Program Description

Students in the award-winning advertising and marketing communications major gain hands-on experience as they prepare to enter one of today's fastest growing and rapidly evolving industries. Building on a strong academic base in the liberal arts, students are challenged to think strategically and creatively to solve client problems using a full spectrum of promotional tools. From traditional print and television advertising, to social media, mobile applications and emerging technologies, students learn to develop fully-integrated campaigns that will achieve a company or organization’s promotional objectives.

To give each student experience in multiple career roles, the foundation curriculum encourages active participation in all phases of the marketing communications process, including research, planning, strategy development, copywriting, visual communication, art direction, budgeting, media buying and campaign analysis.  

To strengthen a specific area of interest and stand out in a competitive job market, students are later advised to choose one of three major career paths: planning and strategy, copywriting or art direction. Through one-on-one discussions with advisors, students choose highly-focused specialization courses, and fine-tune their portfolios to prepare for an internship most appropriate to their goals. The advanced courses are built around opportunities for real-world experience.

Students are encouraged to boost their skill set and marketability with a variety of minors and certificate programs. They are also encouraged to become active in the on-campus Marketing Communications Club (MCC) and its activities with local professional organizations for networking opportunities.

Note for transfer students: All students transferring into this major should strongly consider the benefits of a fifth semester because not all courses are offered every semester and a fifth semester would allow for a better internship experience.