COMM 315 Syllabus

Outcomes

Description

This course will teach students to strategically decide how best to visually communicate an engaging, integrated message across the appropriate social media channels to reach the intended audience. Students will be introduced to and create a variety of solutions to clearly communicate visual online messages.

Projects

This is a project-based course. Students will create and implement the following social media projects:

  1. Brand Identity. Create a brand identity and launch it online. You will design a logo, choose colors and fonts, write a voice statement and a style guide, brand several pieces of promotional materials (swag), photograph the branded swag and then use the photographs to design and brand at least 3 social media channels (not including blogs like Wordpress).
  2. Seven Posts. Create 7 posts to promote your brand on at least 3 social media channels appropriate for your IPPIE plan.
  3. Native video. You will create a branded video in the voice of the brand you created in the first project. You will use the logo at the end ("sponsored by"), and have the pieces of promotional materials (swag) that you mocked up used as brand placement.
  4. Paid ad. Create and implement a Paid Advertising Campaigns on at least 3 social media channels appropriate for your IPPIE plan (blogs like Wordpress do not count as a social media channel for this assignment). You may drive traffic anywhere you choose, but your visuals and copy for the ads must be made from scratch during this project. You will spend approximately $5 per channel.
  5. Social Identity. Throughout this semester we have talked about the ever-evolving nature of Social Media and how creating meaningful and relevant content based on the audience is key to success. The best types of content in a content marketing strategy is educational or informative content. For this final project, you will pitch an idea for a content marketing campaign to a new client. You will create the creative brief and plan for the first piece of content. The creative brief includes Background & Overview, Production Timeline, and The Pitch .

Learning Model Architecture

COMM 315 follows the BYU–I Learning Model

Prerequisites

COMM 125 or COMM 130

Required Materials

Grading Policies

Points Possible

Activity Points Number Total Possible
Quizzes 5 4 20
Facebook Discussions 10 4 40
Blog Posts 10 8 80
Project Drafts 40 5 200
Project Finals 100 5 500
Project Evaluations 5 4 20
Total 860

Bonus: Courtesy Points

To foster professional communication, students follow the Courtesy Policy used in all Visual Comm courses. Employers tell us that many interns and recent graduates lose their chance for successful employment, because they complain about insignificant issues. This behavior also shows up when students complain about grades. Some fight unsuccessfully for a few points, then end up losing opportunities and other unrealized benefits.

Students may be rewarded five bonus “courtesy points,” provided they follow the expectations of the policy. Students may appeal a grade. The appeal process includes studying the University Grading System, which explains that meeting the minimum requirements constitutes an average 75-80% grade. To receive higher, students need to produce high quality work.

Bonus: Mulligan

To help compensate for computer/personal emergencies, students are allowed one “mulligan,” which extends the deadline 48 hours without losing points. This mulligan may not be used after Week 12. Please submit the mulligan in I-Learn before the deadline.

Due Dates

Comm 315 has two due dates each week, however, because BYU–I online courses are available to students all over the world, the exact day and time may be different where you live. For instance,

When it is It is
Tuesday, 11: 59 PM in Rexburg, Idaho, USA Tuesday, 10:59 PM in Riverside, California, USA Wednesday, 1:59 PM in Boston, Massachuests, USA Wednesday, 6:59 AM in Accra, Ghana

The Canvas Calendar automatically converts the due dates to your local timezone. Please refer to your calendar for your due date and time. This tutorial teaches you to set your system’s timezone so that I-Learn will accurately reflect your due date: How Do I Set My Timezone?.

Project Timelines

A project description is included at the beginning of each project. Detailed project timelines are included in each project description.

Late Work

In accordance with the communications dept. policy, late work is not accepted. This policy prepares students to meet important career deadlines. Many designers procrastinate or spend too long making design decisions and consequently lose important accounts. Remember that projects are not complete until they are delivered before the deadline in the manner requested by the client.

Cheating/Plagiarism

COMM 315 observes the BYU–Idaho Honor Code. All work must be your own original work created for this course this semester. You may not reuse anyone else’s work or any work you created previously. For instance, if you create a photographic composite for a project, all photos must be taken by you this semester, or you must obtain the licence to use those images from the original copyright holder. Additionally, this course strictly observes US copyright laws. Violations may result in project or course failure, depending on the seriousness of the violation.

Student Honor

Student Honor is following the path of discipleship and learning to be more like Christ—learning to think, to feel, and to act more as He does.

Living a life of honor:

Tips for Succeeding In This Course

If you follow instructions and turn everything in on time, you will pass the course. To get an “A” or “B” you must do well on the projects.

“A” students use their Mulligan wisely.

Students with Disabilities

BYU-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by the Services for Students with Disabilities Office. If you need assistance or feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established policy and procedures. If you have any disability that may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office using the following information:

Sexual Harrassment

BYU-Idaho prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in its education programs or activities. Prohibited sex discrimination includes incidents of sexual harassment (including sexual violence), dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking (collectively “sexual misconduct”). As an instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create a safe learning environment for my students and for the campus as a whole. University policy requires that I report all incidents of sexual misconduct that come to my attention. If you encounter sexual misconduct, please contact a Title IX Coordinator at titleix@byui.edu or 208-496-9200. Additional information about sexual misconduct and available resources can be found at BYU-Idaho prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in its education programs or activities. Prohibited sex discrimination includes incidents of sexual harassment (including sexual violence), dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking (collectively “sexual misconduct”). As an instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create a safe learning environment for my students and for the campus as a whole. University policy requires that I report all incidents of sexual misconduct that come to my attention. If you encounter sexual misconduct, please contact a Title IX Coordinator at titleix@byui.edu or 208-496-9200. Additional information about sexual misconduct and available resources can be found at http://www.byui.edu/titleix.