ALR214 - Lobbying, Advocacy and Public Opinion
Unit details
| Year: | 2024 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Deirdre Quinn-Allan |
| Prerequisite: | Any two ALR, AIE, AIP or AIR coded units at a level 1, 2 or 3 |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | ALR383 |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the trimester undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | 1 x 1-hour class per week (Online); 1 x 2-hour seminar per week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x 1-hour class per week (recording via the online unit site) 1 x 2-hour seminar per week |
Content
The public interest, which is sometimes quoted in professional codes of public relations practice and conduct, is a cliché and a myth; in fact, the civil society in which we live is an amalgam of competing interests. It is within this contested arena that public affairs practitioners operate to advocate for particular institutional views and resource allocations in the battle for favourable policy outcomes. So, this unit examines the ways in which public relations and communication professionals working within third sector, business sector, and government sector organisations seek to communicate via lobbying and campaigning in order influence public opinion and government policy.
| ULO | These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Analyse the relationship between issues management, policy, and public opinion formation within the context of lobbying and advocacy | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO2 | Research and analyse an issue impacted by government decision-making from an organisational and stakeholder perspective | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO3: Digital literacy GLO4: Critical thinking GLO5: Problem solving |
| ULO3 | Work as an effective member of team using online means to plan, contribute to, and edit a lobbying project to a professional standard | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO3: Digital literacy GLO7: Teamwork |
| ULO4 | Apply principles of ethical lobbying and advocacy to plan a persuasive lobbying and advocacy strategy | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO2: Communication GLO4: Critical thinking GLO5: Problem solving |
Assessment
Trimester 1:| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 (Group) - Background Briefing | 1200 words or equivalent | 30% | Week 5 |
| Assessment 2 - Lobbying and Advocacy Strategy | 2000 words or equivalent | 50% | Week 10 |
| Assessment 3 - Online exercises | 800-word equivalent | 20% | Part a – week 6 Part b – week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning Resource
ALR214 Lobbying, Advocacy and Public Opinion has weekly study guide topics on the unit site. Links to readings and resources are located within the study guide topics. Commence each week’s topic via the study guide. Whilst many readings and resources can be found via the University Library unit reading list, you should not rely on this list as you may miss learning activities and resources central to assessment.
Unit Fee Information
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