Summer Session I, 2009
PR 3310 section 001 Principles of Public Relations
Course Syllabus
Course Web site: http://www.ttujournalism.net/pr3310.html
Course Instructor:
Office Hours- drop in:
Dr. Sara Kubik
Tuesday- Thursday: 11am-noon, or e-mail me to make an appointment
College of Mass Communications, room 225D
Phone: 806.742.6500 x251
E-mail: s.kubik@ttu.edu (best way to contact me)
Lecture: Monday-Friday: 12:00 pm-1:50pm, MCOM room 104
May 27th- June 27th
Required Text: Wilcox, D. L., & Cameron, G. T. (2009). Public relations: Strategies and tactics (9th ed.). Boston: Allyn and
Bacon.
Course Description:
PR 3310 provides a broad overview of public relations including history of the field, theories of persuasion and communication, legal
and ethical considerations, the current state of affairs as well as the future of the practice. The course offers students a study of the
policies and procedures of creating and maintaining goodwill among organizations’ various publics. PR 3310 examines the many
aspects of public relations as a staff and management function.
Grading* (subject to change):
Name
Quizzes (3-5)
Exercises (5)
Papers (2)
Midterm Exam (1)
Exam 2 (1)
Total
Points Each
5-10
25
50
100
125
500 points
Grading Scale
90.0 – 100% = A
80.0 – 89.9% = B
70.0 – 79.9% = C
60.0 – 69.9% = D
Less than 60% = F
*Regardless of the above percentages, any student who completes less than 75% of the assignments will receive an F for the course.
Attendance / Absences:
 Attendance will be taken at every lecture class. Unless otherwise noted, attendance is expected for the duration of the entire
class time.
 You may have 3 absences from class without affecting your semester grade (no questions asked).
 Upon the 4th absence you will automatically drop 10% off of your final grade.
 Upon the 5th absence you will automatically fail the course.
 Excused absences do note count toward your tally of absences. These types of absences include illness of you or a family
member or death of a family member. In order to be counted as an excused absence, some type of documentation is required
(e.g., a doctor’s note). If no documentation is given, these absences will count towards your tally. E-mail all excused absences
to the professor at the time of the absence. Late work will only be accepted from excused absences that have been brought to
the attention of the instructor before the next class meeting.
 Extenuating circumstances will be handled on a case-by-case basis. A case will only be considered "extenuating" if the
student has contacted the Office of the Dean of Students and requested an explanation of absence be sent to Sara Kubik
 If a student misses a class, before asking the professor, check the class website for all course material. Material covered in
class during a student’s absence is the responsibility of the student to know, and will not be re-explained by the instructor
during a class period.
Americans with Disabilities Act:
Any student who because of disability may require some special arrangements in order to meet course requirements should contact the
instructor as soon as possible so that necessary accommodations can be made. Students should present appropriate verification from
Disabled Student Services in the Dean of Students office. No requirement exists that accommodations be made prior to completion of
this approved University process.
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PR 3310, Summer Session I, 2009
Course Policies:
 You will be expected to do homework outside of class and lab times. It is your responsibility to either come to campus and
work in an open lab, or to work on your home computer using the exact same software that we use in class.
 Late work will NOT be accepted, unless prior arrangements are made with your instructor. If you are sick or unable to attend
class when assignments are due it is your responsibility to e-mail or call your instructor concerning these deadlines, before the
start of the next class meeting.
 All projects/assignments/exercises, etc. are due as indicated on the schedule. No e-mailed digital files will be accepted after
due date- these are considered late.
 You are responsible for the security of your files. You should have multiple copies on multiple sources (jump drives, server,
etc.) at all times. Loss of data, files, or other associated items needed for any assignment or project will require that you
recreate your work, with no exceptions.
 All students in mass communications should aspire to high standards of academic honesty. This class encourages cooperation
and the exchange of ideas. However, students are expected to do their own work.
 Using another student’s work on a project, assignment, cheating on a test, signing the attendance sheet for another student or
any other form of dishonesty will result in an “F” in the course and will be referred to the Dean of Students.
 Students are expected to arrive on time for all lecture sessions. Quizzes will be given periodically throughout the semester
beginning at 12:00 pm. If a student is late to class, they cannot make up the quiz.
 Collaboration, in terms of discussion, is highly encouraged. Certainly this is between you and your classmates, but also
between you and the professor. Discussion in lecture is the preferred method, however, e-mailed questions are allowed as
well. BUT, the exception to this rule is that if you e-mail the professor a question or problem and it the homework is due
within the next 24 hours; do not expect a reply within this timeframe.
 If any homework assignment is accepted through an e-mail submission, assume that it is NOT received by the professor until
a confirmation e-mail has been sent back to the student. If you do not receive a confirmation for the file within 24 hours, resend the file and await a confirmation.
 Disruptive behavior (such as derogatory comments, threatening comments, or repeated e-mails) about, or towards, the
professor or any member of the class will not be tolerated and will be referred to the Dean of Students with no warning.
 Grades will be posted on Blackboard/WebCT. Discussions about grades will only be made face-to-face between the student
and the professor. E-mail will not be used to discuss or dispute a grade.
 Your cell phone must be turned off while in the mass communications building.
 Use of laptops is prohibited in class unless otherwise noted.
 The professor reserves the right not to reply to every e-mail.
Expected Learning Outcomes and Assessment:
EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Students will demonstrate knowledge of the public
relations industry’s background
Students will demonstrate knowledge of public relations
ethics
METHODS OF ASSESSMENT

Students will be required to earn passing grades on
the subject on a series of quizzes and exams.

Students will identify in a paper three of the ethical
issues that most commonly plague public relations
and its practitioners.
Students will be required to earn passing grades on
the subject on a series of quizzes and exams.

Students will demonstrate knowledge of the processes
through which quality public relations is achieved


Students will demonstrate knowledge of the role
diversity plays in quality public relations


Students will demonstrate an understanding of the many
manifestations of public relations in industry


Students will be asked in an exercise to compare and
contrast public relations efforts that followed the PR
process with efforts that did not.
Students will be required to earn passing grades on
the subject on a series of quizzes and exams.
Students will identify in a paper three reasons that a
diverse workforce adds to the quality of public
relations efforts.
Students will be required to earn passing grades on
the subject on a series of quizzes and exams.
Students will detail the area of public relations in
which they hope to be employed and why in an
exercise.
Students will be required to earn passing grades on
the subject on a series of quizzes and exams.
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