INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MINOR
Hypothetical Instructional Program Proposal
Submitted to Professor Jonathan Barkand
Duquesne University
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for
GDIT 709 – Instructional Program Development
By
Douglas C. Strahler
December 2011
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................................ ii
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1
Slippery Rock University.................................................................................................... 1
Fast Facts ............................................................................................................................ 1
Integrated Marketing Communications Minor ................................................................... 2
NEEDS ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................................. 3
Overview............................................................................................................................. 3
Current State of Similar Programs (National/State-wide/Local) ........................................ 4
Slippery Rock University.................................................................................................... 4
Communication Department................................................................................... 5
School of Business.................................................................................................. 6
Department of Computer Science........................................................................... 7
Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice .................................................. 7
Sports Management ................................................................................................ 8
Psychology.............................................................................................................. 8
Park & Resource Management ............................................................................... 9
Participating University Groups ......................................................................................... 9
College of Information, Business and Social Sciences Curriculum Committee .... 9
Slippery Rock University Curriculum Committee ............................................... 10
Department Faculty............................................................................................... 11
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Advisory Board..................................................................................................... 11
INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MINOR GUIDELINES....................... 12
Requirements for the IMC Minor ..................................................................................... 12
Program Goals .................................................................................................................. 14
Necessary Skills ................................................................................................................ 14
Necessary Knowledge....................................................................................................... 15
DELIVERY SYSTEM.................................................................................................................. 15
PROGRAM STRUCTURE & INSTRUCTION........................................................................... 17
Course Descriptions .......................................................................................................... 18
Prerequisite ........................................................................................................... 18
Core Courses......................................................................................................... 18
Electives................................................................................................................ 20
Capstone................................................................................................................ 23
Goals and Objectives ........................................................................................................ 23
Program Goals & Objectives ................................................................................ 23
Course Goals & Objectives................................................................................... 23
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT..................................................................................................... 24
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT.................................................................................................... 25
Expert Judgment ............................................................................................................... 25
Congruence Analysis ............................................................................................ 25
Content & Design Analysis .................................................................................. 26
Utility and Feasibility Analysis ............................................................................ 27
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Current User Analysis........................................................................................... 27
Field Trial.......................................................................................................................... 28
Outcomes Analysis ............................................................................................... 28
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 29
APPENDIX A............................................................................................................................... 31
APPENDIX B ............................................................................................................................... 33
APPENDIX C ............................................................................................................................... 34
COMM 210 - Principles of IMC Syllabus........................................................................ 34
1
INTRODUCTION
The College of Information, Business and Social Sciences at Slippery Rock University
has developed a minor to meet the demands of deepening students understanding of digital
marketing and social media by creating the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) minor.
The Integrated Marketing Communications minor is designed to provide students with the
theoretical and digital skills needed in the fields of public relations and marketing. There has
been a shift from traditional media outlets – print, television, & radio – to new media outlets –
Internet & mobile technologies – and the integration of all components has changed how we
communicate.
A student with an IMC minor develops an understanding of the basic concepts and
functions of unifying different marketing methods. The IMC minor is relevant to students
wanting to pursue a career in advertising, marketing, or public relations. Students will learn how
to use the latest platforms and software to needed to be successful in these fields.
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock University, founded in 1889, is located in Western Pennsylvania and
known as the region’s premier public residential university. The University is a member of the
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PSSHE). The enrollment for all students
attending Slippery Rock University is approximately 9,000 (as of 2011).
Fast Facts • Enrollment total (all students): 8,852 (fall 2010)
• Ratio of students to faulty: 20:1
• Degrees conferred (2010-11): 1,379 (1,145 undergraduate, 234 graduate)
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• Average SAT for entering freshman is 1018; average high school GPA is 3.39
Integrated Marketing Communications Minor
The main population for this minor will be the College of Information, Business and
Social Sciences. The College is comprised of seven programs:
• School of Business
• Department of Communication
• Department of Computer Science
• Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Military Science Program
• Department of Professional Studies
• Department of Safety Management
Other departments outside of the College of Information, Business and Social Sciences
that could find value in this minor include:
• Sports Management
• Psychology
• Park & Resource Management
The minor will be available to all majors on campus, but a majority of the resources will
be focused on the College of Information, Business and Social Sciences. Students must have a
minimum 2.5 QPA overall.
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NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Overview According to Jason Falls, one of the most popular speakers in the field of social media,
public relations, and marketing, “social media is essentially public relations in the online world”
(Falls, 2008). For the Integrated Marketing Communications minor, it will encompass more than
students majoring in Public Relations, so how does it meet the needs of the other majors?
Nielsen’s State of the Media: The Social Media Report - Q3 2011 describes and “presents a
snapshot of the current social media landscape and audiences in the U.S. and other major
markets” (Nielsen Marketing Research, 2011). Some of the key findings include:
● Social media has grown rapidly - today nearly 4 in 5 active Internet users visit social
networks and blogs
● Close to 40 percent of social media users access social media content from their mobile
phone
● Social networking apps are the third-most used among U.S. smartphone owners
● 70 percent of online active adult social networkers shop online, 12 percent more likely
than the average adult Internet user
● 53 percent of active adult social networkers follow a brand
● Across a snapshot of 10 major global markets, social networks and blogs reach over
three-quarters of active Internet users
These statistics indicate a strong push towards a need and understanding of social media
tools for many different avenues and degree programs.
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Current State of Similar Programs (National/State-wide/Local) In Western Pennsylvania, there are currently two programs similar to Integrated
Marketing Communications. West Virginia University offers two certificates, Integrated
Marketing Communication Certificate & Digital Marketing Communications Certificate, and
Duquesne University offers to major in Integrated Marketing Communication. Below is a list of
programs similar to the minor proposed at Slippery Rock University
• West Virginia University – Integrated Marketing Communication Certificate &
Digital Marketing Communications Certificate
• Duquesne University – Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)
• Northwestern University (Medill) – Integrated Marketing Communication
Undergraduate Certificate
• Ithaca College – Integrated Marketing Communications (B.S.)
• San Diego State University – Centre for Integrated Marketing Communications
For the program designed at Slippery Rock University, it will be offered in a minor
format. Offering this as a minor will allow a diverse group of majors to apply and use the minor
as an add-on to their major. This aspect makes it unique to any of the programs offered in the
United States.
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock University belongs to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
(PSSHE), which consists of 14 different universities. Of the 14 universities, none of them have
an IMC minor that would provide students with these skill sets delivered in this program. While
some of the PSSHE universities have courses that provide instruction on digital technologies and
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social media, a majority of these courses are classified as electives. In addition, these electives
may only fill the block of some degrees within the department.
While evaluating the need of the IMC minor at Slippery Rock University, it is very
important to identify each department need and the value they would find in this minor. Below is
a breakdown of each program and the lack of new skills training.
Communication Department
The Communication Department is comprised of four Communication degree tracks: 1)
Bachelor of Science in Public Relations; 2) Bachelor of Science in Emerging Technology &
Multimedia; 3) Bachelor of Science in Journalism; and 4) Bachelor of Arts in Communication.
Of these four degrees, the social media course fills one block in the B.S. in Public Relations, but
is nothing more than an elective for the other three degrees. The B.S. in Emerging Technology &
Multimedia can provide courses that can begin to fill the voids in the area of technology skills
for majors, but does not suitable meet all of the desired needs.
In 14 Key Skills & Attributes for New Public Relations Professionals, David Fleet breaks
skills into two categories: traditional and new. The traditional skills and attributes he feels Public
Relation professionals need include: writing, communication skills, attention-to-detail, media
relations, proactiveness, and work ethic. All of these traditional skills are integrated into the
current B.S. in Public Relations curriculum. However, Fleet stresses that along with these
traditional skills, professionals need the following new skills and attributes: blogging, micro-
blogging, social networking tools, SEO, coding, RSS/RSS Readers, blogger relations, and social
media ethics. The new curriculum for the IMC minor that I have proposed in a later section and
Appendix A addresses all of the new skills and attributes listed above.
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In the Fall 2011, the Social Media course (COMM 307) was opened to students outside
of the Communication Department due to the emergence in popularity of social media in all
industries. While the IMC minor’s sole focus is not on social media, it takes aspects of digital
marketing and knowledge on how to become digital literate with the tools related to and relevant
to our digital society.
School of Business
The School of Business is comprised of five Bachelor of Science programs: accounting,
economics, finances, management, and marketing. While all five programs could find value in
this minor, the one program that would have the biggest need would be marketing. In David
Meerman Scott’s book, “The New Rules of Marketing & PR: How to Use Social Media, Blogs,
News Releases, Online Video, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly,” he makes the
claim that:
“the best way to think about social media is not in terms of the different technologies and
tools, but rather how those technologies and tools allow you to communicate directly
with your buyers in places they are congregating now” (p. 38).
This statement alone illustrates the need to not only understanding the technologies and
tools, but how they work to communicate with buyers. This is a direct reflection of the Bachelor
of Science degree in marketing objective, which according to their website states “the study of
marketing involves the dynamic process by which persons and organizations strive to anticipate
and satisfy consumers’ needs and wants” (School of Business). While many of the courses may
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touch on social media and digital marketing, other than E-Commerce (MRKT 338), no courses
deal directly with digital marketing.
Department of Computer Science
The driving forces behind social media are the technologies and tools. Without
individuals to plan and develop these technologies, there would be no social media tools
available to date. The Department of Computer Science provides students with the knowledge
and skills to keep pace in the ever-changing field of technology by offering three degrees in the
field of Computer Science. These degrees include Computer Science, Information Systems and
Information Technology.
The need for the IMC minor for this department would provide a bridge between the
technology skills developed in each of the three degrees with the knowledge of what audiences
they should be designing these systems for. This minor provides them with the theoretical
framework of how and why we use social media tools. In addition, it provides an avenue for
development and innovation to combined the different specialty areas from other degrees to
develop new tools to benefit national and global markets.
Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Technology changes so fast that it is nearly impossible to keep up with legal issues
surrounding these tools. Ethics, etiquette and legal issues are a key component to how
individuals, companies and businesses use these tools to fill their goals and objectives of
adopting them. It is important to also understand the legal implications from basic copyright to
issues surrounding privacy.
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Sports Management
With the ability to provide anyone with a voice, one of the hot arenas social media has
taken center stage is in sports. While many sports organizations and athletes are leveraging the
power of social media in positive ways (Fisher, 2011), there is also the issue of athletes abusing
the power (Fittipaldo, 2011). “When it comes to pro sports teams, most organizations simply
frown and bear it after one of their players causes a stir on Twitter or Facebook” (Fittipaldo,
2011).
As a Sports Management major, the curriculum provides students with different aspects
to the sports industry, however, there is no true avenue in regards to digital marketing. With the
examples above, this is a growing area in sports, which needs to be addressed and understood
how athletes, teams and organizations are using these tools in the industry. The required Sports
Management courses provide students with the foundation, while this minor can give students
the opportunity to have a stronger foundation in the digital marketing field -- complimenting
courses, such as Sport Marketing (SPMT 394).
Psychology
From consumer behaviors to the visual aspects on the screen, the psychology behind both
the devices and the tools is crucial to understand. In regards to advertising and marketing, there
has been extensive research into the cognitive and social behaviors of how/why things work.
With social media technologies and tools becoming an integrated approach to both advertising
and marketing, and Return on Investment and Metrics still a hazy area for these tools, it would
be valuable for psychology majors interested in pursuing the avenue of psychology in the fields
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of advertising and marketing. Again, similar to the Computer Science degrees, this minor would
provide students with the theoretical background needed.
Park & Resource Management
The Parks and Recreation/Environmental Education Department offers degrees in Park
and Resource Management, Recreation Resort Management/Tourism, and Therapeutic
Recreation. Again, the rise of social media tools have sparked research in areas related to
tourism, such as the role of social media in online travel information search (Xiang & Gretze1,
2010) to blogs in tourism (Schmallegger & Carson, 2008). Understanding how to market any
type of resort is instrumental to succeeding in today’s market.
Participating University Groups For this section, I have combined all of the questions into each of the different
participating groups. Each group will give a demographic overview, their qualifications, and the
role they will play in the process. Each role will be categorized by where they will contribute in
the Dick & Carey Model for developing this program.
College of Information, Business and Social Sciences Curriculum Committee
The first step in the development of the Integrated Marketing Communications minor will
be establishing an administrative structure. “Successful programs are coordinated, monitored,
assessed, protected, and nurtured by clear administrative structures” (Gaff & Ratcliff, 2007).
While each department has their own Curriculum Committee, this minor would require the
collaboration across departments. The Dean of the College of Information, Business and Social
Sciences and a faculty member from the School of Business, Department of Communication, and
the Department of Computer Science will be the members serving on the committee. The
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exclusion of the other programs that could potential enroll in this minor were left out because the
three departments above will have the majority of student’s enrolled in the minor due to student
enrollment sizes.
The representative from each department must hold some expertise in the area of digital
marketing and/or online technologies. This will ensure that appropriate decisions are being made
in the analysis, design and development of this minor. The current Dean of the College of
Information, Business, and Social Sciences formerly worked at West Virginia University and
assisted in the development of their online IMC program.
This group will actively be involved in the following phases:
• Identify Instructional Goal(s)
• Conduct Instructional Analysis
• Analyze Learners and Contexts
• Write Performance Objectives
• Develop Assessment Instruments
• Develop Instructional Strategy
Slippery Rock University Curriculum Committee
In order for curriculum to be approved, it must go through the University Curriculum
Committee. They will be responsible for reviewing and approving any changes we make to the
curriculum and the minor.
With the selection onto this committee, individuals will need to have knowledge on the
curriculum development and change process. They will be familiar with the PSSHE
requirements for developing minors and new courses.
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This group will actively be involved in the following phases:
• Write Performance Objectives
Department Faculty
The School of Business, Department of Communication, Department of Computer
Science and Sports Management faculty will all be responsible for the courses required of the
minor.
The department will be responsible for assigning instructors with the appropriate
knowledge and background needed for the goals and objectives of each of the courses. If the
department does not have a faculty member that fits the needs of the course, a part-time
instructor will be hired to teach that course. In order to keep budgetary concerns in mind, courses
requiring part-time instructors will be divided up between the fall and spring semester.
This group will actively be involved in the following phases:
• Analyze Learners and Contexts
• Write Performance Objectives
• Develop Assessment Instruments
• Develop Instructional Strategy
• Develop and Select Instructional Materials
• Design and Conduct Formative Evaluation of Instruction
Advisory Board
Department and University Advisory Boards will also be utilized to provide insight and
feedback into the structure and development of the minor. These individuals are professionals in
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the field and can provide valuable feedback into goals, knowledge and skills needed in today’s
industry.
This group will actively be involved in the following phases:
• Conduct Instructional Analysis
• Revise Instruction
• Department Faculty
INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MINOR GUIDELINES
Requirements for the IMC Minor Students pursuing a minor in Integrated Marketing Communications will be provided
with the knowledge and skills needed.
3 hours of Prerequisite (COMM 210: Principles of IMC)
6 hours of Core Classes
9 hours of Electives
3 hours Capstone
21 hours total
Integrated Marketing Communications Minor Course Requirements
Prerequisite (3 Credit Hours)
COMM 210 – Principles of IMC * **
Core Classes (6 Credit Hours)
COMM 307 – Social Media *
COMM 362 – Mass Media & Society
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CPSC 102 – Collaborative Information Technology & Society
MRKT 330 – Principles of Marketing
MRKT 430 – Marketing Research
SPMT 394 – Sport Marketing
Electives (9 Credit Hours)
COMM 258 – Interactive Multimedia I
COMM 347 – New-Media Journalism
COMM 390 – Search Engine Optimization **
COMM 431 – Public Relations and Integrated Communications
COMM 449 – Communication Projects
COMM 453 – Media Project Management
COMM 459 – Issues in Communication Technology
COMM 480 – The Communication Age
COMM 490 – Selected Topics
CPSC 300 – Challenges of Computer Technology
MGMT 370 – Sustainable Entrepreneuership and Innovation
MRKT 338 – E-Commerce
MRKT 490 – Mobile Marketing **
Capstone (3 Credit Hours)
COMM 450 - Internship
* - denotes required courses
** - denotes a course currently not in the course catalog
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Program Goals
• Acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to be proficient in digital marketing
• Recognize, distinguish and identify the differences between all of the
technologies and tools
• Criticize and critique industry uses of digital marketing tools, technologies and
strategies
Necessary Skills Students pursuing an Integrated Marketing Communications minor should possess the
traditional skills documented by David Fleet, which include:
• Writing
• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Media relations
• Proactiveness
• Work ethic
In regard to communication skills, students should be strong in both oral and written
communications. Students should have basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office and the
Internet. In addition, students will need to understand how to use Desire2Learn, Slippery Rock
Universities Learning Management System, in order to access information about each of the
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courses. Professors will utilize this tool to post content, grades and host online discussions in
both synchronous and asynchronous formats.
Finally, students will be required to earn a C or higher in the Principles to IMC course.
This course lays the foundation to the entire program.
Necessary Knowledge In general terms, students must have a minimum 2.5 QPA overall. Students must have
taken a research course from their program. If their department does not require a research
course, students will be asked to take Communication Research Methods from the
Communication Department. This course will provide them with the basic knowledge on how to
read, analyze, interpret, conduct, and write qualitative and quantitative research studies. In
addition, students should have a general knowledge of using a computer and the Internet.
DELIVERY SYSTEM
The Integrated Marketing Communications minor will combine a hybrid blend of
traditional and asynchronous methodologies for instruction. This will have the same flow as a
majority of the courses at Slippery Rock University currently follow. This decision to make this
minor a hybrid relates to issues with funding and available resources.
In regards to funding in the PSSHE system, online courses require additional funding
with faculty pay and training. Any faculty member teaching an online course is paid $25 per
student enrolled in the online course in addition to their standard pay. The university would be
paying additional money to hold a course online, which they would not have too if they hold it in
a traditional classroom setting. Even if an enrollment capacity is placed on the course (let’s say
20 students, which would be an additional $500 to that instructor), it is up to the instructor if they
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take on more students above and beyond the enrollment capacity. This could cause a minor to
major increase to their pay if the instructors have that control.
Teaching an online course is completely different to the traditional classroom. In that
case, training and additional resources would have to be scheduled to teach the instructors how to
use the Desire2Learn interface. This would result in time and money being put into trainers and
facilities, as well as management to organize these training sessions.
The traditional delivery system will allow for departments to schedule the courses into
the existing schedule. Classes will be held in traditional classrooms or computer labs, depending
on the requirements of the course. Traditional classroom courses will be geared more towards
theoretical application, while computer labs will allow for a more hands-on approach with the
technologies and tools.
Figure 1. Desire2Learn Learning Management System Course Homepage.
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Desire2Learn will be used for asynchronous instructional opportunities. The content
section of the course allows instructors to setup a course structure by adding modules and
content to each module. This could include additional readings, PowerPoints, links, or any
additional resources they would like to provide. Instructors could also add a blog or wiki to the
content section in order to provide avenues for additional activities or interactions. The
Discussion Board feature allows instructors to setup conversations to continue the conversation
beyond the classroom walls. There is also a Gradebook, Classlist, and Group functions that allow
instructors to manage their class and divide students into groups for online group activities. It
will be at the discretion of the instructor whether they feel any of these components logical fill a
pedagogical need for their course.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE & INSTRUCTION
The program progression will follow a linear format with a required introductory course.
The introductory course, Principles of IMC, will provide students with the basic knowledge and
skills needed to complete the IMC minor. Upon completion of the introductory course, students
will be required to take COMM 307 - Social Media in order to get a stronger theoretical backing
and hand-on experience with technologies and tools they will encounter throughout the IMC
minor. After those two courses, the student will select the remaining requirements for the Core
and Elective courses, depending on the specialization the student desires.
The level of course structure will be fluctuating from course to course. During the design
and development phases of the IMC minor, goals and objectives will be established for each
course. It will be at the discretion of the instructor to how they would like to run their course, as
long as they meet the required goals and objectives.
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With the IMC minor, the level of dialogue will differ from lesson to lesson within each
course. A majority of classes will be run with a high level of communication. Instructors will
teach students the content for that lesson, but may allow for in-class lab time to have the
opportunity for active learning. Outside of the classroom, the asynchronous tools will allow for a
middle ground with communication. The instructor may have synchronous or asynchronous
discussions via the Desire2Learn tools, but are not required to use the Desire2Learn system.
Again, communication will fluctuate similarly to the course structure.
Learner autonomy will range anywhere from independent to less autonomous depending
on each individual lesson within a course. It will be at the discretion of the instructor to adapt
and develop a curriculum appropriate to the content for that particular lesson.
Course Descriptions
Prerequisite
COMM 210 - Principles of IMC
This course provides an introduction to the basic concepts of integrated marketing
communications. Technical and compositional elements for the creation of quality integrated
marketing materials are covered. Focus on this course is on the theoretical and commercial
application of IMC for media production. (See APPENDIX C)
Core Courses
COMM 307 - Social Media
This course will provide students with a professional approach to using social media tools in
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their field, examining both the technological and theoretical perspectives of social media through
the hands-on application of the technologies and through reading scholarly writings.
COMM 362 - Mass Media & Society
An introduction to mass media that includes: an examination of the historical development,
current structure, and functions of the traditional and emerging media. The course will also
explore the economic, legal, and ethical issues facing the media and introduce the interaction of
the media and society, culture, and the individual.
CPSC 102 - Collaborative Information Technology & Society
We will explore how the use of collaborative information technology impacts human interaction
in globally diverse contexts. The course provides an introduction to the historical development,
current use and future directions of collaborative technology in human societies. We will address
the ethical, legal and social issues involved in the use of these collaborative technologies.
MRKT 330 - Principles of Marketing
An analytical overview of market decision-making including product, pricing, place, and
promotional strategies considering the heterogeneity and diversity of customers and markets with
respect to their demographic, geographic, psychographic, cultural, and behavioral characteristics.
MRKT 430 - Marketing Research
Research methodology as a managerial tool used in problem solving and decision making in
marketing.
SPMT 394 - Sport Marketing
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Sport Marketing is designed to apply marketing principles to the area of sport, sport events and
sport products. Marketing strategies including sales, promotions and advertising of sport will be
emphasized.
Electives
COMM 258 - Interactive Multimedia I
An introduction to the aesthetic and technical production of basic multimedia content for a
variety of applications and disciplines. Course topics include basic aesthetics of multimedia, and
introduction to media coding and industry specific applications, and development of graphic,
animated, and interactive media assets.
COMM 347 - New-Media Journalism
An examination of new-media forms and the effects of new digital media on media industries
and the practice of journalism. The course will examine the differences between traditional and
new media journalism in theory and in practice and explore online writing techniques and the
impact of social networking sites on the practice of journalism.
COMM 390 - Search Engine Optimization
This course will helps students understand the concepts and teach you how optimize a website to
increase traffic and improving its search engine ranking. This course will be based on theoretical
and application techniques to accomplish website compatibility. Students will also be introduced
to numerous analytical tools to measure website traffic.
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COMM 431 - Public Relations and Integrated Communications
Course gives students a thorough experience in conducting public relations and integrated
communications campaigns and preparing communication materials. Working in teams, students
prepare and conduct the research, planning, implementation and evaluation of an actual
campaign for a client.
COMM 449 - Communication Projects
This course provides students an opportunity to investigate in-depth, approved topics in applied
communication.
COMM 453 - Media Project Management
This course is intended to develop student mastery of the emerging environment of digital
information through a project-based, team-based course. The course focuses on issues of
teamwork, project management, strategy development and communications both inside and
outside of the team. Other topics include budgeting, development of human capital, leadership,
time management and legal issues.
COMM 459 - Issues in Communication Technology
An exploration of current and emerging communication technologies including their
development and regulation, as well as the social, individual and ethical impact of these
technologies.
COMM 480 - The Communication Age
Presentation and discussion of the influences, trends, and issues that permeate the evolution
toward a “Communication Age.” Major issues and influences are examined, including significant
22
technological developments and solutions that have been applied to communication needs and
opportunities. Discussion addresses marketplace forces; humanistic, social, personal, and ethical
issues; and the impact on organizations, workplace, home, education, government, and
international functions. Major attention is given to the role of the impact on the individual amidst
these far-reaching changes.
COMM 490 – Independent Study
Independent Study courses give students the opportunity to pursue research and/or studies that
are not part of the university’s traditional course offerings. Students work one on one or in small
groups with faculty guidance and are typically required to submit a final paper or project as
determined by the supervising professor.
CPSC 300 - Challenges of Computer Technology
An in-depth study of the critical issues related to the computerization of society. Ethical, legal,
and moral issues raised by the evolution of computer technology will be discussed.
MGMT 370 - Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Innovation
This integrative course introduces students to issues related to sustainable new venture creation.
It includes topics such as the importance of innovation and creativity in opportunity recognition
and the design of sustainable business models, industry/market analysis, resource acquisition and
disposition, assessing a venture’s financial strength, and ethical legal issues. Students will learn
the entrepreneurial process while acknowledging multiple stakeholders and addressing social,
economic and environmental concerns.
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MRKT 338 - E-Commerce
This course will teach students the role, structure, organization, and use of the Internet as a
channel of distribution to conduct electronic commerce.
MRKT 490 - Mobile Marketing
This course will introduce students to the mobile marketing landscape and how to integrate these
applications into traditional marketing strategies. Students will evaluate different statistics and
research to understand the best approaches to mobile marketing and increase audience
engagement.
Capstone
COMM 450 – Internship
Supervised placement or research in selected private or public agencies.
Goals and Objectives Program Goals & Objectives
During the analysis and design phases of this program, faculty and staff will construct a
list of desired goals and objectives for the program, then recommend how to integrate the
program’s goals and objectives into the courses.
Course Goals & Objectives
Upon the recommendations from the program committee, a list of goals and objectives
will be provided to each instructor. The instructor will be required to meet those goals and
objectives in the planning and assessment of their course. As a requirement of all PSSHE
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courses, instructors will be required to attach the College of Business, Information, and Social
Sciences Course Outcomes document to their syllabus. This grid will include a list of Course
Objectives, Program Outcomes and University Outcomes for that particular course (see
Appendix B).
Module Goals & Objectives
Each week will have a theme or a collection of topics each meeting at least one of the
overall course goals and objectives.
Session Goals & Objectives
The instruction for each session that week will meet at least one or more course goals and
objectives.
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
For each course, the instructor should open up the course asking if there are any questions
in regards to material discussed in the previous class. Students will be asked to e-mail the
instructor if they do not feel comfortable asking it in class, so the instructor can answer it during
the next class period. There will be a “Questions” thread on the discussion board, which will
allow students to post questions to the community and instructor. This will provide useful
feedback for the instructor to use to adapt their teaching style to the different learning styles.
Students will be able to access and see their grade at any point throughout the semester
with the Gradebook feature in Desire2Learn. Instructors will setup the gradebook to display each
of the course assignments with the points for each assignment. Upon completion of the
assignments, instructors will update the gradebook so students can see their most up-to-date
grades.
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At Slippery Rock University, there are two formal course evaluation forms distributed to
students at the end of the semester. The first evaluation form consists of demographic, Likert
Scale and two open-ended questions. The second form consists of all open-ended questions.
These evaluation forms will allow the instructor to evaluate student’s feedback on the course, as
well as provide feedback to both the department and curriculum committee.
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
There are a few forms of summative assessment that will be used to evaluate the
program. These include:
• State assessments (Middle States Commission on Higher Education)
• Department Benchmarks set up the College of Information, Business, and Social
Sciences Curriculum Committee
• End-of-semester grades
In addition, the expert judgment and field trial phases to evaluate the instruction. The
below section provides a breakdown of each of the two phases.
Expert Judgment
The expert judgment phase can be broken down into five parts: congruence analysis,
content analysis, design analysis, utility and feasibility analysis, and current user analysis.
Congruence Analysis
During the design of the program, the College of Information, Business, and Social
Sciences Curriculum Committee will document the expected entry skills and characteristics of
the target learners. A collection of all materials from each of the courses in the minor will also be
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collected to have on file. The materials include a syllabus, textbooks, handouts, videos and any
other documents used for instructional purposes. Access to reports and statistics to any graded
materials will also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the instruction. This will allow an
evaluation of materials to see if they meet the goals and objectives proposed by the Curriculum
Committee. A document summarizing the findings will be put together for all appropriate groups
to examine and feedback will be provided to the appropriate departments.
Content & Design Analysis
In order to assure that course content is accurate and appropriate, the advisory board will
for each content area will be allowed to review and evaluate the content for each course. The
Curriculum Committee will provide each advisory board a checklist or rating scale document to
use as they evaluate the content. This period will allow them to provide feedback and
suggestions on if the instruction in the course matches industry standards. If the advisory board
lacks an individual in a certain content area, the department or advisory board will recruit an
individual(s) needed to accurately evaluate the content. It will be the responsibility of the
Curriculum Committee to construct a chart and document depicting strengths and weaknesses of
each course.
The College of Instruction, Business and Social Sciences will develop checklists for the
advisory board to use during the evaluation process. Similar to Appendix B, a fourth column will
be added for evaluators to comment if the design of instruction meets the criteria in that row. The
criteria include: course objectives, program outcomes and university outcomes. This checklist
will provide guidance to the advisory board as external reviewers.
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Utility and Feasibility Analysis
For this part of the evaluation, the College of Instruction, Business and Social Sciences
and feedback of the advisory board on the Content and Design Analysis phase will be utilized in
evaluating the instructors, equipment, and environments.
First, interviews will be conducted with the instructors teaching the courses that are part
of the minor. A list of questions will be developed by the Curriculum Committee in advance to
ensure the interviewer covers all criteria. These interviews will be used as a time to receive
instructor feedback and review the suggestions made by the advisory board. This will be the time
the instructor can voice their needs for any equipment or resources they need to improve
instruction.
Next, the Curriculum Committee will review the feedback in terms of equipment and
learning environments to see if they can be improved. A document will be created comparing
current equipment inventory with the recommendations/suggestions for equipment made by the
advisory board. This will provide departments with the appropriate documentation to consider
purchasing any new equipment or budgeting for the equipment in the future. There are budgetary
constraints on revamping facilities, so donations or grant money will need to be obtained to
address any issues with facilities.
Current User Analysis
Since this is a new program, there will be no current user analysis until there are students
enrolled into the minor.
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Field Trial
For the Field Trial portion of the analysis, the College of Information, Business, and
Social Sciences Curriculum Committee will use Table 12.2 in “The Systematic Design of
Instruction” as a reference in completing the field trial. The Planning and Preparing steps have
been well-documented throughout this program proposal. Below is a breakdown of how the
committee will implement and collect data.
Outcomes Analysis
Observations and interviews will be used to evaluate resources, facilities and equipment.
Observations of resources, facilities and equipment will occur to see if the actual and desired
status of these areas. From the interviews conducted, additional data will be collected from the
advisory board, current instructors, and student evaluation forms. Learner performances will be
evaluated with pre-/posttests and reports of student’s grades. Learner attitudes will be evaluated
through observation and end of the semester teaching evaluations. During in-class teacher
observations, peer evaluators will be able to see student’s reactions and interactions with the
instructor. The review of teacher evaluations will also be used to evaluate learner attitudes
towards the course and instructor.
Learner performance will be evaluated through observations and questionnaires
conducted at internship sites. Students will be encouraged to complete an internship in the
industry to apply the knowledge and skills acquired from the coursework. Students and
internship supervisors will be asked to complete a questionnaire to provide an evaluation of job
performance.
29
REFERENCES
Fisher, E. (2011, August 01). 20 great uses of social media in sports. Street & Smith's Sports
Business Journal Daily, Retrieved from
http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2011/08/01/In-Depth/Social-
media.aspx
Fittipaldo, R. (2011, May 16). Social media and sports a growing dilemma. Pittsburgh Post-
Gazette, Retrieved from http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11136/1146848-66-0.stm
Gaff, J. G., & Ratcliff, J. L. (1997).Handbook of the undergraduate curriculum: A
comprehensive guide to purposes, structures, practices, and change. San Francisco, CA:
John Wiley & Sons.
McNeil, K., Newman, I., & Steinhauser, J. (2005). How to be involved in program evaluation:
What every administrator needs to know. Lanham, MD: ScarecrowEducation.
Middaugh, M. F. (2010). Planning and assessment in higher education: Demonstrating
institutional effectiveness. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Neil, K., Newman, I., & Steinhauser, J. (2005). How to be involved in program evaluation: What
every administrator needs to know. Lanham, Maryland: ScarecrowEducation.
30
Nielsen Marketing Research (Firm). (2011). State of the media: the social media report - q3
2011.
Schmallegger, D., & Carson, D. (2008). Blogs in tourism: Changing approaches to information
exchange. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 14(2), 99-110. doi:
10.1177/1356766707087519
School of Business. (n.d.). Program: Marketing (bsba) - slippery rock university. Retrieved from
http://catalog.sru.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=20&poid=3133&returnto=408
Scott, D. M. (2010). The new rules of marketing & pr: how to use social media, blogs, news
releases, online video, and viral marketing to reach buyers directly. (p. 38). Hoboken,
NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Xiang, Z., & Gretze1, U. (2010). Role of social media on online travel information. Tourism
Management,31(2), 179-188. doi: doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2009.02.016
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APPENDIX A
Integrated Marketing Communications Minor
Requirements for the Minor
3 hours of Prerequisite (COMM 210: Principles of IMC)
6 hours of Core Classes
9 hours of Electives
3 hours of Capstone
21 hours total
I. Prerequisite (3 hours)
COMM 210 - Principles of IMC* **
II. Core Classes (6 hours)
COMM 307 - Social Media*
Select one from the following
COMM 362 - Mass Media & Society
CPSC 102 - Collaborative Information Technology & Society
MRKT 330 - Principles of Marketing
MRKT 430 - Marketing Research
SPMT 394 - Sport Marketing
III. Electives (9 hours) - Select three from the following
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COMM 258 - Interactive Multimedia I
COMM 347 - New-Media Journalism
COMM 390 - Search Engine Optimization**
COMM 431 - Public Relations and Integrated Communications
COMM 449 - Communication Projects
COMM 453 - Media Project Management
COMM 459 - Issues in Communication Technology
COMM 480 - The Communication Age
COMM 490 - Selected Topics
CPSC 300 - Challenges of Computer Technology
MGMT 370 - Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Innovation
MRKT 338 - E-Commerce
MRKT 490 - Mobile Marketing**
I. Capstone (3 hours)
COMM 450 - Internship
* - denotes required courses
** - denotes a course currently not in the course catalog
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APPENDIX B
College of Business, Information, and Social Sciences Department of Communication
Course Outcomes
Course Objectives Program Outcomes University Outcome
Provide students will develop a digital portfolio
Designing effective messages that demonstrate various media production skills
Professional Proficiency Apply knowledge and skills to meet professional competencies within a specific discipline
Students will gain a foundation for intermediate web and video project development
Applying the results of the needs assessment to design and develop an emerging technology project that will meet the objectives
Communication Communicate effectively in speech and in writing, using appropriate information sources, presentation formats, and technologies
Students will develop an ability to effectively combine text, motion, sound and graphic elements into a properly designed presentation
Applying visual literacy skills in the design and production of messages in various media
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Locate, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information and ideas from multiple perspectives--mathematical, scientific, and humanistic. Apply this information literacy to contemporary challenges
Students will develop an understanding of legal and ethical issues related to the development of interactive projects
Conducting formative and summative evaluations of the messages conveyed by emerging technologies
Values and Ethics Demonstrate an understanding of how the values of personal integrity, cooperative action, and respect for diversity influence one's own behavior and the individual and group behavior of others
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APPENDIX C
COMM 210 - Principles of IMC Syllabus
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to the basic concepts of integrated marketing
communications. Technical and compositional elements for the creation of quality integrated
marketing materials are covered. Focus on this course is on the theoretical and commercial
application of IMC for media production.
This course will be a combination of lecture and hands-on application through the use of
numerous computer software applications. In addition, classes may be comprised of a variety of
delivery methods including: PowerPoint, video, individual activities, group activities, and
presentations.
Course Objectives
• Understand basic terminology & concepts of integrated marketing communications
• Understand how integrated marketing communications is used in various organizations
and businesses
• Identify the different target audiences for each integrated marketing communication plan
• Identify all of the tools and computer applications that are currently available for
integrated marketing communications
• Develop an understanding of the best practices and review case studies related to the use
of integrated marketing communications
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• Identify ethical and legal issues
• Develop an integrated marketing communications plan
Required Textbook(s)
Clow, K. E., & Baack, D. (2011). Intergrated advertising, promotion and marketing
communications (5th edition). New York, NY: Prentice Hall. ISBN: 978-0-13-253896-1
Young, A. (2010). Brand Media Strategy: Integrated Communications Planning in the Digital
Era (Advertising Age). New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN: 978-0-13-253896-1
Class Procedures
This course will be a blend between hands-on activities, lectures and classroom discussion. Cell
phones can be used to enhance the course lecture. I encourage you to use your smart phones as a
resource during the course. We will have ‘disconnecting’ times when you are not to use your
phones or the computers.
There will be times I ask you to present your work. This will be part of your participation grade,
so if you are not there to present your work, you will not get the points for participation. When
your classmates are presenting, I expect everyone to give them your undivided attention and do
not be afraid to ask questions after the presentations. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility
to obtain the notes/assignments from a classmate (see the Attendance Policy section for further
details).
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Throughout the semester, there may be guest lecturers in replace of lecture. I expect you to act
and dress professionally those days, and come prepared for an open discussion with our guest(s).
Guest lecturers may also be required to attend in the evenings/common hour.
Assessment
Case Study & Presentation (100 pts)
Discussion Board/Participation (100 pts)
Quizzes (50 pts)
Midterm Exam (100 pts)
Integrated Marketing Communication Plan & Presentations (150 pts)
Total (500 pts)
Case Study & Presentation
Students will be responsible for selecting a major brand, business or company that implement a
successful integrated marketing communications plan. They will be responsible for analyzing
and evaluating what makes it a successful plan. A 4-5 page paper will document an introduction
to the plan, an overview of what the important components, and evaluate the outcome. In
addition, students will have to give a 5-minute presentation on the plan they evaluated. Students
will be graded on both oral and written components, and the breadth/depth/understanding of the
evaluation.
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Discussion Board/Participation
Students will be evaluated on their level of understanding and contribution to the weekly
discussion board. Participation both on the discussion board and in-class will be evaluated.
Quizzes
Students will be required to take weekly quizzes covering the material from that week. Quizzes
will be in multiple-choice format and be setup in Desire2Learn.
Midterm Exam
Students will be evaluated on the understanding of the material up to midterm break. The format
of the midterm will comprise of multiple choice and short essays.
Integrated Marketing Communications Plan & Presentation
Students will be divided into small groups and assigned a brand, company or business who needs
help or does not have a well-established integrated marketing communication plan. It will be the
students responsible for analyzing, evaluating and developing an integrated marketing
communications plan. The IMC plan will comprise of a 15-25 page paper documenting the entire
plan from start to finish. In addition, students will have to give a 20-minute presentation during
the final period on the plan they evaluated. Students will be graded on both oral and written
components, and the breadth/depth/understanding of the evaluation.
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Grading Policy
Descriptions of each assignment, as well as evaluation criteria, will be provided throughout the
course. Do not work ahead, because I will be providing you the assignment criteria throughout
the semester, which will be needed to accomplish the project. If you have any questions on the
grading criteria, please ask the instructor prior to the due date of the project. If you any questions
about your grade, you will have one week from the day you receive your grade to approach the
instructor to discuss your grade. Grades will not be discussed beyond that week.
The most important thing you will learn from this course is the importance of deadlines. Once
you leave the university, your employer will expect you to meet any and all deadlines presented
to you. I will be treating this course in the same manner. You will receive a zero for any work
submitted after the deadline. If you are sick, I want an email in my inbox before the start of
class and an official written excuse from the health center or your doctor. If you have a special
circumstance or an unforeseen conflict, please see me prior to the due date to discuss what can be
done. Any other exceptions to this policy are made at my discretion.
Assignments will not be accepted by email unless requested by the instructor.
Academic Honesty and Integrity
Cheating and/or plagiarism in any form are unacceptable and will result in failure of the course.
If circumstances warrant, a student may be required to appear before the hearing board of the
university and face possible dismissal from the University. Plagiarism is the use of work other
than your own without proper citation or credit. Cheating/plagiarism include having somebody
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else do a substantial portion of your assignment and/or it can involve written work, computer
programs, photographs, artwork, films, video and audiotapes. If you are at all unsure about what
constitutes cheating/plagiarism, or how to give credit, see your instructor.
If you work together with other students on any assignment for this course and you both hand in
an assignment that is similar or the same, you will fail for cheating.
Disability Access Statement
Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully
demonstrating his or her abilities should contact me personally as soon as possible, so we can
discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your educational
opportunity.
Tentative Schedule
Week 1: Course Introduction, Syllabus, & Overview of Integrated Marketing Communications
Week 2: Corporate Image and Brand Management
Week 3: Buyer/Consumer Behaviors
Week 4: The IMC Planning Process
Week 5: IMC Advertising Tools and Management
Week 6: Advertising Design
Week 7: Message Strategies and Framework
Week 8: Midterm Exam
Week 9: IMC: Traditional Media Channels
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Week 10: E-Marketing, Alternative Marketing, and Social Media Platforms
Week 11: Database and Direct Response Marketing
Week 12: Public Relations and Sponsorship
Week 13: Ethical Issues with IMC
Week 14: Evaluating an IMC Plans
Week 15: Group Presentations
