Your program curriculum is designed to ensure graduates acquire the essential skills, knowledge, and attitudes appropriate and relevant to both the needs of students and employers.

Program Vocational Learning Outcomes

Program vocational learning outcomes describe what graduates of the program have demonstrated they can do with the knowledge and skills they have achieved during their studies. The outcomes are closely tied to the needs of the workplace. Through assessment (e.g., assignments and tests), students verify their ability to reliably perform these outcomes before graduating.

As a graduate of this program, you will reliably demonstrate the ability to:

1. Develop a specialized, interdisciplinary knowledge of the principles,
theories, concepts, and methods for business operations from a
management, finance, marketing, legal, human resources and operations
perspective, with an emphasis on their application as they relate to
communications and public relations.

2. Integrate practical knowledge of public relations theory and best practices
in the development and execution of communications programs across
multiple sectors including corporate, not-for-profit and public sector
organizations.

3. Interpret the impact of social, cultural, political, and technological factors
on the rapid and ongoing transformation of business, media and
communications, and formulate contemporary questions, challenges and
opportunities that arise in relation to the practice of corporate
communications and public relations.

4. Analyze and appraise the social, cultural, political and economic aspects
of a diverse society and world in which graduates will live and participate
as globally competent professionals and global citizens.

5. Develop research skills to examine and analyze primary and secondary
data and assess their reliability, validity, merits and limitations to apply
them to business and communications challenges.

6. Integrate communications research and planning methods and skills to
coordinate and conduct strategic communications planning, including
development and delivery of effective communications, public relations
and social media programs targeted to external and internal stakeholders
that are aligned with an organization’s strategic objectives.

7. Explain measurement standards and analytics for the analysis and
evaluation of online and offline communications and public relations
programs, and evaluate impact on business objectives, outcomes and
influence.

8. Incorporate analytical, critical and independent thinking skills to assess
complex business and communications issues within organizations and
formulate diverse, creative communications approaches to meet them
along with the ability to effectively counsel organizational decision makers.

9. Develop strategies and identify available resources for personal and
professional development as a life-long learner, effective team player and
leader in the corporate communications and public relations industry.

10. Conduct all activities within established PR codes of conduct, ethical
practices and communications law related to corporate communications
and public relations

Honours Degree Level Standards

The Honours Degree Level Standards identify the knowledge and skills expected of graduates of honours bachelor’s degree programs in Ontario. Graduates will reliably demonstrate abilities in elements: