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Syllabus
COMM 428A: Principles of Strategic Communications
COMM 428A Principles of Strategic Communications (3 credits): An overview of the various media and communications methods that comprise modern integrated marketing campaigns.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Library | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Accommodating Disabilities | Additional Policies
Overview
Principles of Strategic Communications will introduce you to strategic communications in the context of integrated marketing communications (IMC). It will overview the industry by providing a foundation for understanding what IMC is and how it developed to its current state, what it tries to accomplish, how it works, and how it can affect society. It lays the groundwork for other courses in the in strategic communications sequence. The fundamentals of consumer psychology will be introduced, along with theories of persuasion. In addition to traditional advertising, the course will review other critical functional areas of IMC, such as public relations, sales promotion, and direct marketing. The role of the internet and emerging new media technologies will also be covered. The advantages and disadvantages of different media will be summarized, and the basics of media planning will be introduced. Course content is presented in the context of strategy and planning, with the goal of illustrating how various elements in the promotional mix work together to achieve campaign objectives. The importance of effective measurement and accountability at each point of campaign development and execution will be explained. Finally, the ethical and regulatory environment for IMC will be explored.
Principles of Strategic Communications is organized into these seven basic segments:
- Introduction, definitions, and descriptions of marketing, branding, advertising, and integrated marketing communications (IMC)
- Key elements of brand development and positioning
- Key elements of advertising effectiveness
- Overview of creative strategy and execution
- Traditional, alternative, and modern media
- Measuring campaign effectiveness
- Strategic communication ethics and regulation
Course Objectives
Here are the objectives for the course:
- Learn the basic definitions of the broad concepts most central to the understanding and practice of strategic communication, including marketing, advertising, branding, positioning, and integrated marketing communications (IMC).
- Understand the basics of targeting, brand development, approaches to calculating brand equity, and key elements of brand positioning.
- Explore theories of advertising effectiveness from psychological and social psychological perspectives.
- Learn the basics of strategic communications creative strategy and execution.
- Understand the different vehicles in the promotional mix and the differences in pricing models and media buying.
- Gain an understanding of the role of measurement in campaign development, implementation, and evaluation.
- Appreciate the impact of strategic communications on society and the importance of ethics and regulation.
The course does not assume any knowledge of advertising outside of normal life experience. However, each module will be built on and extend concepts introduced earlier. Therefore, you will need to complete all module elements before moving on to subsequent material.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Other Materials
- Subscription to 4A's SmartBrief or Philanthropy News Digest. These daily email news summaries provide easy access to news and information about the U.S. strategic communications industry and philanthropic topics. If you are a PL student, sign up for Philanthropy News Digest. If you are a strategic communications student, sign up for 4A's SmartBrief. The Philanthropic News Digest is a daily news service of the Foundation Center, in digest form, of philanthropy-related articles and features from print and electronic media outlets across the nation. The course instructor will occasionally require the class to read specific articles to illustrate and reinforce concepts introduced in class.
The 4A's Smart Brief is sponsored by 4A's (the new name for the American Association of Advertising Agencies) and is produced by SmartBrief, an online news aggregation and and email marketing company. The 4A's SmartBrief is a daily news feed on topics of interest to strategic communications practitioners and marketers. The content is a mix of accessible popular press articles and more in-depth trade news. The course instructor will occasionally require the class to read specific articles to illustrate and reinforce concepts introduced in class.
- Sign up for 4A's SmartBrief.
- Sign up for Philanthropy News Digest.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
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| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Requirements
Students are expected to complete the assigned readings and activities in each lesson, as well as complete the following assessments. Here are details of the course activities and assessments.
Exams (3 @ 40 points each)
Understanding of the material will therefore be assessed using multiple-choice and short-answer exams that relate directly back to the material introduced and explored in the modules. These exams will comprise three 40-point online tests with time limits of 60 minutes. Multiple-choice and true/false responses will be graded automatically, and short-answer responses will be graded as quickly as possible by the instructor. Exam 1 is in Lesson 5, Exam 2 is in Lesson 10, and Exam 3 is in Lesson 15.
4A’s SmartBrief/Philanthropic News Digest Discussion Forum Participation (10 @ 2 points each)
Throughout the semester, discussions around 4A's SmartBrief and Philanthropic News Digest (PND) articles will be initiated by the instructor. There will be one message board thread initiated each week, for a total of 15 opportunities to participate in the discussion. You will receive 2 points each time you participate in a message board thread. Less meaningful/thoughtful posts may only be awarded 1 point. Participation will consist of a short paragraph that makes a meaningful contribution to the discussion and indicates you have put some thought into your post. You need to participate in 10 discussion forum threads during the semester to earn the 20 total discussion forum points (you can choose which 10 of the 15 discussions you want to participate in). Posts must be made during the week the thread is initiated (by 11:59 p.m. Sunday at the end of the week). Discussion forums will "close" so that you cannot go back to participate in discussions from past weeks.
Campaign Analysis (1 @ 30 points)
In addition to the three 40-point exams, you are required to submit one campaign analysis. This analysis will have you select a brand of your choice and evaluate their complete IMC approach. You will review all the communications efforts for that brand across paid, owned, and earned media channels. These campaign analyses are designed to have you think critically of those communications efforts and illustrate your understanding of the course materials. You cannot leave the campaign analysis until the end of the semester! The Campaign Analysis will be due during Week 7. The analysis will be worth up to 30 points and will be graded based on the rubric in the Course Syllabus. Please reference the assignment for more details.
Situation and SWOT Analysis (1 @ 30 points)
In addition to the three exams, 15 discussion posts, and two campaign analyses, you are required to submit a situation analysis for a brand of your choice. Before developing a communications strategy, it is important to conduct a situation analysis to help identify and assess the internal and external factors that may impact your strategic planning efforts. The Situation and SWOT Analysis will be worth up to 30 points and will be due before the end of Week 14. You cannot leave the Situation and SWOT Analysis until the end of the semester! Please reference the assignment for more details.
Assessments
Here are the assessments, point values, and percentages for COMM 428A.
| Activity | Points | Total | % of Grade | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exam | 3 @ 40 points | 120 | 60% | Lessons 5, 10, and 15 |
| 4A's Smart Brief/PND Discussion | 10 @ 2 points | 20 | 10% | Each lesson |
| Campaign Analysis | 1 @ 30 points | 30 | 15% | Lesson 7 |
| Situation Analysis/SWOT | 1 @ 30 points | 30 | 15% | Lesson 14 |
| Total | 200 | 100% |
You can earn a possible 200 points in this course. Additionally, extra credit opportunities may be offered to the class as a whole at the discretion of the instructor. If so, the "base number" for determining your average will remain 200—meaning that attempting extra credit will only help your grade. You will not be offered an opportunity to complete extra work once the course has concluded in an attempt to bolster your final grade.
File Name Format
It is the student's responsibility to submit all work that is in the form of an attachment with a valid file name format. That is, work must have a file extension that can be opened by Office software. In terms of the writing assignments for 428A, this means Word documents (.doc or .docx) or PDFs (.pdf). It is a well-know tactic to submit files with invalid file names to get something in before the due date, only to have the professor frustrated in attempts to open the file. Work submitted with an invalid file name format will be treated as if it was not submitted at all.
Deadlines and Late Policy
All discussion posts must be made by 11:59 p.m. eastern time (ET) Sunday at the end of each week. Exams must be completed by 11:59 p.m. eastern time (ET) Sunday on the designated weeks.
You are responsible for the submission of assignments by the deadline. Any assignment not received by the deadline will not be accepted. Any exceptions to this policy will be at the sole discretion of your instructor and may require a verifiable excuse.
Grading
These assessments will result in a total of 200 possible points, and final grades will be assigned on the following scale:
| Grade | Points | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| A | 190 points | 95.00%–100.00% |
| A- | 180 points | 90.00%–94.99% |
| B+ | 175 points | 87.50%–89.99% |
| B | 166 points | 83.00%–87.49% |
| B- | 160 points | 80.00%–82.99% |
| C+ | 154 points | 77.00%–79.99% |
| C | 140 points | 70.00%–76.99% |
| D | 120 points | 60.00%–69.99% |
| F | 119 points or less | 59.99% or less |
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
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Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Counseling and Psychological Services
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Veterans and Military Personnel
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Privacy Notice
In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.
Student Responsibilities and Conduct
- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
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Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
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For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Principles
Report Bias
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Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.