Foundations of Public Relations

This unit introduces core public relations principles, audience analysis, media channels, and the planning processes needed to design effective PR programs. Students will learn to develop foundational PR plans, craft press materials, prepare for media interactions, and use basic measurement and ethical practices to evaluate outcomes and inform more advanced PR activities in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze organizational stakeholders, target audiences, and media landscapes to identify PR needs and prioritize communication objectives.
• Apply pre-planning procedures and team/role definitions to produce a foundational PR plan outline that includes timelines, scope of authority, and crisis considerations.
• Demonstrate the ability to draft and distribute professional press materials (e.g., press releases, media lists, newswire submissions) and prepare for interviews and public presentations across traditional and new media.
• Evaluate PR outcomes using monitoring and measurement tools (including advertising equivalency and analytics) and apply ethical guidelines to ensure transparent, accurate stakeholder communications.