Course Syllabus

Outcomes

  • Evaluate social media efforts.
  • Show competency in industry-standard social media content creation tools.
  • Create social media solutions that meet objectives for a brand.
  • Demonstrate ability to create meaningful visual content.
  • Implement visual communication with appropriate social media use.

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 three social media channels (not including blogs like Wordpress).
  2. Seven Posts: Create visuals and captions for seven posts on two different channels. The seven posts need to bring value to a specific audience. A successful content strategy uses multiple tweets or updates to connect with an audience. One tweet or update is not sufficient.
  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. Social Identity: Throughout this semester, we will talk 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 type of content in a content marketing strategy is educational or informative content. 

Learning Model Architecture

COMM 315 follows the BYU–I Learning Model

  • Prepare: Students read, research, and take reading quizzes.
  • Teach One Another: Students participate in topical discussions and peer review.
  • Ponder and Prove: Students implement and evaluate social media projects.

Prerequisites

COMM 125 or COMM 130

Required Materials

  • Adobe Creative Cloud or ability to independently find, install, and use open source alternatives such as Inkscape and Gimp. Rubrics are built for Adobe Creative Cloud. Grading criteria will not be altered if another software can’t do what is required. Adobe is provided by the school for this class. 
  • Access to still photography, video and sound equipment.
  • This course has no required textbooks. You do not need to purchase or download a textbook. Any articles or other needed resources are available in the course.

Grading Policies

Points Possible

Grading Policies
Activity Points Number Total Possible
Quizzes 5 3 15
Discussions 19 4 190
Project Drafts 20 5 100
Project Final Vary 7 310
Project Evaluations 5 4 20
Biweekly Posting 13 5 65
Total 700

 

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 of 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. Follow the instructions in the Week 01 mulligan module on how to use your mulligan.

Due Dates

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

Times
When it is... It is... 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, Massachusetts, USA Wednesday, 6:59 AM in Accra, Ghana

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

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 Communication department's 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. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to upload files, they may be large file sizes and can take a significant amount of time to upload and submit. 

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 license 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:

    • Begins as we learn and live the baseline standards of the Honor Code, understand their purposes, and are true to the promises we have made.
    • Continues as we heed the promptings of the Spirit to raise our personal bar of righteousness and foster a spirit of integrity, sacrifice, consecration, love, service, and willing obedience as students and throughout our lives.
    • Prepares our hearts for devoted discipleship in the family, church, work, and community.

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.

University Policies

Students with Disabilities

Brigham Young University-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have a disability and require accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Office at (208) 496-9210 or visit their website and follow the Steps for Receiving Accommodations. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with students and instructors by the Disability Services Office.

This course does require synchronous meetings. If you are currently registered with the Disability Services Office and need an interpreter or transcriber for these meetings, please contact the deaf and hard of hearing coordinator at (208) 496-9219.

Other University Policies

Student Honor and Other Policies

Please read through the document called University Policies. It gives important information about the following topics:

  • Student Honor
    • Academic Honesty
    • Student Conduct
      • Sexual Harassment
  • Student with Disabilities
  • Complaints and Grievances
  • Copyright Notice

Go to the Student Resources module to review further resources and information.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due