PUBLIC RELATIONS & ADVERTISING OPTION ===================================== Option Aims & Objectives ------------------------ Business enterprises, governmental agencies, and not-for-profit organisations continuously promote themselves in an effort to inform others about their services or products, to persuade, and to induce action. These activities are generally called marketing communication or promotion management. A company’s or organisation’s success requires careful integration of all promotional and non- promotional elements. During the three years of study in the Public Relations & Advertising Option (PRA), students learn the concepts, processes, management, and skills of integrated communication environments -- the art of persuasive communication in both public relations and advertising -- with emphasis on China, including Hong Kong, and Asia. The Public Relations & Advertising Option is a broadly-based bilingual study of communication with a common core of subjects to cultivate analytical minds, research capabilities, and language proficiency. Studies in public relations provide students with instruction in the concepts, processes, and management of public relations programmes designed to attain or maintain inter- organisational or social accord. Basic skills used in creating, writing, and producing such public relations materials as spoken word, print, audio, and video communication are learned. Studies of advertising teach students the art of persuasive communication through subjects in creating the advertising message and in writing, management, research, and media usage. Students also gain a background in communication theory, develop skills in writing, oral communication and graphic arts, and gain a background in business marketing. Because PRA students have proven to be fairly equally divided among long-term interests in public relations, advertising media, and creative aspects of advertising, electives allow tailoring of each student’s programme, while maintaining a professional orientation in keeping with the integrated field. The Option is designed to achieve the following objectives: 1) To provide students with a systematic analysis of communication and media in contemporary society. 2) To educate students in the integrated communication discipline so as to give them adequate preparation for their careers in public relations and advertising. 3) To develop students’ information processing skills and bilingual oral and written communication skills. 4) To help students to cultivate a proper sense of social consciousness and ethical responsibility. Careers ------- The Public Relations & Advertising Option will prepare students for advertising careers in media planning, account servicing, copywriting and advertising design and public relations careers in organisational communication, media relations, employee communication, and consultancy. Major Curriculum ---------------- 1. Option Required Subjects include: Principles and Practices of Public Relations, Principles and Methods of Advertising, Consumer Perspectives in Advertising, Advertising Copywriting, Public Relations Writing and Communications, Spoken Modern Chinese (Putonghua) (Level 1), Media Planning, Public Relations and Advertising Campaign Planning, Advanced Advertising Copywriting or Advanced PR Writing and Communication, Social Communication and Advertising or Crisis Communication and Public Relations, Public Relations and Advertising Agency Management, Public Relations and Advertising Practicum 2. Option Elective Subjects include: Digital Audio & Video Production, Advanced Graphic Communication, Writing in the Work Place, Spoken Modern Chinese (Putonghua) (Level 2) .