help you meet the objectives of the course.
  • Print out the Course Schedule located in the Course Syllabus and check things off as you go.
  • Ask for help or clarification of the material if you need it.
  • Do not wait to ask questions! Waiting to ask a question might cause you to miss a due date.
  • Do your work well before the due dates. Sometimes things happen. If your computer goes down when you are trying to submit an assignment, you'll need time to troubleshoot the problem.
  • To be extra safe, back up your work to an external hard drive, thumb drive, or through a cloud service.

 

Privacy and Accessibility Policies

For information about the privacy policies of the tools used in this course, see the links below: 

COVID-Related Practices

In response to COVID-19, the following policies and requirements are in place to maintain your learning environment and to enhance the safety of our in-classroom interactions.

  • You are required to wear approved face coverings at all times during class and within buildings. Following and enforcing these policies and requirements are all of our responsibility. Failure to do so will lead to a report to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution.
  • This course has been assigned a physical classroom with enough capacity to maintain physical distancing (6 feet between individuals) requirements. Please utilize designated seats and maintain appropriate spacing between students. Please do not move desks or stations.
  • Sanitizing supplies are available in the classroom if you wish to wipe down your desks prior to sitting down and at the end of the class.
  • Follow your instructor’s guidance on how to enter and exit the classroom. Practice physical distancing to the extent possible when entering and exiting the classroom.
  • If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (guidance from the CDC on symptoms of coronavirus), please use the UF Health screening system and follow the instructions on whether you are able to attend class. Find more information in the UF Health guidance on what to do if you have been exposed to or are experiencing Covid-19 symptoms.
  • Course materials will be provided to you with an excused absence, and you will be given a reasonable amount of time to make up work. Find more information in the university attendance policies.

Our class sessions may be audio-visually recorded for students in the class to refer back and for enrolled students who are unable to attend live. Students who participate with their camera engaged or utilize a profile image are agreeing to have their video or image recorded.  If you are unwilling to consent to have your profile or video image recorded, be sure to keep your camera off and do not use a profile image. Likewise, students who unmute during class and participate orally are agreeing to have their voices recorded.  If you are not willing to consent to have your voice recorded during class, you will need to keep your mute button activated and communicate exclusively using the "chat" feature, which allows students to type questions and comments live. The chat will not be recorded or shared. As in all courses, unauthorized recording and unauthorized sharing of recorded materials is prohibited.

 

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due