Intro To Public Relations
$250 | ONLINE | 36 Hours (equivalent to 3 credits)
Saturday 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM ET / 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM PT
Sunday 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET / 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM PT
Check which Time Zone you are in!!
Offered in collaboration with Hudson County Community College
Instructor: Cynthia Elliott
January 4-5, 2025
Zoom meetings will only take place ONE weekend, on Saturday, January 4 & Sunday January 5 | CLASS END DATE: February 2, 2025
March 1-2, 2025
Zoom meetings will only take place ONE weekend, on Saturday, March 1 & Sunday March 2 | CLASS END DATE: March 30, 2025
May 3-4, 2025
Zoom meetings will only take place ONE weekend, on Saturday, May 3 & Sunday May 4 | CLASS END DATE: June 1, 2025
COURSE DESCRIPTION
You’ve probably heard the term “PR” many times, but what exactly is it? Public Relations (PR) refers to managing how others see and feel about a person, brand, or company. It’s essentially non-paid advertising that is earned through media coverage, like a feature story. If you are creative, comfortable with technology, and a natural communicator, you may have a future in public relations!
This introductory Public Relations course is designed to introduce you to the profession of PR and its essential principles, techniques, and strategies. You will gain an understanding of how PR professionals manage relationships with media, learn how to craft effective PR messages, and use effective communication techniques to manage issues related to organizational reputations.
Through lectures, discussions, and case studies, you will gain the knowledge and skills needed to effectively communicate with the public and manage public relations campaigns.
Topics Include:
-PR Writing Basics
-Press Release Writing
-Building a PR Strategy
-How to Find Media Worth Targeting
-How to Generate Press
-How to Use PR to Drive Awareness
-Manage & Measure PR Strategy
-How to Use PR Success on Social Media
ONLINE FORMAT
This class will consist of readings and assignments posted on Google Classroom and TWO scheduled zoom sessions (zoom is a video conference app.) You will only have two zoom meetings the first weekend of class, and then work independently on your assignments for the remaining 4 weeks. Please make sure you register for the course with a valid email address, since this is where you will receive an invitation notification to join Google Classroom. Both zoom and Google Classroom are free platforms and easy to use. You will be invited to join Google Classroom a week before class starts. Make sure you check your spam/junk folder, as invitations to join Google Classroom sometimes end up there. Your email must be Google compatible, so it’s best if you use gmail, hotmail or yahoo. If you don’t receive a notification before class starts, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to contact us.
ASSIGNMENTS & COMPLETION CERTIFICATE
All assignments must be successfully completed in order to receive your course completion certificate. Course completion certificates will be emailed to you, to the email address you registered for the class with. If you have a deadline and need your certificate earlier, please indicate it during the registration process and upload proof (there is a question that asks about early certificate.) You may receive your certificate as early as ONE week after class has started, as long as you complete all assignments successfully and it is confirmed by your instructor.
ATTENDANCE
Attendance during the scheduled zoom sessions IS MANDATORY and we will be taking attendance! If you do not attend these, you will NOT receive a course completion certificate. Meetings are not recorded and there are no make-up sessions. It is not possible to sign up for a new class if you miss the zoom meetings – your will have to pay for a new class! Other than the zoom sessions, the class is self-paced and you will be free to work on your assignments whenever you can. You will have 4 weeks to complete all assignments and course requirements.
ZOOM SESSIONS
Please note that all zoom sessions are scheduled in Eastern Time (New York City). Please check which time zone you are in, and make sure you attend the zoom sessions on time!