Risk and Crisis Communication Course Overview

The School of Communication here at Chapman University contains a variety of classes that are designed to give students the opportunity to gain valuable skills that will assist them in the workplace.  Throughout my time at Chapman, I have taken many of these classes and have seen firsthand the impact that they can have in a work environment. One class in particular that allowed me to gain a slight edge in

the workplace was Risk and Crisis Communication.

 Risk and Crisis Communication exposes students to crisis management through real-world experiences.  The course was designed to help students learn skills to effectively communicate through a crisis.  The course required students to research a particular company and create a crisis plan.  Students learned from the various strengths and weakness of these companies.  This assignment allowed students to bring real-world examples into the class, which was helpful when learning the concepts.  In addition to the crisis plan, students were given tools needed for media training which is essential when managing a crisis.  Each assignment taught students skills that will allow them to promptly manage a crisis so that the company can successfully recover from the crisis.

This course has been instrumental in helping me in my various internships.  I have shown the crisis plan to my past employers, and they have been impressed.  This indicates that I am able to apply what I have learned at Chapman into the workplace.  It is important to learn how to effectively and strategically communicate your way through a crisis.  This course truly prepared me for the industry I would like to end up in.  I gained problem-solving skills that apply to any industry.  After taking this course, I felt more prepared for my future and know that I will have the skills and knowledge needed to successfully communicate my way through a crisis.