Overview

This unit introduces students to the strategic importance to organisations of the public relations related disciplines of issues, crisis and risk communication and to explore how they can be implemented in a range of public relations contexts.

Requisites

Prerequisites
MDA10001 Introduction to Media Studies

AND

PUB10001 Introduction to Public Relations Theory and Practice
OR
MDA10018 Content Creator Lab OR JOU10007 Media Content Creation

Equivalent units
PUB30002 Issues, Crisis and Risk Communication
Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025
Teaching Period 1
Location
Online
Start and end dates
09-March-2026
07-June-2026
Last self-enrolment date
22-March-2026
Census date
07-April-2026
Last withdraw without fail date
28-April-2026
Results released date
30-June-2026
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-August-2026
01-November-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-August-2026
Census date
01-September-2026
Last withdraw without fail date
22-September-2026
Results released date
08-December-2026
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
02-November-2026
07-February-2027
Last self-enrolment date
15-November-2026
Census date
01-December-2026
Last withdraw without fail date
22-December-2026
Results released date
02-March-2027

Unit learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
 

  1. Formulate and articulate the differences between issues, crisis and risk communication
  2. Critically analyse the importance of these disciplines to organisations’ strategic goal-setting
  3. Analyse key principles from case studies and apply to practice-related concerns
  4. Prepare plans for issues, crisis and risk communication appropriate to a variety of public relations scenarios

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Lecture		1.00 12 weeks 12
On-campus
Class		1.00 12 weeks 12
Specified Activities
Various		4.00 12 weeks 48
Unspecified Activities
Various		6.50 12 weeks 78
TOTAL150

Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning		12.50 12 weeks 150
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Assignment Individual/Group  40%  1,2,3,4 
Portfolio Individual  30%  1,2,3,4 
Test Individual  30%  1,2,3,4 

Content

  • Concepts - issues, crisis and risk
  • Relationship between issues, crisis and risk communication and organisational reputation
  • The nature of the issue life cycle; issues communication planning
  • Examination of public participation, activists and activism
  • Sources of crises
  • Development of a crisis plan
  • Role of media in issue, crisis and risk communication
  • Role of risk communication in risk management
  • Risk perception
  • Communication of complex, scientific and technical information
  • Examination of issues, crisis and risk communication practice through case studies

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.