School of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education

Unit Outline

PUB10001
Introduction to Public Relations
Theory and Practice
Semester May 2024

Please read this Unit Outline carefully. It includes:

PART A Unit summary

PART B Your Unit in more detail
PART C Further information

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PART A: Unit Summary
Unit Code(s) PUB10001
Unit Title Introduction to Public Relations Theory and Practice
Duration 12 weeks
Total Contact Hours 36 hours
Requisites:
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites Nil
Concurrent pre-requisites Nil
Anti-requisites PUB20002
Assumed knowledge Nil
Credit Points 12.5
Campus/Location Hanoi
Mode of Delivery Blended

Portfolio A - Worksheets x 2 - Individual - 25%

Case study presentation - Individual - 20%
Assessment Summary
Public Relations campaign plan - Group - 35%
Portfolio B - Test - Individual - 20%

Aims

This Unit introduces students to the principles, theories, models, roles and approaches of public
relations by examining the basic definition(s), perceptions, relevant concepts, theories, and
application fields of the profession.

Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO)

Students who successfully complete this unit can:
1. Demonstrate a familiarity with the history of modern public relations
2. Articulate knowledge of public relations models and theories
3. Articulate awareness of the different approaches to public relations, as well as the need
for socially responsible and ethical public relations practices
4. Demonstrate a fundamental knowledge and understanding against which practice can be
benchmarked and understood
5. Demonstrate an understanding of public relations planning and presentation
6. Understand public relations problems and issues

Graduate Attributes
The Swinburne Graduate Attributes describe the capability of our graduates to use knowledge,
skills and behaviours to contribute to society meaningfully and positively. They include
professional, self-directed learning and future-ready skills.
This unit contributes to the development of the following Swinburne Graduate Attributes:
■ GA1 Communication - Verbal communication: Nature of contemporary public relations
activity; oral presentation skills development
■ GA2 Communication - Communicating using different media: Historical development of

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 public relations; application of theories of communication to public relations practice; fields
of practice of public relations
■ GA3 Teamwork - Collaboration and negotiation: Nature of contemporary public relations
activity; fields of practice of public relations
■ GA4 Teamwork - Teamwork roles and processes: Roles and responsibilities of the public
relations practitioner; teamwork and collaboration skills development
■ GA5 Digital literacies- Information literacy: Examination of public relations practice
through case studies
■ GA6 Digital Literacies- Technical literacy: Nature of contemporary public relations activity
Other graduate attributes may be practised in the unit but are not formally taught as part of the
unit content, nor incorporated within formal assessment.

Content
• The historical development of public relations
• The nature of contemporary public relations activity
• Application of theories of communication to public relations practice
• The fields practice of public relations, including business, government and non¬government
organisations
• Roles and responsibilities of the public relations practitioner, including social, organisational,
administrative, cultural, ethical and legal responsibilities
• Examination of public relations practice through case studies

PART B: Your Unit in more detail

Unit Improvements

Feedback provided by previous students through the Student Survey has resulted in improvements
that have been made to this unit. Recent improvements include changes to content and
assignments

Unit Teaching Staff

Name Role Email Consultation Times

By email appointment
Nguyen Lan Chi Unit Coordinator lanchinguyen@swin.edu.au
in advance

Learning and Teaching Structure

Hours per Teaching Period
Category Activity Total Hours
Week Weeks
Lecture/topic notes,
In person readings and activities 36 hours 3 hours Weeks 1 to 12

Class
In person tutorials/workshops 24 hours 2 hours Weeks 1 to 12

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Week by Week Schedule
Beginning
Week Learning focus / delivery mode Assessment
Monday
Topic notes: What is public
1 06 May relations? History & development View: (US) PR Museum Timeline
Tutorial: Orientation
Read: Chia & Synnott, Ch. 2
Topic notes: Public relations in
PR Daily’s top 6 trends for 2023
2 13 May the 21st century
Worksheet 1 due at 23:59 (VN Time) of
Tutorial: Worksheet 1
Sunday, 19 May 2024
Topic notes: Public relations
planning Read: Mahoney, Elements of a public
3 20 May
Tutorial: PR planning practice relations plan
workshop
Topic notes: Theoretical Read: Chia & Synnott, Ch. 3
4 27 May constructs of public relations Worksheet 2 due at 23:59 (Vn Time) of
Tutorial: Worksheet 2 Sunday, 02 Jun 2024
Topic notes: Presenting to
impress
Watch: The 110 techniques of
5 03 Jun
Tutorial: Presentation skills communication and public speaking
workshop
Topic notes: Traditional media
relations
Read: The Importance of traditional
6 10 Jun Tutorial: Practice workshop - media within the evolving media
dealing with media/journalists/ landscape
interviews
Read: Meikle, Ch. 4
Topic notes: Social media and
7 17 Jun emerging technologies Tutorial: Student case study presentations due
Student presentations 23:59 (VN Time) of Sunday 23 Jun 2024

Topic notes: Fields of practice 1 Read: Eight steps to using social media
8 24 Jun Tutorial: Crisis simulation effectively during a PR crisis
Mid-Semester Break
Monday 01 July to Sunday 07 July inclusive
Topic notes: Public relations
ethics
9 08 Jul Tutorial: Ethical dilemmas Read: Gunning, Ch. 2
workshop
Topic notes: Reputation
management Read: Weber Shandwick - State of
10 15 Jul Tutorial: PR plan - team Corporate Reputation
workshop
Fields of practice 2
11 22 Jul Read: Snapshot of Saudi Arabia
Tutorial: Semester review; Q&A

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 Assessment (via Canvas) - PR
campaign plan due 23:59 (VN Time) of
Sunday 28 Jul 2024

Own preparation - test Assessment (online) - due (VN time) at

12 29 Jul
23:59 of Sunday 04 Aug 2024
Additional readings and other materials will be provided during the semester.
Students must attend in Week 7 for presentations

Assessment
a) Assessment Overview
Mapped
Mapped
Individual Unit
Tasks and Details Weighting Graduate Assessment Due Date
or Group Learning
Attributes
Outcomes
Worksheet 1 - In-class -
Combined GA1, GA2, Week 2
1. Portfolio (A) -
Individual weighting 1,2, 4, 5, 6 GA3, GA4,
Worksheets 1 and 2 Worksheet 2 -
25% GA5, GA6
In-class - Week 4
In-class tutorial - Week 7
2. Case study GA1, GA2,
Individual 20% 1, 2, 3, 4 due (VN time) 23:59 (VN
presentation GA5, GA6
Time), Sunday 23 Jun 24
GA1, GA3,
3. Public relations Due at 23:59 (VN Time) of
Group 35% 2, 3, 5, 6 GA4, GA5,
campaign plan Sunday 28 Jul 2024
GA6
GA1, GA5, Due at 23:59 (VN Time) of
3. Portfolio (B) - Test Individual 20% 1, 2, 3, 4
GA6 Sunday 04 Aug 2024

b) Minimum requirements to pass this Unit

To pass this unit, you must achieve an overall mark for the unit of 50% or more
c) Examinations
There is no formal invigilated exam in this unit.
d) Use of generative AI (genAI) in this Unit
The valid use of genAI in this unit is as follows:
genAI may be used for brainstorming, creating structures, and generating ideas for improving
work. Any use of genAI must be acknowledged, with prompts and outputs included in an
appendix
e) Submission Requirements
Assignments and other assessments are generally submitted online through the Canvas
assessment submission system which integrates with the Turnitin plagiarism checking
service.
Please ensure you keep a copy of all assessments that are submitted.
In cases where a hard copy submission is required an Assessment Cover Sheet must be
submitted with your assignment. The standard Assessment Cover Sheet is available from the
Submitting work webpage or www.swinburne.edu.au/studentforms/
f) Extensions and Late Submission

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 To apply for an extension, email the Unit Convenor with the reason for the extension and
how much additional time is needed. If you have failed to complete an online test by the
deadline you must email the Unit Convenor within 24 hours of the closing date. The email
should include an explanation for missing the test and provide a time within the next 7 days
when you will be available to take the test.
Late Submissions - Unless an extension has been approved, late submissions will result in a
penalty. You will be penalised 10% of your achieved mark for each working day the task is
late, up to a maximum of 5 working days. After 5 working days, a zero result will be recorded.
g) Referencing
To avoid breaching academic integrity, you are required to provide references whenever you
include information from other sources in your work and acknowledge when you have used
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools (such as ChatGPT). Further details regarding academic
integrity are available in Section C of this document.
Referencing conventions required for this unit are: APA Referencing
Helpful information on referencing can be found at
http://www.swinburne.edu.au/library/referencing/
h) Groupwork Guidelines
A group assignment is the collective responsibility of the entire group, and if one member is
temporarily unable to contribute, the group should be able to reallocate responsibilities to keep
to schedule. In the event of longer-term illness or other serious problems involving a member
of group, it is the responsibility of the other members to immediately notify the Unit Convenor
or relevant tutor.
Group submissions must be submitted with an Assignment Cover Sheet, signed by all
members of the group.
All group members must be satisfied that the work has been correctly submitted. Any penalties
for late submission will generally apply to all group members, not just the person who
submitted.
The Convenor reserves the right, if appropriate, to allocate a different mark to any
individual within the group who does less than their fair share towards any group
projects. This will be based on the Group Work Appraisal form which must be completed by
all students.

Required Textbook(s)
There is no required textbook for this unit.

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Recommended Reading Materials

The Library has a large collection of resource materials. Listed below are some references that
will provide valuable supplementary information to this unit. It is also recommended that you
explore other sources to broaden your understanding.
Chia, J & Synnott, G (eds), 2012, An Introduction to Public Relations and Communication
Management, 2nd edn, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, Australia.
Doorley, J & Garcia, H F, 2015, Reputation Management - The Key to Successful Public
Relations and Corporate Communication, 3rd edn, Routledge, NY, New York.
Gunning, E, 2019, Public Relations: A Practical Approach, 3rd edn, Red Globe Press, London.
Johnston, J & Rowney, K, 2018, Media Strategies: Managing content, platforms and
relationships, Allen & Unwin, Australia.
Mahoney, J, 2016, Strategic Communication: Campaign Planning, 2nd edn, Oxford University
Press, ANZ.
Parsons, P J, 2021, Ethics in Public Relations: A Guide to Best Practice (PR in Practice), 3rd ed.,
Kogan Page, London.
Sutherland, K, Ali, S & Khattab, U (eds), 2019, Public Relations and Strategic Communication,
Oxford University Press, ANZ.

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PART C: FUTHER INFORMATION
For further information and links to resources for the following topics, refer to
Swinburne’s Current Students web page http://www.swinburne.edu.au/student/

Student Charter
Please familiarise yourself with Swinburne’s Student Charter. The charter describes what students can
reasonably expect from Swinburne in order to enjoy a quality learning experience. As students contribute to
their own learning experience and to that of their fellow students, the charter also defines the University's
expectations of students.
Student behaviour and wellbeing
Swinburne has a range of policies and procedures that govern how students are expected to conduct
themselves throughout the course of their relationship with the University. These include policies on
expected standards of behaviour and conduct which cover interaction with fellow students, staff and the
wider University community, in addition to following the health and safety requirements in the course of
their studies and whilst using University facilities.
All students are expected to familiarise themselves with University regulations, policies and procedures and
have an obligation to abide by the expected guidelines. Any student found to be in breach may be subject
to relevant disciplinary processes. Some examples of relevant expected behaviours are:
• Not engaging in student misconduct
• Ensuring compliance with the University’s Anti-Discrimination, Bullying and Violence and Sexual
Harassment requirements
• Complying with all Swinburne occupational health and safety requirements, including following
emergency and evacuation procedures and following instructions given by staff/wardens or
emergency response.
In teaching areas, it is expected that students conduct themselves in a manner that is professional and not
disruptive to others. In all Swinburne laboratories, there are specific safety procedures which must be
followed, such as wearing appropriate footwear and safety equipment, not acting in a manner which is
dangerous or disruptive (e.g. playing computer games), and not bringing in food or drink.
Canvas
You should regularly access the Swinburne learning management system, Canvas, which is available via
the Current Students webpage or https://swinburne.instructure.com/ Canvas is updated regularly with
important unit information and communications.
Communication
All communication will be via your Swinburne email address. If you access your email through a provider
other than Swinburne, then it is your responsibility to ensure that your Swinburne email is redirected to your
private email address.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is about taking responsibility for your learning and submitting work that is honestly your
own. It means acknowledging the ideas, contributions and work of others; referencing your sources;
contributing fairly to group work; and completing tasks, tests and exams without cheating.
Swinburne University uses the Turnitin system, which helps to identify inadequate citations, poor
paraphrasing and unoriginal work in assignments that are submitted via Canvas. Your Unit Convenor will
provide further details.
Plagiarising, cheating and seeking an unfair advantage with regards to an exam or assessment are all
breaches of academic integrity and treated as academic misconduct.
Plagiarism is submitting or presenting someone else’s work as though it is your own without full and
appropriate acknowledgement of their ideas and work. Examples include:
• using the whole or part of computer program written by another person as your own without
appropriate acknowledgement
• copying the whole or part of somebody else’s work in an assessment, including material from a
published work, a website or database, a set of lecture notes, current or past student’s work, or any
other person’s work
• using output from artificial intelligence tools (e.g. ChatGPT) in whole or part without
acknowledgement and/or without the approval of the Unit Convenor

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 • poorly paraphrasing somebody else’s work
• using a musical composition or audio, visual, graphic and photographic work created by another
without acknowledgment
• using objects, artefacts, costumes or models created by another person and presenting them as
your own
• submitting assessments that have been developed by another person or service (paid or unpaid),
referred to as contract cheating
• presenting or submitting assignments or other work in conjunction with another person or group
of people when that work should be your own independent work.
• enabling others to cheat, including letting another student copy your work or by giving access to a
draft or completed assignment.

The penalties for academic misconduct can be severe, ranging from a zero grade for an assessment task
through to expulsion from the unit and, in the extreme, exclusion from Swinburne.
Student support
You should talk to your Unit Convenor or Student Services, for information on academic support services
available for Swinburne students.
Special consideration
If your studies have been adversely affected due to serious and unavoidable circumstances outside of your
control (e.g. severe illness or unavoidable obligation) you may be able to apply for special consideration
(SPC).
Applications for Special Consideration will be submitted via the SPC online tool normally no later than 5.00pm
on the third working day after the submission/sitting date for the relevant assessment component.
Special needs
Sometimes students with a disability, a mental health or medical condition or significant carer responsibilities
require reasonable adjustments to enable full access to and participation in education. Your special needs
can be addressed by Swinburne's Disability Services, who can negotiate and distribute an 'Education Access
Plan' that outlines recommendations for university teaching and examination staff. You must notify the
University Disability Liaison Officer of your disability or condition within one week after the commencement
of a unit of study to allow the University to make reasonable adjustments.
Review of marks
An independent marker reviews all fail grades for major assessment tasks. In addition, a review of
assessment is undertaken if your final result is a marginal fail (45-49) or within 2 marks of a grade threshold.
If you are not satisfied with the result of an assessment you can ask the Unit Convenor to review the result.
Your request must be made in writing within 10 working days of receiving the result. The Unit Convenor will
review your result against the marking guide to determine if your result is appropriate.
If you are dissatisfied with the outcomes of the review you can lodge a formal complaint.
Feedback, complaints and suggestions
In the first instance you may discuss any issues with your Unit Convenor.
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the discussions with the Unit Convenor or would prefer not to
deal with your Unit Convenor, then you can complete a feedback form.
Advocacy
Should you require assistance with any academic issues, University statutes, regulations, policies and
procedures, you are advised to seek advice from an Academic Student Support Officer at Swinburne
Student Life. For an appointment, please call 19006412 or email swin@fe.edu.vn.
For more information, please see https://portal.swin.edu.vn

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