Spring 2014: Online Graduate Certificate in Digital and Social Media
Digital and social media skills and expertise have become integral to careers in professional communication, including PR and journalism. Media professionals and public relations practitioners who are new to the market or looking for career advancement need to be fluent in platforms and applications.
But beyond technical skills, professionals also need to develop analytical skills needed to plan, implement and evaluate digital and social media efforts.
The Graduate Certificate in Digital and Social Media will meet the needs of communication professionals, current graduate students, and those preparing for graduate work.
The program will:

Provide for students the foundations of digital and social media communication theories.

Expose students to new and emerging concepts, issues and trends in digital and social media.

Prepare students to effectively use social media as part of strategic communication efforts.

Explore various new media technologies, applications, and platforms that create new opportunities to communicate various points of view.
Students will complete the certificate by taking two courses in Spring 2014 & two courses in Summer
2014:
Spring 2014:

COM 5100 Social Media Theory and Concepts
This course examines theory and concepts relevant to social media. Along with emerging digital and social media theory, this course also explores the connection between foundations of media and communication as they apply to current situations, techniques, and trends. Students produce graduate-level research that expands the scholarly discourse in this area.

Elective
Students can choose from current course offerings, including: PRWR 6570 Writing for Social
Media, COM 5410 Digital Publication Design, COM 5420 Mobile Media Technologies, COM 7600
Communication and Technology Seminar (IGC students only), and others by permission of program director.
Summer 2014:

COM 5200 Digital Media Law
This course provides an in-depth examination of the existing legal structure within which digital and social media operates, and the antecedent statutory and case law through which this structure has evolved. This course also addresses ethical concepts and considerations surrounding digital and social media. This course focuses on the First Amendment as it applies to free speech and the media, specific to online content.

COM 5900 Digital and Social Media Capstone
Students plan and create an applied project that reflects best professional practices, theory and existing research on digital and social media. The final project is shared with the professional community via social networks. Students also create a summary of supporting literature, and an implementation and evaluation plan.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Amber Hutchins, Public Relations Program Director ahutch13@kennesaw.edu
770.794.7749