Earners of the Undergraduate Certificate in Strategic Communication will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the field of public relations including key figures who influenced the field and major trends in the development of public relations as it is practiced today, as well as identify and avoid outmoded perceptions of the PR industry
- Define public relations and related concepts (e.g. publicity, advertising, marketing, press agentry, public affairs, lobbying, investor relations, social networking, and branding)
- Take into consideration current internal and external business drivers for client or employer and how industry forces and revenue/expenses impact stakeholder analysis and public relations planning
- Conduct professional activities in a principled manner and adhere to commonly accepted standards for professional behavior while demonstrating integrity and an understanding of ethical issues in public relations
- Uphold applicable international, national, state, and local laws regarding defamation of character (e.g. libel and slander), corporate governance, disclosure, copyright, trademarks, fair use, and First Amendment issues, privacy laws
- Identify strengths, weakness, needs, and lead times of various media
- Identify media and distribution channels appropriate for internal and external audiences, as well as influencers
- Enact the 9 stages of strategic communication
- Identify and respect a range of differences among target audiences using culturally and linguistically appropriate strategies and tactics
- Demonstrate familiarity with communication theory and public relations research that guides planning, prioritizing audiences, developing messages, selecting spokespeople, and establishing credibility and trust
- Articulate the phases of crisis communication and assess the different needs of each phase
- Consider audiences and objectives for each of the media and distribution types