Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2026 - CMNS 200 OL01

STT-Professional and Strategic Communication (4)

STT-Professional & Strategic CMNS

Class Number: 6823

Delivery Method: Online

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Online

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Students will learn effective and strategic communication principles, including crafting persuasive messages, analyzing audiences, and applying ethical communication strategies. The course covers practical skills like creating (social) media strategies, press kits, and internal communication strategies, while teaching students to ethically integrate AI tools into communication workflows, preparing them for various professional and organizational settings.

COURSE DETAILS:

What makes a message persuasive, a campaign effective, or a communication plan truly strategic? In this course, you will learn how to communicate with purpose, precision, and integrity across professional and organizational settings. Whether you are writing a press release, planning a social media campaign, designing a communication plan, or preparing an internal memo, the ability to shape messages that resonate and do so ethically is essential.

You will explore the core principles of strategic communication, including audience analysis, message design, and media planning, while developing the critical tools to evaluate what works, what fails, and why, and recognizing the importance of your own voice and the power of storytelling. From building press kits and internal communication strategies to crafting media plans and integrating generative AI tools responsibly, this course blends hands-on practice with critical reflection.

Through individual and collaborative projects, you will sharpen your voice, strengthen your storytelling, and learn how to lead communication efforts that shape conversations and influence outcomes. By the end of the course, you will be equipped not only with practical skills but also with the judgment to apply them thoughtfully in complex, real world contexts.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  1. Express ideas clearly, persuasively, and ethically across verbal, visual, and written communication.
  2. Tailor complex messages for a range of audiences.
  3. Evaluate/measure the impact of communication.
  4. Work collaboratively to communicate effectively.
  5. Design a communication plan.

Grading

  • Course Engagement with Weekly Submissions on Canvas 10%
  • Assignment 1: Defining Effective Messages 20%
  • Assessment 2: Understanding Your Audiences 25%
  • Assessment 3: Choosing Your Channel 30%
  • Assessment 4: Creating a Communication Plan 15%

NOTES:

The School expects that the grades awarded in this course will bear some reasonable relationship to established university-wide practices. In addition, the School will follow Policy S10.01 with respect to Academic Integrity, and Policies S10.02, S10.03 and S10.04 with regard to Student Discipline. For further information visit: www.sfu.ca/policies/Students/index.html

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

All course readings will be made available on the course Canvas page.

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.