The advertising major is an interdisciplinary undergraduate major in the School of Media and Communication. The major provides students with foundational conceptual and professional skills required in a rapidly changing media environment. These skills include contemporary audience research and analysis, strategic writing and messaging, and media planning and selection in both traditional and digital media. The major’s strong experiential learning component develops student mastery in professional advertising and creative business and communication problem-solving in commercial and non-profit settings.
The advertising major consists of a six-course core, two-course internships, four additional required courses, a three-course concentration, and a capstone experience. The core provides a strong foundation of theory and practice in different facets of the industry incorporating perspectives from Advertising, Communication, Media Production and Studies. Marketing and Graphic Design, to provide a strong context in marketing-driven and graphic design of creative advertising. A minor is required.
Learning Outcomes
- Identify the functions, regulations, and roles of advertising in business marketing, media industries, and society.
- Examine conceptual and practical underpinnings of digital media and algorithmic systems with an emphasis on digital advertising and social media.
- Implement consumer behavior and persuasion theories to conduct audience research and develop multi-platform advertising campaigns.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the dynamics between multi-media production and strategic messaging.
- Critique the decision-making processes of media planning and implementation.
- Create advertising copy and construct socially responsible advertising strategies for commercial and non-profit organizations.
With the advertising major, students may choose between two concentrations to best suit a student’s talents and interests. The student’s concentration options are - creative/production or management/research.
The Creative/Production concentration prepares students for careers in copy writing, print and digital advertising or commercial production, webmaster for commercial web sites or social media manager.
The Management/Research concentration prepare students for careers in advertising sales, account management, account planning, advertising media planning and advertising research.
For specific courses for those concentrations, please review the check sheet for the major. This major requires students to take a minor.
Return to: