[chryslad]

I just took this class with Dr. Flynn (September-December 2011). I thought it was easy for the most part. The class consisted of a mini assignment (5%), midterm (15%), spin cycles (10%), public relations assignment (20%), tutorial attendance and participation (15%), and a final exam (35%).

The mini assignment was really easy. You just had to write a short (500 word) paper about what public relations means to you, after interviewing three people. I got 100% on it.

The spin cycles were VERY TIME CONSUMING. Each week you had to listen to an hour "spin cycle" radio broadcast about public relations. They were pretty boring, and you had to write a short paper about each one afterwards. Although they were easy (if you connect different topics in the spin cycle to course concepts, and critically reflect on them, you get full marks), they were worth a mere 1.67% each. This was very frustrating putting atleast 2 hours into each paper, when they were worth so little.

The midterm was really easy. Dr. Flynn basically told us ahead of time what to study, and the mutiple choice questions were super easy (some of them you could guess easily without even studying...). I got a very good mark on this too.

For the public relations assignment, we had to act as a real PR firm and basically promote either a company, event, individual, etc., in a PR scenario. We had to make a media kit, including actual components like a news release, feature article, backgrounder, key personnel, cover letter, photos, etc. This was fairly easy, but it had to be LEGIT. They expected us to spend quite a bit of money on this, as the folder, as well as any extra materials (photos, CD for radio broadcast, business cards, etc) needed to be professionally done. We lost marks for these aspects - not having our pictures printed on real photo paper, our business cards not printed on actual card material, and our CD not having a creative sticker on it explaining what it was (we just used marker...).

The final exam was BRUTAL. I don't understand why he made it so hard. I studied hard, and really struggled, as he made the majority of the questions on random stats throughout our textbook...... For example: How much do Oprah and Lady Gaga cost to put on a talk show? What percentage of people text in a day? I guessed alot of this part. In addition, a portion of the exam was based on the spin cycles. I was least worried about this, because I had listened to all six, and had scored high grades on the related assignments. The questions, however, were on silly details that I would have never remembered. I guessed all of these questions. For example: Who was the author of "blah blah" PR book? What year was the first PR firm opened?

The textbook was also vitally important. If you read the chapters, you'll do well. It was a really easy read too, the textbook was in a magazine format and was generally interesting.

I would have considered it a bird course up until the exam. If he changes the exam questions, then I would suggest taking this class.