Macquarie University

Public Relations and Social Media 1 - MAS389

This unit is a critical introduction to the theory and practice of public relations (PR). In this unit, you will be asked to explore the dominant perceptions of PR. At the same time, you will investigate its presence in our everyday life. Various theories and critiques of PR and an exploration of the relationship between PR and the media and other stakeholders will occupy the first half of the unit. In the second half, we will examine specific PR contexts, including corporate, government, NGOs, international relations, internal communications, and crisis communication.

At a practical level, you will be required to write a media release and to justify your rationale in a class presentation. Overall, the course will enable you to be informed about the role that PR plays in our social, political and cultural environments. It will also help develop strong conceptual and analytical foundations as well as creative and presentation skills necessary to design a PR campaign in the next unit, MAS390, in preparation for a career in public communication.