Advertising/Public Relations, BA

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The Advertising and Public Relations Major focuses on the research, strategy, creativity, media planning and evaluation processes used in the respective fields. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, creativity, data analysis, and communication skills. Students are encouraged to participate in extracurriculars, practicum and capstone classes and internships in both fields.

Degree Program Requirements

A student wishing to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Advertising/Public Relations must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 37 credits from the department’s course offerings. Included among these 37 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 Advertising/Public Relations must select a track, or area of study, within the major. Although the department expects students to enroll in multiple courses within their chosen track, each track has required courses:

Advertising Track Requirements

Public Relations Track Requirements

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 - (EPW) Writing for Communication	1	3
FREE ELECT	FREE ELECT - Free Elective		3
MAJOR	COMM ELECT - Communication Elective²	3
GE WRTG-SPCH/DIGITAL	COMM 108 - (FYW) Essential Writing Skills ¹ — EP Foundations (FYOC/FYDT)	3	3
GE HUMN	HUMN ELECT - Humanities Electives	3	3
GE PHIL - T/RS	PHIL 120 - Introduction to Philosophy — T/RS 121 - (P) Theology I: Introduction to the Bible	3	3
GE FSEM	First Year Seminar ³
		13	15
Second Year
MAJOR	COMM 210 - (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 - (P) 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 - Communication Electives²	3	3
MAJOR	COMM ELECT - Communication Electives²	3	6
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
		18	15
Fourth Year
MAJOR	COMM 415 - Senior Seminar	3
MAJOR	COMM ELECT - Communication Elective²		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: 121 Credits

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

²All Department of Communication & Media courses listed COMM 101-499 are acceptable as Communication Electives for fulfillment of degree requirements.

³The 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.

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 - (EPW) Writing for Communication	1	3
FREE ELECT	FREE ELECT - Free Elective		3
MAJOR	COMM ELECT - Communication Elective³	3
GE WRTG-SPCH/DIGITAL	COMM 108 - (FYW) Essential Writing Skills ¹ — EP Foundations (FYOC/FYDT)	3	3
GE HUMN	HUMN ELECT - Humanities Electives	3	3
GE PHIL - T/RS	PHIL 120 - Introduction to Philosophy — T/RS 121 - (P) Theology I: Introduction to the Bible	3	3
GE FSEM	First Year Seminar ²
		13	15
Second Year
MAJOR	COMM 210 - (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 - (P) 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 - Communication Electives³	3	3
MAJOR	COMM ELECT - Communication Electives³	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 - Communication Elective³		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: 121 Credits

¹The Department of Communication & Media 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.

³All Department of Communication & Media courses listed COMM 101-499 are acceptable as Communication Electives for fulfillment of degree requirements.