KARATINA UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Course Code: CCM 205
Course Title: ETHICS & PROFESSIONALISM IN PUBLIC RELATIONS
Lecturer: Ms. Caren Ogola
Contact:
Purpose of the Course
This course is designed to enhance your understanding of important ethical issues in
the field of public relations and corporate communications today and in the future.
The course is aimed at highlighting the vital function that Public Relations
communication serves in society which necessitates ethicality in this profession.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
articulate why ethical practice and professionalism is important
describe the various ethical traditions and theories and apply them to public relations
situations
analyse the responsibilities that practitioners have to self, organisation, profession
and society and identify potential conflicts
describe some of the typical public relations dilemmas facing practitioners and point
to appropriate resolutions
construct principles on which to build an ethical framework based on ‘current’ theory
and practice
choose and use ethical decision-making models.
Evaluate the objectives and effectiveness of codes of ethics in professional
disciplines such as public relations.;
Course Instruction, Management and Communication:
Requirements include reading assigned materials, participating in class
discussions, and completing CATs and one end of semester examination.
Reading Assigned Materials: Students are responsible for all assigned readings
and material covered in class.
Students should expect to come prepared for: in class discussion/ participation .
Teaching methodology
• Lectures
• Case Studies
• Group Discussion
Course assessment
Continuous Assessment Tests 30%
Final Comprehensive Examination = 70%
REQUIRED TEXTS
Broom, G. M., & Sha, B. L. (2013). Cutlip and Center’s Effective Public Relations. Pearson
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Course Code: CCM 205
Course Title: ETHICS & PROFESSIONALISM IN PUBLIC RELATIONS
Lecturer: Ms. Caren Ogola
Contact:
Purpose of the Course
This course is designed to enhance your understanding of important ethical issues in
the field of public relations and corporate communications today and in the future.
The course is aimed at highlighting the vital function that Public Relations
communication serves in society which necessitates ethicality in this profession.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
articulate why ethical practice and professionalism is important
describe the various ethical traditions and theories and apply them to public relations
situations
analyse the responsibilities that practitioners have to self, organisation, profession
and society and identify potential conflicts
describe some of the typical public relations dilemmas facing practitioners and point
to appropriate resolutions
construct principles on which to build an ethical framework based on ‘current’ theory
and practice
choose and use ethical decision-making models.
Evaluate the objectives and effectiveness of codes of ethics in professional
disciplines such as public relations.;
Course Instruction, Management and Communication:
Requirements include reading assigned materials, participating in class
discussions, and completing CATs and one end of semester examination.
Reading Assigned Materials: Students are responsible for all assigned readings
and material covered in class.
Students should expect to come prepared for: in class discussion/ participation .
Teaching methodology
• Lectures
• Case Studies
• Group Discussion
Course assessment
Continuous Assessment Tests 30%
Final Comprehensive Examination = 70%
REQUIRED TEXTS
Broom, G. M., & Sha, B. L. (2013). Cutlip and Center’s Effective Public Relations. Pearson
