COMM 376: Crisis Communications - Cowden: Home

Crisis Communications is a course designed to develop an awareness and an understanding of the principles and communication processes used to respond to a crisis that threatens the image, credibility, and/or viability of an organization.

Topics include:

• the typologies of a crisis
• the stages of a crisis
• the process of developing and administering a comprehensive crisis communications plan
• the strategies and tactics of messaging and interacting with media and other key publics in a crisis setting
• an examination and critique of case histories of an organization's response to an actual crisis.
• Learning outcomes for this course are to:

1) develop an awareness and an understanding of the principles and communication processes used to respond to a crisis situation that threatens the image, credibility, and/or viability of an organization
2) identify and characterize the typologies of a crisis and the chronological stages of a crisis
3) explore the processes of developing and administering a comprehensive crisis communications plan
4) develop proficiency in using the strategies and tactics of messaging in a crisis setting
5) critically evaluate case histories of organizational responses to actual crises.