NZQA registered unit standard
11603 version 4
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Title
Demonstrate knowledge of communication theory for public relations
programmes
Level
4
Purpose
Credits
3
This unit standard is for people who need, or seek to
understand, communication processes and to assess the
effects of communication for public relations programmes.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: identify and
explain communication theory relevant to public relations; use
theory to analyse and critique communication processes;
propose public relations activities to achieve communication
outcomes for given scenarios.
Classification
Business Operations and Development > Public Relations
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
Definitions
Communication theory refers to any theory of communications from the published
body of knowledge including material from textbooks and professional and academic
journals.
Public relations is defined by the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand as ‘the
deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual
understanding between an organisation and its publics. It is about building and
managing relationships and communication processes.
Publics are the diverse groups with an interest in the activities of an organisation or
individual or with whom the organisation needs to engage.
2
Industry guidelines relevant to this unit standard are available from: the Public
Relations Institute of New Zealand, http://www.prinz.org.nz/; The Global Alliance for
Public Relations and Communication Management, http://www.globalalliancepr.org/;
and the International Association of Business Communicators, http://www.iabc.com/.
3
Range
Communication theory models may include but are not limited to – mechanistic,
critical, social construction, systemic, symbolic convergence, action assembly, coordinated management of meaning. A minimum of three models is required.
NZQA National Qualifications Services.
SSB Code 130301
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
4
11603 version 4
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Texts relevant to this unit standard include but are not limited to:
Cornelissen, J. (2008) Corporate Communication: A Guide to Theory and Practice.
2nd ed. London: Sage.
Dainton, M. and Zelley, E. (2011) Applying Communication Theory for Professional
Life: A Practical Introduction. 2nd ed. London: Sage.
Griffin, E. (2009) A First Look at Communication Theory. 7th ed. London: McGrawHill.
McQuail, D. (2010) McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory. 6th ed. London: Sage.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Identify and explain communication theory relevant to public relations.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Communication theory models are identified and their relevance for public
relations is explained.
1.2
Factors that contribute to achieving communication outcomes are identified in
relation to public relations situations and their impact is explained.
Range
participation and feedback, perspective of publics.
Outcome 2
Use theory to analyse and critique communication processes.
Range
internal public relations communications within an organisation, external public
relations communications with specific publics.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Communication processes are analysed and critiqued in relation to the factors
that contribute to achieving communication outcomes in accordance with
applied communication theory.
Outcome 3
Propose public relations activities to achieve communication outcomes for given
scenarios.
Range
a minimum of three given scenarios.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Proposed public relations activities are described in terms of the nature and
range of communication effects used to achieve communication outcomes for
the given scenarios.
NZQA National Qualifications Services.
SSB Code 130301
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
11603 version 4
Page 3 of 3
communication effects may include but are not limited to –
relationship building and maintenance, reputation management,
behaviour, awareness, understanding.
Range
Planned review date
31 December 2019
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
24 October 1997
31 December 2016
Revision
2
16 January 2001
31 December 2016
Review
3
19 November 2010
31 December 2016
Rollover
4
16 April 2015
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0113
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact NZQA National Qualifications Services nqs@nzqa.govt.nz if you wish to
suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
NZQA National Qualifications Services.
SSB Code 130301
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016