Teaching beyond corporate social responsibility: The Social Action Strategies course in the Advertising and Public Relations Degree at Pompeu Fabra University

Abstract

In this paper we examine the European and Spanish frameworks for socially-oriented higher education competences, as well as the curricular composition of the Advertising and Public Relations (APR) degrees in Catalan universities regarding socially-oriented communication. We explore the need to establish contents within the degree which go beyond corporate social responsibility, particularly to address needs within the social third sector. We explore how participatory development communication and communication for social change can compose the core content of communication in the public interest within the APR Degree, based on three years of curricular innovation, research and development within the Social Action Strategies course taught in the APR Degree at Pompeu Fabra University.

KEYWORDS: Advertising and Public Relations Degree, participatory development communication, communication for social change, corporate social responsibility, curricular development, social third sector.