Advertising/Public Relations, BA

The Advertising/Public Relations major is designed for students interested in business and persuasive communication. The department offers two tracks within the major: Advertising and Public Relations. The Advertising track offers courses in research, media planning, and creative strategies in the field of advertising and related marketing communication. The Public Relations track prepares the future professional by introducing the concepts of planning and executing effective communication strategies including message design and distribution for any organization, as well as by training students in writing and editing public relations and marketing communication materials.

Students may take only one track with the major. Students are further restricted to only one major within the Department of Communication and Media, though they are invited and encouraged to select a second minor from outside the department.

Degree Program Requirements

A student wishing to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Advertising/Public Relations must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 36 credits from the department’s course offerings. Included among these 36 credits are eight core courses required for all Advertising/Public Relations majors:

Department Track Requirements

Although the media are interrelated, students should develop an in-depth knowledge of at least one specific field. To that end, students majoring in Strategic Communication must select a track, or area of study, within the department. Although the department expects students to enroll in multiple courses within their chosen track, each track has two required courses:

Advertising Track

Public Relations Track

Advertising Track Curriculum

	Department and Number - Descriptive Course Title	Fall Cr.	Spr. Cr.
First Year
MAJOR	COMM 109 - G/S/P Skill Set – COMM 115 - (W,EPW) Writing for Communication	1	3
FREE ELECT	FREE ELECT - Free Elective		3
MAJOR	COMM ELECT - COMM Elective	3
GE WRTG/SPCH	COMM 108 - (FYW) Essential Writing Skills ¹ – COMM 100 - (FYOC) Public Speaking ^*	3	3
GE C/IL	C/IL 102/102L - (FYDT) Computing and Information Literacy *	3
GE HUMN	HUMN ELECT - Humanities Electives	3	3
GE PHIL - T/RS	PHIL 120 - Introduction to Philosophy – T/RS 121 - Theology I: Introduction to the Bible	3	3
GE FSEM	First Year Seminar ²
		16	15
Second Year
MAJOR	COMM 210 - (W,EPW) Logical and Rhetorical Analysis		3
MAJOR	COMM 215 - Introduction to Communication Theory	3
MAJOR	COMM 225 - Advertising	3
MAJOR	COMM 227 - Contemporary Public Relations		3
FREE ELECT	FREE ELECT - Free Electives	3	3
GE PHIL - T/RS	PHIL 210 - Ethics – T/RS 122 - Theology II: Introduction to Christian Theology	3	3
GE QUAN - S/BH	QUAN ELECT - Quantitative Elective – S/BH ELECT - Social/Behavioral Elective	3	3
		15	15
Third Year
MAJOR	COMM 316 - Communication Ethics – COMM ELECT - COMM Elective	3	3
MAJOR	COMM ELECT - COMM Elective	3	3
FREE ELECT	FREE ELECT - Free Electives	3	3
GE PHIL - T/RS	PHIL ELECT - Philosophy Elective or T/RS ELECT - T/RS Elective	3
GE NSCI	NSCI ELECT - Natural Science Electives	3	3
GE ELECT	FREE ELECT - Free Electives	3	3
		18	15
Fourth Year
MAJOR	COMM 415 - Senior Seminar	3
MAJOR	COMM ELECT - COMM Elective		3
FREE ELECT	FREE ELECT - Free Electives	3	6
GE HUMN - S/BH	HUMN ELECT - Humanities Elective – S/BH ELECT - Social/Behavioral Elective	3	3
GE ELECT	FREE ELECT - Free Electives	6	3
		15	15
Total: 124 Credits

¹The Department of Communication prefers students fulfill (FYW) requirements by completing COMM 108 . However WRTG 107 or WRTG 105 and WRTG 106 may be substituted.

²The selection of a First Year Seminar is likely to fulfill requirements both for the First Year Seminar and a General Education Requirement. Thus, the First Year Seminar will not add to the total credits for the semester. Talk with your advisor if you have any questions.

*An approved 3-credit EP Foundation Course may be substituted for COMM 100 and C/IL 102/102L - C/IL 104 . In this case, the total needed for graduation in this major may be reduced. Consult with your advisor if you have questions.

Public Relations Track Curriculum

	Department and Number - Descriptive Course Title	Fall Cr.	Spr. Cr.
First Year
MAJOR	COMM 109 - G/S/P Skill Set – COMM 115 - (W,EPW) Writing for Communication	1	3
FREE	FREE ELECT - Free Elective		3
MAJOR	COMM ELECT - COMM Elective	3
GE WRTG/SPCH	COMM 108 - (FYW) Essential Writing Skills ¹ – COMM 100 - (FYOC) Public Speaking ^*	3	3
GE C/IL	C/IL 102/102L - (FYDT) Computing and Information Literacy *	3
GE HUMN	HUMN ELECT - Humanities Electives	3	3
GE PHIL - T/RS	PHIL 120 - Introduction to Philosophy – T/RS 121 - Theology I: Introduction to the Bible	3	3
GE FSEM	First Year Seminar ²
		16	15
Second Year
MAJOR	COMM 210 - (W,EPW) Logical and Rhetorical Analysis		3
MAJOR	COMM 215 - Introduction to Communication Theory	3
MAJOR	COMM 225 - Advertising	3
MAJOR	COMM 227 - Contemporary Public Relations		3
FREE	FREE ELECT - Free Electives	3	3
GE PHIL - T/RS	PHIL 210 - Ethics – T/RS 122 - Theology II: Introduction to Christian Theology	3	3
GE QUAN - S/BH	QUAN ELECT - Quantitative Elective – S/BH ELECT - Social/Behavioral Elective	3	3
		15	15
Third Year
MAJOR	COMM 316 - Communication Ethics – COMM ELECT - COMM Elective	3	3
MAJOR	COMM ELECT - COMM Elective	3	3
FREE	FREE ELECT - FREE Electives	3	3
GE PHIL - T/RS	PHIL ELECT - Philosophy Elective or T/RS ELECT - T/RS Elective	3
GE NSCI	NSCI ELECT - Natural Science Electives	3	3
GE ELECT	FREE ELECT - Free Electives	3	3
		18	15
Fourth Year
MAJOR	COMM 415 - Senior Seminar	3
MAJOR	COMM ELECT - COMM Elective		3
FREE	FREE ELECT - Free Electives	3	6
GE HUMN - S/BH	HUMN ELECT - Humanities Elective – S/BH ELECT - Social/Behavioral Elective	3	3
GE ELECT	FREE ELECT - Free Electives	6	3
		15	15
Total: 124 Credits

¹The Department of Communication prefers students fulfill (FYW) requirements by completing COMM 108 . However WRTG 107 or WRTG 105 and WRTG 106 may be substituted.

*An approved 3-credit EP Foundation Course may be substituted for COMM 100 and C/IL 102/102L -C/IL 104 . In this case, the total needed for graduation in this major may be reduced. Consult with your advisor if you have questions.