Overview

This unit introduces students to the key concepts and basic skills required of public relations writers, within contemporary public relations practice. It also aims to help build confidence in writing; so it’s introductory and developmental.

Requisites

Prerequisites
MDA10001 Introduction to Media Studies

AND

MDA10018 Content Creator Lab OR JOU10007 Media Content Creation

Concurrent prerequisites
COM10007 Professional Communication Practice

OR
PUB20002 Public Relations Theory and Practice
OR
PUB10001 Introduction to Public Relations Theory and Practice

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025
Teaching Period 1
Location
Online
Start and end dates
10-March-2025
08-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
23-March-2025
Census date
04-April-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-May-2025
Results released date
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
03-November-2025
08-February-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-November-2025
Census date
28-November-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-January-2026
Results released date

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Demonstrate basic writing skills with ability to adapt and apply these to public relations writing
  • Critically analyse public relations writing examples
  • Consider and apply appropriate communication and persuasion theories to public relations writing for specific publics
  • Systematically plan for effective public relations writing
  • Apply appropriate research methods, legal and ethical considerations to public relations writing
  • Demonstrate how to build and maintain relationships with media, including how to identify, research, develop, and circulate news-worthy and feature-worthy copy
  • Evaluate the importance of online media, including ‘social media’, to public relations writing

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Live Online
Lecture		1.00 12 weeks 12
On-campus
Class		2.00 12 weeks 24
Specified Activities
Various		3.00 12 weeks 36
Unspecified Activities
Various		6.50 12 weeks 78
TOTAL150

All Applicable Locations

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning		12.50 12 weeks 150
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Class ExercisesIndividual 25% 2,7 
TestIndividual 30% 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 
Written AssignmentGroup 45% 1,2,3,5,6 
Class ExercisesIndividual 25% 2,7 
TestIndividual 30% 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 
Written AssignmentGroup 45% 1,2,3,5,6 

Content

  • Controlled and uncontrolled media
  • Researching to write
  • The news release (including the social media news release)
  • Writing a PR campaign / program
  • Features, newsletters, brochures, blogs, Q&A fact sheets
  • Production and design layout
  • Promotional copywriting
  • Speeches and presentations
  • Writing for online publics (including social media)
  • Writing for annual reports
  • Writing for internal publics
  • Writing under fire: issue and crisis communication
  • Writing and culture, ethics and the law 

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.