In the BA Media, Communication and Culture programme, public relations begins at second year level with the module LMC208: Introduction to Public Relations and Corporate Communications. Students choosing to stream in PR must then take LMC207: Advertising Industry in second year as well and continue with LMC318: Public Relations (a) and LMC320: Public Relations (b) in addition to doing their Media and Communication Project (LMC311) in PR.

The curriculum for LMC208 focuses on:

  • What is Public Relations?
  • Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations
  • Profile of the Public Relations Practitioner
  • Theories, Models and Levels of Communication
  • Ethics and PR
  • Events, campaigns and programmes
  • Sponsorship
  • Event planning and management
  • Media Relations
  • Writing News Releases for Print
  • Press Conferences
  • Press Kits
  • Organising interviews
  • Writing for Broadcast
  • Crisis Communications
  • Employee Communications
  • Relationships with customers, competitors and suppliers
  • Promotions and publicity
  • Conceptualising and executing a marketing and sales promotion

Students complete a variety of assignments throughout the semester as well as a semester test. Their final assessment is a practical which counts 40% of their final mark. This practical is usually the most memorable aspect of the module and challenges the students on a variety of different levels.

In the first lecture of the course, students form your own public relations department for a fictional product or service. Each group consists of between six and eight class members.

In their groups, they then elect a PR manager who will lead the group and take responsibility for ensuring that all members complete the tasks required of them, for handing in of all group assignments and for booking of launch date. In addition, they must choose a name and slogan for their company, design a logo and decide on their product or service.

In their groups they plan and execute a full company launch for their fictional product or service. This means that they organise the entire event, from the catering to the décor, the media relations activities (media kits, press releases etc) and the oral presentations to launch the product or service.

Obviously, such a function requires a budget. Each student is allowed to contribute a maximum of R200 to the function. Another option is to request sponsorship from companies or individuals and the department of JMP has been extremely fortunate to experience the goodwill and support of the local business community. The students are only allowed to ask for donations of goods e.g. a venue, catering etc and not for cash.

They are assessed on:

  • The overall presentation of the event (group mark)
  • The collateral material (invitations, brochures, media kits etc) (group mark)
  • Speeches (individual marks)
  • Peer Assessment (individual marks)

Here are a few photos of the events which took place in 2010: