Crisis Communication & Management

April 30, 2008 at 4:37 pm (college, communication, communications, crisis communication, PR) (, , , , , )

I am three credits short of completing my minor in Communication at Central Michigan University. I need one more elective. None of the remaining electives really appealed to me. Instead of taking a class that I really am not interested in, I designed a syllabus for an independent study and submitted it to my adviser. She approved it. Next fall, I will be studying crisis communication and management.

I plan to keep a journal of the course on wordpress.com. My adviser will be able to keep track of my progress and others may benefit from reading about what I am learning in the course. Check back in August to get the link.

Does anyone have case studies or other suggestions that I may use for this course?

Please contact me if you do. It would be greatly appreciated!

Here is the syllabus that I designed:

Course Description:

This course focuses on crisis communication and management, emphasizing practical application of theories, strategies, and tactics from a public relations perspective.

Course Objectives:

  • To understand the theories of crisis communication
  • To critically analyze crisis communication case studies
  • To competently utilize crisis communication and management strategies and tactics for detection, prevention, preparation, containment, and recovery.
  • To be able to create a crisis communication plan
  • To be able to transfer learned crisis communication and management skills to a real world context

Course Assignments:

  • Case Study Analyses
    • Critical analysis of case studies related to crisis communication and management
  • Crises In The News
    • Critical analysis of crisis situations showcased in the media
  • Crisis Communication Plan
    • Creation of crisis communication plan, preferably for local business or organization
  • Professional Journal
    • Professional journal, created through www.wordpress.com, will contain notes from readings, case study analyses assignments, crisis in the news assignments, and any other details related to class.
  • Crisis Management Manual
    • Reference manual created from class materials that can be used as a reference tool in future crisis situations

Course Points:

  • Case Study Analysis 1 10 points
  • Case Study Analysis 2 10 points
  • Case Study Analysis 3 10 points
  • Case Study Analysis 4 10 points
  • Case Study Analysis 5 10 points
  • Crisis In The News 1 10 points
  • Crisis In The News 2 10 points
  • Crisis In The News 3 10 points
  • Crisis In The News 4 10 points
  • Crisis In The News 5 10 points
  • Crisis Communication Plan 150 points
  • Professional Journal 150 points
  • Crisis Management Manual 100 points
  • TOTAL 500 points

Recommended Texts:

  • Ongoing Crisis Communication: Planning, Managing, and Responding by W. Timothy Coombs
  • The Crisis Counselor: A Step-By-Step Guide to Managing a Business Crisis by Jeff Caponigro

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