Senior Seminar in Public Relations applying strategic communication principles effectively to use of PR tools and techniques in the domain of social media. Students gain a hands-on insight into how social media is shaping public relations practice and build a professional portfolio. Engages students as social media consultants to achieve their community non profit client's objectives and in personal branding. (c) Vinita Agarwal. All Rights Reserved.

1. Course Policies and Meeting Schedule: Fall 2013
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Fall 2013: CMAT 490 – Communication Seminar: Social Media in PR
Tues/Thurs, 11:00AM—12:15AM | TETC 116B
Course Policies
Course Website:
http://drvinitaagarwal.com/ [QR Code below]| @vinitaagarwal | My Classes
Course Twitter Hashtag: #VASocialMediaPR
_____________________________________________________________________________
Instructor Contact Information:
Dr. Vinita Agarwal
Assistant Professor of Communication Arts
Office: Fulton Hall 272
Email: vxagarwal@salisbury.edu
OH: T/TH: 1:45PM—2:30PM, W, 11:00 AM—02:30 PM and by appointment
_____________________________________________________________________________
Prerequisite
CMAT 101 and 102 with grades of C or better.
Course Description
CMAT 490—Social Media in PR will involve the study of strategic communication principles
guiding social media planning and integration using tools such as blogging, podcasting,
YouTube, Facebook, RSS, Pinterest, and Twitter to identify and engage key
influencers. Students gain knowledge and experience in strategic implementation of social media
initiatives in PR contexts such as social media crises, corporate communications, issues
management, and reputation management. CMAT 490 is an enhanced course, requiring intensive
study in any one area of speech or communication studies, ideally in the student’s track.
Substantial research paper/academic project and class presentation are required.
Learning Objectives
This course provides students proficiency in understanding and integrating the principles and
practice of PR with the social media strategy and planning process. In this course, I utilize a
service-learning approach that promotes learning through community engagement. Upon
successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
i. Demonstrate responsiveness and engagement with social media networks
ii. Leverage social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and
Pinterest to accomplish public relations goals
CMAT 490 Senior Seminar: Social Media in PR | Dr. Vinita Agarwal

2. Course Policies and Meeting Schedule: Fall 2013
iii. Develop and curate content for your key publics by applying Web 2.0 principles in textual-,
visual-, audio-, and video-based contexts
iv. Using a service-learning pedagogical approach, the students design social media strategy for
a nonprofit client through systematic research, goal-setting, monitoring, content optimization,
and benchmark measurements to
a. Utilize organizational resources to achieve public relations goals
b. Engage key publics through social media applications and services
c. Build social media presence among key target publics
d. Measure the effectiveness of social media strategy
Required Textbooks (Available through the Salisbury University Bookstore)
Ø Safko, L. (2010). The social media bible: Tactics, tools, and strategies (3rd ed.) New Jersey:
Wiley. (Abbreviated: S)
Ø Scott, D. M. (2011). The new rules of marketing and PR: How to use social media, online video,
mobile applications, blogs, news releases & viral marketing to reach buyers directly (3rd
ed.). New Jersey: Wiley (Abbreviated: DMS)
Recommended
Ø Goldstein, N. (Ed.). (2011). The Associated Press stylebook and briefing on media
law. Fully revised and updated Ed. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books.
Ø Barger, C. (2012). The social media strategist: Build a successful program from the inside out.
McGraw Hill
Equipment Policy
Extensive use of technology will be required. You may use the Marantz audio flash recorder for audio
recordings or video flip cameras for video recordings. These will be checked out (using your SU ID)
from Media Services (Room 334, TETC, Hours: TR, 9 AM—11 PM, Fridays, 9 AM—5 PM and
closed on Saturdays). This is available only for a day (late returns fined).
Copyright Statement
The content (lectures, assignments, handouts) are the property of the instructor and protected under
copyright law. You may not publicly distribute or display or share my course materials or lecture
notes without my written permission.
Teamwork
In the spirit of a service-learning approach, along with your team members, you will serve as a social
media consultant team to design, implement, and evaluate a social media plan for a non profit client
organization in the community. In the case of special circumstances, non-performing team members
may not receive credit for work completed by other members.
Attendance and Participation
Attendance is mandatory. Your effective participation will, of course, be directly proportional to the
quality of your portfolio work in the class.
Course Ethos
As advanced PR students, I will expect professional behavior standards corresponding to those in the
professional world. From my end, I will strive to provide each of you with the resources and guidance
necessary to achieve the course objectives. I encourage you all to make use of my office hours and
availability to assist you with your learning objectives. Any personal accommodations made during
CMAT 490 Senior Seminar: Social Media in PR | Dr. Vinita Agarwal

3. Course Policies and Meeting Schedule: Fall 2013
the semester will be at my discretion weighing individual circumstances against the principle of
fairness to other class members.
Deadlines, Late Policy, and Make-Ups
Deadlines are critical for professional success in today’s work environments, and paramount for PR
professionals. Here are a few general guidelines:
⇒ Monitor your grades.
⇒ All grade assignments will be taken as final one class period after the graded assignment has been
entered on Grade book in My Classes.
⇒ Do not discuss grade-related matters at end of class or via email.
⇒ Late assignments will be assessed a late penalty downgrading it by a letter grade for each class
period it is late and will not be accepted after two class periods from the due date.
⇒ You are responsible for making up any missed work or content.
Support Services
For trouble with your connection, access to the course website or the materials therein please contact
IT at 410-677-5454, at TETC Room 113 or via email at helpdesk@salisbury.edu.
Office of Student Disability Support Services (OSDSS)
The OSDSS provides guidance, access to resources, and accommodations for students with
documented disabilities including: medical, psychiatric, and/or learning disabilities, and/or mobility,
visual, and/or hearing impairments. They can be reached at 410-677-6536.
Academic Integrity
The CMAT department expects you have read and understand the University’s policy as described in
the Student Policy on Academic Integrity in your SU Student Handbook
(www.salisbury.edu/Students/handbook/welcome.html) and thereby agree to honor these standards.
Academic dishonesty as a serious offense and ALL incidences are subject to disciplinary action
including, but not limited to, separation from the university.
Grading Policy
My assignment grading follows a broad rule-of-thumb: “C” work barely meets the basic criteria
outlined, “B” work does a competent/acceptable job of meeting the criteria outlined, and “A” work
not only does an excellent job of meeting the criteria, but also surpasses expectations to demonstrate
creative application of the content. “D” work is substandard and does not meet one or more of the
basic criteria outlined for the assignment.
Assignment Description
In the spirit of service-learning ethos, the assignments employ individual and collaborative
assignments that will give you the opportunity to apply public relations principles in real-world social
media strategy development and planning. Through the assignments you will gain a hands-on
experience with the tools and tactics at your disposal in the Web 2.0 PR world today. Ideally, you will
utilize the assignments to build your social media portfolio as well as successfully engaging and
achieving a community NPO’s goals. Detailed handouts available on the course website.
⇒ Blogging (100 points total). You will utilize blogging as a tool to carve your thought
leadership on a PR issue of your choice. The break-up will include:
o Micro-blogging (50 points total). You will maintain a micro-blog on a content
management platform (e.g., Twitter) on your selected PR content area. You are required
to Tweet or otherwise engage in engaging content creation at a minimum of 5 times a
CMAT 490 Senior Seminar: Social Media in PR | Dr. Vinita Agarwal

4. Course Policies and Meeting Schedule: Fall 2013
o
week (7—10 times is desirable). In addition, you will also participate through re-tweeting
or replying to others tweets. You will be required to create an account or, if you already
have one, to submit the number of followers you currently have and tally the end of the
semester.
Blogging (50 points total): You will maintain a Wordpress and a Tumblr blog on a PR
content area of your choice. The idea is to compare and get a feel of the strengths of each
platform and to optimize content delivery based on the channel. Through your blogs you
will also regularly curate and present PR content relevant to your issue on the DMS
readings of the day. You will also regularly engage with your peers’ blog comments.
⇒ Social Media Tactics & Tools Mini-Projects (60 points total): Six mini-projects focusing on
one social media tactic will assess your ability to incorporate feedback in your overall social
media strategy implementation. These mini-projects include: (a) timelines and visual mapping,
(b) Slideshare, (c) podcasts, (d) Flicker, Pinterest, and Instagram, (e) Vine or Instagram video,
and (f) Screencasting.
⇒ NPO Social Media Integration Project (65 points). This course incorporates a service-learning
pedagogical approach. In small teams, you will work with a community-based nonprofit
organization assigned to you. In this semester-long project, you will schedule regular meetings
with the client, research, design, and implement (with client, peer, and my approval) your
social media plan. You will also evaluate your plan’s success and present it to us, the client,
and invited faculty/community.
⇒ Personal Branding (50 points): Through the semester, you will work toward building your
personal branding social media portfolio website utilizing Web 2.0 tools. The coherence,
resonance, and relevance of your personal brand will be assessed.
⇒ Social Media Portfolio (25 points). Your social media plan and evaluation including blogs,
micro blogs, social media mini-projects critique to class. This should be submitted as a
website that links to our course website.
Grading
Assignment
Total Points
Ø Blogging and Micro Blogging
100
Ø Social Media Tactics & Tools Mini-Projects
60
Ø NPO Social Media Integration Project
65
Ø Personal Branding
50
Ø Social Media Portfolio
25
_________________________________________________________
Total
300
_________________________________________________________
Grade Breakdown
A= 90.0% & above; B= 80.0%-89.0%; C= 70.0%-79.0%; D= 60.0%-69.0%; F= 59.0% & below
v Important Semester Dates: Aug. 26th—Dec 6th: Session dates | Aug. 26th: First day of classes|
Aug. 26th—Aug. 30th: Add/drop| Sept. 2nd: Labor Day | Oct. 14th: Advising begins | Oct. 17th:
Midsemester | Oct. 25th: Last day to Withdraw with a grade of (W) | Nov. 15th: Deadline for
CMAT 490 Senior Seminar: Social Media in PR | Dr. Vinita Agarwal

5. Course Policies and Meeting Schedule: Fall 2013
application for May 2014 or Aug. 2014 Graduation | Nov. 27th –Nov. 30th: Thanksgiving Break |
Dec. 7th: Reading day| Dec. 9th—Dec. 13th: Finals week| Dec. 14th: Commencement
CMAT 490 Fall 2013: SOCIAL MEDIA IN PR
Readings
Assignments
WEEK # 1
INTRODUCTIONS
Introductions, Syllabus, Ch1 (S)—What is social media?
ü Readings for TR
Meeting
(T) Aug 27th
(TR) Aug 29th
(T) Sept. 3rd
(TR) Sept. 5
WEB 2.0
Ch. 3—Emailing (S)
Ch. 2—New Rules & 13—Effective Writing (DMS)
Ch. 16—Social Networking (DMS)
*Tools & Tactics
WEEK # 3
WIKIS
Ch. 7—Wiki (S), Ch. 23—Social Media Trinity (S)
Ch. 3—Reaching Directly (DMS), Ch. 4—Wiki and
Social Media (DMS)
*Tools & Tactics
th
(T) Sept. 10th
(TR) Sept. 12
SOCIAL MEDIA & PR
Ch. 2 (S); Ch. 1 & 5 (DMS)
*Tools & Tactics
WEEK # 2
BLOGS
Ch. 6—Blogs (S), Ch. 13—Microblogs (S), & Ch. 17—
RSS (S); Ch. 17—Blogging (DMS)
*Tools & Tactics
th
(T) Sept. 17th
(TR) Sept. 19th
SEO & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Ch. 18—SEO (S), 19—SEO Marketing (S), Ch. 22—
Analyze Existing Media (S); Ch. 11—PR Plan (DMS) &
Ch. 12—Thought Leadership (DMS)
Ch. 22—SEO (DMS)
*Tools & Tactics
WEEK # 4
MOBILE MARKETING
Ch. 20—Mobile (S), Ch. 21—Interpersonal (S); Ch. 8—
Going Viral (DMS), Ch. 10—Real-time PR (DMS), Ch.
15—Mobile Marketing (DMS)
AUDIO
Ch. 9—Podcast (S), Ch. 10—Audio Sharing (S), Ch. 24—
Integrating Strategies (S); Ch. 6—Podcasting (DMS: pp.
81—85), Ch. 18—Podcasting (DMS: pp. 258—262)
*Tools & Tactics
WEEK # 5
AUDIO
ü Blogs
ü Tumblr & Wordpress
ü Twitter
ü RSS
ü
ü
ü
ü
Tweeting
FB
Blog interactivity
Email NPO clients
ü Timeline
ü Personal branding
media
ü Thought leadership
analysis
ü Map your profile
#Timelines; Client
Intros
ü Strategic Comm.—
Message Targeting
ü Social Media
Integration
ü Podcasting
ü Audio Sharing
CMAT 490 Senior Seminar: Social Media in PR | Dr. Vinita Agarwal

6. Course Policies and Meeting Schedule: Fall 2013
(T) Sept. 24th
(TR) Sept. 26th
(T) Oct. 1st
(TR) Oct. 3rd
(T) Oct. 8th
(TR) Oct. 10th
(T) Oct. 15th
NPO and Slideshare
CLIENT MEETINGS
Meet with NPO clients for Webinar presentation
WEEK # 6
IMPLEMENTATION & MEASUREMENT
Ch. 25—Identify Resources (S), Ch. 26—Implementation
& Measurement (S)
WEBINAR
Audio mini-project demo
WEEK # 7
VIDEO
Ch. 8—Photo & Image (S) & 11 (S)
*Tools & Tactics
VLOGGING
Ch. 11—Vlogs (S); Ch. 6—Video (DMS: pp. 75—80) &
Ch. 18—Vidcasting (DMS: pp. 251—257)
*Tools & Tactics
WEEK # 8
VIDSHARING
Ch. 12—VidSharing (S) & Ch. 14—VidCasting (S)
*Tools & Tactics
ü #Slideshare NPO
Presentations due
ü NPO Client meetings
ü In-class work
ü
ü #Audio Webinar
class Feedback
ü Set up #Flickr and
Instagram feed for
NPO
ü In-class group work
ü NPO: Video on
“Relationships”
NPO: Create a Vine
on “Engagement”
(T) Oct. 22nd
MEDIA RELATIONS
Ch. 7—News Releases (DMS), Ch. 19—News Releases
(DMS), Ch. 21—Media Relations
WEEK # 9
CLIENT MEETINGS
NPO Client meetings
(TR) Oct 24th
FEEDBACK
Class Feedback
ü #Video Mini-Project
demo
WEEK # 10
WEB SITES
Ch. 9—Website Content (DMS); Ch. 15—Virtual Worlds
(S), Ch. 16—Virtual Gaming (S)
ü Check ‘em out and
preview!
(TR) Oct. 17th
(T) Oct. 29th
ü Engage a prospect for
your clients
(TR) Oct. 31st
Individual group meetings
WEEK # 11
ü Group Updates
(T) Nov. 5th
Present NPO overview
ü # Screencast
(TR) Nov. 7th
WEB SITES
Ch. 4—Web Pages (S), Ch. 5—Internet Forum (S)
ü Websites
CMAT 490 Senior Seminar: Social Media in PR | Dr. Vinita Agarwal

7. Course Policies and Meeting Schedule: Fall 2013
*Tools & Tactics
WEEK # 12
(T) Nov. 12th
WEB SITES
Personal web sites. Social media integration
ü Set up personal
Websites
WEB SITES
Ch. 14—Web Content (DMS), Ch. 23—Make it Happen
(DMS)
*Tools & Tactics
WEEK # 13
ü Personal Websites
(T) Nov. 19th
Individual Personal Branding work day
ü Personal Branding
(TR) Nov. 21st
Group NPO Work Day
ü Group work day
(TR) Nov. 14th
WEEK # 14
(T) Nov. 26th
NPO Social Media Integration Project Presentations
ü Social Media Client
Project Presentations
(TR) Nov. 28th
Thanksgiving Break (Nov. 27th—Nov. 30th)
WEEK # 15
ü No Class J
(T) Dec. 3rd
NPO Social Media Integration Project Presentations
ü Client Presentations
(TR) Dec. 5th
Final Week
Dec. 9th –13th
NPO Social Media Integration Project Presentations
ü Client Presentations
Mon, December 9th, 10:45AM—1:15PM
Social Media Portfolio
CMAT 490 Senior Seminar: Social Media in PR | Dr. Vinita Agarwal