The major in advertising and public relations is designed to prepare students for professional and academic opportunities in strategic communications, as well as for the pursuit of advanced degrees. Students will have the opportunity to develop critical thinking capabilities, specialized knowledge, practical skills, technical competencies and the theoretical framework necessary to address real-world communication problems in advertising and public relations.
Core courses provide foundations in advertising, marketing, public relations, culture and society, visual aesthetics, writing, research, design, production and strategic problem solving. Students must take a minimum of 68 credit hours to fulfill the requirements of the major.
The ADPR major consists of 68 credit hours, including core requirements (28 credits) and concentration core and elective courses (40 credits). Each ADPR major will choose one of three concentrations:
Each graduating senior in the ADPR major, regardless of concentration, must submit a portfolio of work for evaluation by the ADPR faculty. Core requirements and concentrations are as follows:
Degree Requirements
Core 28 Credit Hours
All ADPR majors, regardless of concentration, must complete the following courses to fulfill the major:
| COM 222 | Media Aesthetics and Creativity | 4 |
| COM 224 | Mass Media and Society | 4 |
| COM 283 | Principles of Advertising | 4 |
| COM 284 | Principles of Public Relations | 4 |
| COM 436 | Communication and Media Ethics | 4 |
| COM 470 | Communication Research Methods | 4 |
| FMX 210 | Digital Media | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 28 |
Advertising Creative Concentration
ADPR majors choosing the advertising creative concentration must complete the following courses to fulfill the major:
Digital Core Electives
Choose one of the following:
| COM 302 | Digital Media and Design for Communication | 4 |
| | or | |
| ART 305 | Graphic Design I | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4 |
Advertising Creative Concentration - History/Theory Electives
ADPR majors choosing the advertising creative concentration must complete 8 credit hours from the following list of electives. At least 4 credit hours must be taken at the 300-level or above.
| FMX 211 | Art and Technology | 4 |
| ART 357 | Modern Art | 4 |
| ART 281 | History of Graphic Design | 4 |
| COM 301 | Introduction to Organizational Communication | 4 |
| COM 323 | Frontiers of Communication | 4 |
| COM 327 | Communication and Law | 4 |
| COM 332 | Television Criticism | 4 |
| COM 334 | Information and the New World Order | 4 |
| COM 365 | Critical Analysis of Media Events | 4 |
| COM 370 | Women, Film and Popular Culture | 4 |
| COM 380 | Culture, Society and Computing Technology | 4 |
| COM 392 | Independent Study in Communication | 1-4 |
| COM 401 | Intercultural Communication | 4 |
| COM 425 | Information Technology and Human Values | 4 |
| COM 426 | Public Opinion, the Media and Power | 4 |
| COM 431 | Traditions of Digital Media | 4 |
| COM 443 | Communication and Cultural Studies | 4 |
| COM 466 | International Advertising | 4 |
| JOU 101 | Introduction to Journalism | 4 |
| MKT 300 | Principles of Marketing | 4 |
| MKT 354 | Buyer Behavior | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 8 |
Advertising Creative Concentration - Authoring and Production Electives
ADPR majors choosing a concentration in advertising creative must complete 8 credit hours from the following list of electives:
Advertising Creative Concentration Internships
Students are encouraged to participate in internships for credit or noncredit. For the advertising creative concentration, credit for internships (COM 354) will count toward general education electives rather than toward the major.
Public Relations Concentration
Required Concentration Courses (24 credit hours)
ADPR majors choosing the public relations concentration must complete the following courses to fulfill the major:
| COM 225 | Media Writing | 4 |
| COM 302 | Digital Media and Design for Communication | 4 |
| COM 384 | Writing for Public Relations | 4 |
| COM 584 | Public Relations Campaigns | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Business Core
Choose one of the following:
| BUS 101 | Introduction to Global Business | 4 |
| COM 301 | Introduction to Organizational Communication | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4 |
Digital Core Electives
Choose one of the following:
| FMX 241 | Sound, Image and Motion | 4 |
| COM 315 | Web Design | 4 |
| JOU 221 | Multimedia Journalism I: The Digital Tool Kit | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4 |
Public Relations Concentration - Electives
Below are lists of electives for the Public Relations concentration. Outside of these lists, a maximum of 8 credit hours in related courses may count as electives in a concentration. These courses should closely coincide with the student's scholarly or career interests, and should be chosen with the advice of a communication faculty adviser.
No more than 8 credit hours of independent study may be counted towards elective in a concentration.
An elective course can only count once toward the major, even if it appears on more than one list.
Public Relations Concentration - Authoring and Production Electives
ADPR majors choosing the public relations concentration must complete 8 credit hours from the following list of electives. At least 4 credit hours must be taken at the 300 level or above.
| COM 234 | Topics in Communication | 1-4 |
| COM 315 | Web Design | 4 |
| COM 325 | Writing for Broadcast News | 4 |
| COM 344 | Special Topics | 1-4 |
| COM 346 | Writing for Interactive Media | 4 |
| COM 373 | Interactive Journalism Production | 4 |
| COM 383 | Writing for Advertising | 4 |
| COM 392 | Independent Study in Communication | 1-4 |
| FMX 241 | Sound, Image and Motion | 4 |
| JOU 221 | Multimedia Journalism I: The Digital Tool Kit | 4 |
| JOU 271 | News Reporting and Writing | 4 |
| JOU 273 | Practicum in Student Publications | 1-4 |
| JOU 304 | Multimedia Journalism II: The Converged Newsroom | 4 |
| JOU 371 | Feature Writing | 4 |
| WRI 200 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 4 |
| WRI 220 | Writing for Online Audiences | 4 |
| WRI 242 | Publication Editing and Design | 2-4 |
| WRI 274 | Creative Nonfiction | 4 |
| WRI 281 | Technical Writing | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 8 |
Public Relations Concentration - Other Electives
ADPR students choosing a concentration in public relations must complete 8 credit hours from the following list of electives. A maximum of 4 credit hours of internship can be counted toward the ADPR major in the public relations concentration. Additional internship credits may be counted toward general education electives.
| BUS 101 | Introduction to Global Business | 4 |
| COM 232 | Visual Literacy | 4 |
| COM 301 | Introduction to Organizational Communication | 4 |
| COM 327 | Communication and Law | 4 |
| COM 344 | Special Topics | 1-4 |
| COM 354 | Internship in Communication | 1-4 |
| COM 392 | Independent Study in Communication | 1-4 |
| COM 401 | Intercultural Communication | 4 |
| COM 443 | Communication and Cultural Studies | 4 |
| COM 499 | Senior Project | 4 |
| JOU 101 | Introduction to Journalism | 4 |
| SPE *** | Any Speech Courses | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 8 |
*Students may receive credit for SPE 200 or SPE 208 (but not both), because of potential overlap in content.
Advertising and Public Relations General Concentration
Required courses (28 credits)
ADPR majors choosing the general concentration must complete the following courses to fulfill the major:
General Concentration - Core Courses
Digital Core 1
Choose one of the following:
| ART 305 | Graphic Design I | 4 |
| COM 302 | Digital Media and Design for Communication | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4 |
Digital Core 2
Choose one of the following:
| COM 315 | Web Design | 4 |
| FMX 241 | Sound, Image and Motion | 4 |
| JOU 221 | Multimedia Journalism I: The Digital Tool Kit | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4 |
Campaigns Requirements
Choose one of the following:
| COM 583 | Advertising Campaigns | 4 |
| COM 584 | Public Relations Campaigns | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 4 |
Advertising and Public Relations General Concentration Electives
ADPR majors choosing a general concentration must complete 12 credit hours from the following lists of electives. At least 8 credit hours must be taken at the 300 level or above. A maximum of 4 credit hours of internship can be counted toward the ADPR major in general concentration. Additional internship credits may be counted toward general education electives. Internship credits will not count toward requirements for 300 level or above courses.
Outside of these lists, a maximum of 8 credit hours in related courses may count as electives in a concentration. These courses should closely coincide with the student's scholarly or career interests, and should be chosen with the advice of a communication faculty adviser.
No more that 8 credit hours of independent study may be counted toward electives in a concentration.
An elective course can only count once towards the major, even if it appears on more than one list.
| ART 102 | Foundations: Drawing | 4 |
| ART 104 | Foundations: 2-D Design | 4 |
| ART 110 | Foundations: Digital Arts | 4 |
| ART 218 | Digital Photography | 4 |
| ART 318 | Graphic Design II | 4 |
| BUS 101 | Introduction to Global Business | 4 |
| COM 234 | Topics in Communication | 1-4 |
| COM 301 | Introduction to Organizational Communication | 4 |
| COM 303 | Studio Television I | 4 |
| COM 315 | Web Design | 4 |
| COM 323 | Frontiers of Communication | 4 |
| COM 325 | Writing for Broadcast News | 4 |
| COM 327 | Communication and Law | 4 |
| COM 333 | Studio Television II | 4 |
| COM 334 | Information and the New World Order | 4 |
| COM 339 | Mobile Application Design | 4 |
| COM 344 | Special Topics | 1-4 |
| COM 346 | Writing for Interactive Media | 4 |
| COM 354 | Internship in Communication | 1-4 |
| COM 373 | Interactive Journalism Production | 4 |
| COM 380 | Culture, Society and Computing Technology | 4 |
| COM 392 | Independent Study in Communication | 1-4 |
| COM 401 | Intercultural Communication | 4 |
| COM 426 | Public Opinion, the Media and Power | 4 |
| COM 431 | Traditions of Digital Media | 4 |
| COM 443 | Communication and Cultural Studies | 4 |
| COM 466 | International Advertising | 4 |
| COM 499 | Senior Project | 4 |
| COM 583 | Advertising Campaigns | 4 |
| COM 584 | Public Relations Campaigns | 4 |
| ECO 204 | Principles of Microeconomics | 4 |
| FMX 217 | 3D Animation I | 4 |
| FMX 241 | Sound, Image and Motion | 4 |
| FMX 310 | Creative Coding | 4 |
| FMX 381 | Digital Imaging | 4 |
| JOU 101 | Introduction to Journalism | 4 |
| JOU 221 | Multimedia Journalism I: The Digital Tool Kit | 4 |
| JOU 271 | News Reporting and Writing | 4 |
| JOU 273 | Practicum in Student Publications | 1-4 |
| JOU 304 | Multimedia Journalism II: The Converged Newsroom | 4 |
| JOU 371 | Feature Writing | 4 |
| MKT 300 | Principles of Marketing | 4 |
| MKT 354 | Buyer Behavior | 4 |
| MKT 371 | Personal Selling and Sales Management | 4 |
| MKT 410 | Global Marketing | 4 |
| MKT 411 | Promotion and Branding Strategies | 4 |
| MKT 450 | Marketing Strategy | 4 |
| SPE *** | Any Speech Courses | 4 |
| WRI 200 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 4 |
| WRI 220 | Writing for Online Audiences | 4 |
| WRI 242 | Publication Editing and Design | 2-4 |
| WRI 274 | Creative Nonfiction | 4 |
| WRI 281 | Technical Writing | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
*Students may receive credit for SPE 200 or SPE 208 (but not both) because of potential overlap in content.
JOU 273 and WRI 242 may be taken for up to 4 credits in each major.