Those of us who teach in higher education are in a time of continually diminishing resources. Our budgets have been cut, but our class sizes and teaching loads continue to increase. There’s an unceasing drumbeat from the profession to better prepare our students with social media skills demanded in the workplace (Cahill, 2009). In the education of public relations undergraduates in particular, there seems to never be enough time or resources for faculty to teach students all the new skills needed – let alone the basics. Outside of class, faculty struggle to find time for research. Our long-delayed projects sit gathering dust on the desk while we struggle with issues of class instruction. This poster session illustrates a curriculum component that can help on both accounts, by integrating a theory and research component into the basic public relations writing course.