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Course Outline

CMN317 Social Media Management

Course Coordinator:Karen Sutherland (ksutherl@usc.edu.au) School:School of Business and Creative Industries

2026Semester 2

UniSC Sunshine Coast

 Blended learning Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online.

Online

 Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

This course provides you with the opportunity to gain practical experience as a Social Media Manager for a real client. Working in a simulated Social Media Agency environment with your peers, you will learn how to liaise with your client to develop, implement and evaluate a social media strategy and navigate the ethical and professional considerations relating to this process.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – In-class tutorial 3hrs Week 1 12 times
Online
Lecture – 1 hour online content for 12 weeks (or equivalent). 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Interactive zoom tutorial 2hrs Week 1 12 times

Course Topics

This course guides students through the three key phases of social media management:

  • Stage 1. Preparation (Research and Strategy Development)
  • Stage 2. Implementation (Implementing the client’s social media strategy live on their profiles).
  • Stage 3. Evaluation (Data Collection, Analysis, Reporting and Recommendations Developed to Promote Continual Improvement).  

What level is this course?

300 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

24 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming...
1 Professionally analyse, design and evaluate social media strategies. Engaged
2 Demonstrate legal, ethical and professional social media practice. Ethical
3 Critically analyse different organisation's objectives and social media strategy performance. Creative and critical thinker
4 Critically use mainstream social media platforms. Empowered
5 Produce and disseminate high quality digital content for social media platforms Engaged
6 Apply skills in client communication, liaison and social media account management. Empowered

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

Completed 192 units.

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Communication theory, ethics, social media content curation and creation skills.

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

All students are required to attend a weekly Work in Progress meeting, so they will be provided with feedback in Weeks 1, 2 and 3.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Written Piece Individual 40% 
3500 words
 Week 4 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Oral Individual 20% 
10 Slides in 10 Minutes
 Week 8 In Class
All 3 Report Individual 40% 
1500 words
 Week 13 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Social media strategy
Goal: 
You will demonstrate your ethical 'liaison management' and research skills through creating a social media strategy that meets the needs of an assigned client.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Professional/Industry piece
Using the strategy template provided, you will create a 3500 word social media strategy. You will be assigned a client in tutorial. To complete this task, you will be required to research the client which may involve direct communication with the client, understanding their current social media presence, understanding their target audience and knowing who their competitors are. The strategy should result in recommendations for improving/changing the client’s current social media approach. 

Please refer to Blackboard for required strategy template.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Critical analysis of organisation’s objectives and SM goals and approaches
 1 2 3 6
2 
Critical evaluation of SM applications used or to be used
 1 2 3 4
3 
Design SM strategy – meets needs/gaps/areas to develop; monitoring and measurement
 1 3 6
4 
Demonstrate ethical professional practice in data management/dissemination
 2 6
5 
Presentation and communication of strategy
 1 6
Generic Skills: 

                        

                    

                

                

                    

                        

                            
                                All - Assessment Task 2:Client Work In Progress (WIP) Presentation
                            
                        

                        

                            Goal:
                            
You will evaluate the progress of your social media strategy and present an accurate update to your clients.

                        

                        

                            Product:
                            Oral
                        

                        

                            Authorship Statement:
                            
                        

                        

                            Format:
                            
Professional/Industry format

10 minute presentation with use of visual aids in the presence of the client and tutor. The presentation may take place in class or via video-conference depending on the availability of the client.

Please refer to Blackboard for the required components of this task.

                        

                        

                            Criteria:
                            
                                

                                    
                                        

                                            No.
                                            
                                            Learning Outcome assessed
                                        

                                    
                                    
                                            

                                                1
                                                
Depth of analysis of current Work In Progress

                                                
                                                        1
                                                        3
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                2
                                                
Accuracy of evaluation of Work In Progress

                                                
                                                        1
                                                        2
                                                        3
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                3
                                                
Critical use of social media platform(s)

                                                
                                                        4
                                                        5
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                4
                                                
Demonstrate ethical professional practice in data management/dissemination

                                                
                                                        2
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                5
                                                
Application of client communication/ liaison management

                                                
                                                        6
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                6
                                                
Presentation and communication skills (Clarity, relevance, audience engagement, time management, format correct spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation and referencing)

                                                
                                                        6
                                                
                                            

                                    
                                

                            		
                        

                        

                            Generic Skills:
                            

                        

                    

                

                

                    

                        

                            
                                All - Assessment Task 3:Social Media Evaluation Report
                            
                        

                        

                            Goal:
                            
You will apply your analytical and evaluative skills to produce a final social media report containing your summary of the social media project and final recommendations for your client

                        

                        

                            Product:
                            Report
                        

                        

                            Authorship Statement:
                            
                        

                        

                            Format:
                            
Professional/Industry format

You will develop a 1500 word report for your client that evaluates the performance of the social media strategy that you developed for Task 1 and then implemented throughout the Implementation Phase. The report will be based on the monitoring and measurement data of six weeks of social media management (involving content curation, creation, brand and community management) for a real client.

Your report must contain the metrics proposed in the Monitoring and Measurement section of your Task 1 Social Media Strategy. Task 3 must clearly demonstrate whether your social media strategy achieved its goals and SMART objectives and provide recommendations (supported by evidence) to the client to guide them in their future social media activities.

Please refer to Blackboard for the necessary components to include in this task.

                        

                        

                            Criteria:
                            
                                

                                    
                                        

                                            No.
                                            
                                            Learning Outcome assessed
                                        

                                    
                                    
                                            

                                                1
                                                
Professional overview of project

                                                
                                                        1
                                                        2
                                                        3
                                                        6
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                2
                                                
Use of SMART objectives evaluation tool

                                                
                                                        1
                                                        2
                                                        3
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                3
                                                
Accuracy and quality of evaluation of social media strategy performance

                                                
                                                        1
                                                        2
                                                        3
                                                        4
                                                        6
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                4
                                                
Professionally developed recommendations

                                                
                                                        1
                                                        2
                                                        3
                                                        6
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                5
                                                
Demonstrate ethical professional practice in data management/dissemination

                                                
                                                        1
                                                        2
                                                        3
                                                        6
                                                
                                            

                                            

                                                6
                                                
Presentation and communication (clear consolidation, synthesis and presentation of data, grammar, spelling, referencing)

                                                
                                                        6
                                                
                                            

                                    
                                

                            		
                        

                        

                            Generic Skills:
                            

                        

                    

                

        

    

    

        

            

                
Directed study hours

                
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

            

        

    


    

        

            

                
What resources do I need to undertake this course?

                

                    Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
                

            


            

                
Prescribed text(s) or course reader

                    
There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

            

        


        

            

                
Specific requirements

                    
Students must have access to a computer, the internet and a smartphone for this course.

            

        

    


    

        

            
How are risks managed in this course?

            
Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

        

    


    

        
What administrative information is relevant to this course?


        

            

                
Assessment: Academic Integrity

                
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

            

        


        

            

                
Assessment: Additional Requirements

                Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:

The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%
The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
            

        


        

            

                
Assessment: Submission penalties

                Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: 
- 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.
            

        


        

            

                
Links to relevant University policy and procedures

                
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

            

        


        

            

                
Student Charter

                
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful.  The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

            

        


        

            

                
General Enquiries

                
  • In person: 
    • UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
    • UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
    • UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
    • UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
    • UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
    • UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
  • Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
  • Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au

            

        

    







    

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