Bachelor of Communications Management (Honours)

Digital storytelling has emerged as a vital component of modern PR and marketing strategies, as organizations strive to connect with their target audiences in meaningful ways. In this course, students will develop the skills necessary to create, optimize and promote compelling digital content that builds awareness, drives engagement and ultimately builds a relationship with the target audience. Using practical exercises, students will learn how to conduct content research, craft engaging narratives, optimize content for search engine discovery, measure performance, and adapt their approach based on data-driven insights. Digital Media 2 provides hands-on experience with keyword research software, SEO tools and blogging platforms.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites: MDIA71010
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: No cost.

In an omnichannel media marketplace, communication must be managed using a consistent, integrated approach across the organization. This course outlines an evolved definition of integrated marketing communications which champions the importance of weaving together all marketing and communications activities into one clear message and voice, helping students understand how to develop and deliver consistent messaging designed to resonate with target audiences, driving awareness, consideration and sales.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites: MDIA71010 AND PRLN71210
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

Writing Lab 2 builds on the foundational concepts introduced in Writing Lab 1. Students continue to develop professional writing skills by exploring and writing different types of feature articles to achieve organizational communications objectives. Students continue honing their writing skills by demonstrating proficiency in applying specific CP style points and grammar principles while working within deadlines.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites: ENGL71000 AND PRLN71230
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: No cost.

This course will examine the important relationship between professional communicators and members of the media. This course will explain the role of the news media, how it operates, and the unwritten rules that govern interaction with the news media. Students will learn how to construct an effective media relations strategy, how to be interviewed with skill and assurance, and how to evaluate media relations within the corporate public relations plan. The course will include discussion about the ethical challenges of global media relations. Non-traditional media will also be examined with a focus on earned media opportunities through influencers.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites: PRLN71200
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

The purpose of this course is to foster the student’s ability to analyze and manage human behaviour in organizations. This course will also present opportunities for personal development by improving the student’s capacity to manage relationships in organizational environments. Topics include personality; values; emotions; attitudes; motivation; team processes; power; conflict; leadership; organizational cultures and organizational change.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

This course explores Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), a business model and philosophy that helps a company be socially accountable to itself, its stakeholders, and the public. This practice is intended to build bridges between the corporation and the community. The business and ethical challenge is finding the balance between doing good and leveraging these good practices to improve society while promoting a positive brand image for the company. Students will examine current business cases and strategic best practices in CSR.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites: BUS71190 OR COMM71000
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

This course examines the critical roles of the employee and the manager in the communication effectiveness of an organization. Students will explore managerial communications styles and strategies to meet organizational objectives. Through case study analyses and discussion, students examine effective and ineffective communications strategies and discuss the challenges to effective employee communication

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

Industry Specializations builds upon experiences and knowledge students gained through previous courses and introduces students to a series of niche specialties and opportunities that operate parallel to or in collaboration with the communications department. Investor relations, donor relations and government relations are examples of the types of specializations students will learn more about. As professional communicators work with diverse stakeholders, the specializations covered in this course will evolve as the profession and business landscape evolve. Further education and certification in specialty areas will also be discussed should students wish to pursue graduate education in these complementary fields.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

In Writing Lab 4 students dive deeper into the world of multimedia communications by producing strategies and tactics for multiple stakeholders. Students will produce communications such as scripts and storyboards for podcasts, video and social media. Writing Lab 4 exposes students to writing skills for ever-changing digital communications channels.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites: PRLN72010
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: No cost.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: No cost.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites: MGMT72190
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: No cost.

This course prepares students for consulting roles in the public relations and communications profession There is a focus on interpersonal and relationship skills as they can be applied to either internal or external clients. Specifically, students learn skills to develop and maintain ethical client relationships, including empathetic listening, interview techniques,, management of client expectations and conflicts, as well as communicating advice and feedback to clients. Students learn the value of listening rather than jumping to solutions. They are provided with an overview of how to operate a public relations consultancy including essential business. Course outcomes are applied within the context of a real-life student agency where students provide communications consulting and portfolio-ready deliverables to the client at the end of the course and entrepreneurship skills.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: No cost.

Writing Lab 5 prepares students for employment within the not-for-profit and public sectors by emphasizing the art and science of communicating with key stakeholders, including individual and corporate donors and grant providers. Students will be introduced to fundraising and proposal writing, which are fundamental aspects of a not-for-profit's success. Writing Lab 5 will introduce CRA checklist as it applies to not-for-profits in Canada.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites: PRLN73060
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: No cost.

In Strategic Communications Management, students will deepen their ability to think strategically through the analysis of factors contributing to the rapid pace of change and level of uncertainty impacting organizations today. Students examine organizations’ internal strengths and weaknesses (for example leadership, culture, etc.) to assess the capacity for aligning communications plans effectively. Students continue to strengthen their skills by producing communications plans that help achieve strategic business objectives.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: No cost.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: No cost.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will explore the ways Communications and Human Resources work together to support societal change and strengthen organizational culture. This course offers students an opportunity to dive into how intersectionality - the intersection of multiple different identities - is a core feature of building culture and creating belonging within the organization.This course will explore the ways an organization creates and ensures an inclusive workplace and a place of belonging, and why diversity, equity and inclusion are key to corporate social responsibility. Covering topics like racism, sexism, ageism, ableism and racialized perspectives, this course addresses the necessity of creating a work culture of belonging and focuses on providing students with access to marginalized and racialized voices. Through class discussions, visiting guest experts and interdisciplinary collaboration, the course will aim to amplify work that embraces difference and broaden student perspectives.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites: PRLN71220
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

In the ever-evolving digital media landscape, it is imperative for organizations to integrate digital marketing tactics into overall communications strategy, providing an integrated approach to reputation management and achieving business goals. Students in this course will explore the development, production and implementation of digital communications methods including email marketing, web-based marketing, search and display advertising, and mobile campaigns. Digital Media 3 will introduce students to tools to test and target content and appropriately measure and evaluate the effectiveness of digital communications.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites: MDIA72000
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

This course explores the dynamic rise and development of communications and highlights its inextricable link with international business and marketing, global media power and new technology. The course provides insights from both a media and a strategic communications standpoint, so that students can see the application of key theories of communications scholarship pertinent to modern communications practice. Students will enhance their professional skill and knowledge base in the global realm.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

Strategic communications campaigns can help solve a business problems or respond to business opportunities. In this course, students will learn the framework for building a comprehensive strategic communications campaign and then apply this framework to an assigned case. Primary and secondary research will be required and strategic solutions will take into account course learning throughout the first three years of the program, particularly from the planning, strategy and research courses. Capstone 1 prepares students for Capstone 2, where a real client campaign is the focus.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites: PRLN71200 AND PRLN73040
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

In Business Analytics, students will be introduced to the concepts of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and presenting data, pertaining to and beyond Communications Management. Students will learn basic statistical concepts; data collection, cleansing, and coding; perform analysis; and interpret and present findings. Students will gain practical knowledge of Microsoft Excel and other analytical applications. This course will enhance students' evidence-based decision-making skills which will enable graduates to succeed in co-op and the workforce, where measurement is central to data driven decision-making.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites: BUS71190 OR COMM71000
• CoRequisites:
• Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.