PUBAFF 6500

Course description: Being an effective communicator can determine the reach and impact of policy, as well as the ability of a public manager to influence change. Course information includes becoming a better writer and speaker on a topic of public policy – including communicating to diverse audiences with differing information demands.

This course was all about communications skills for people going into public affairs.  Some parts of it such as press releases I didn’t really need because I’ve been working in journalism and public relations for 20 years.  But other parts of it I definitely did need, such as the oral and video communications sections – and I even learned from the written communications sections as well. For the policy brief and position paper, I worked with a group on the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission.

Sample syllabus (pdf)

Policy Brief – Redistricting (pdf)
Position Paper – Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission (pdf)