The Advertising Major
The advertising major prepares students for careers in business and industry or for graduate education. Students majoring in advertising find career opportunities in professions requiring applied communication expertise. Graduates are qualified for positions in the creative and account sides of advertising within businesses, agencies and media. Coursework in this major focuses on writing, research, digital and emerging media, and professional abilities. Students are required to complete a capstone internship experience to practice and refine their skills.
To receive a bachelor of arts degree in advertising, a student must earn at least 120 credits. A minimum of 72 credits must come from courses other than ADVRT, JL MC or P R. At least 50 of these credits must come from the liberal arts and sciences. Overall, at least 45 credits must be from 300-level courses or above.
The degree requirements allow for a minimum of 34 credits and a maximum of 48 credits to be taken in ADVRT, JL MC or P R. These include:
| JL MC 101 | Mass Media and Society | 3 |
| JL MC 110 | Orientation to Journalism and Communication | 1 |
| JL MC 201 | Reporting and Writing for the Mass Media (C+ or better) | 3 |
| ADVRT 230 | Advertising Principles | 3 |
| ADVRT 301 | Research and Strategic Planning for Advertising and Public Relations | 3 |
| One of the following two courses: | ||
| Advertising Creativity (C+ or better) | ||
| Advertising Account Management (C+ or better) | ||
| One of the following two courses: | ||
| Advertising Campaigns | ||
| Advertising Portfolio Practicum | ||
| JL MC 460 | Law of Mass Communication | 3 |
| JL MC 462 | Media Ethics, Freedom, Responsibility | 3 |
| ADVRT 499A | Professional Media Internship: Required | 3 |
Advertising majors are also required to take:
| MKT 340 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| SP CM 212 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| STAT 101 | Principles of Statistics (or another approved statistics course) | 4 |
Additional recommended courses and requirements for the advertising major are available from the Greenlee School.
Students taking one major at the school may not seek a second major or minor in the school. All Greenlee School majors are required to take a second major or minor outside the school as an area of expertise. All Greenlee School majors are required to take 499A. Greenlee majors and minors cannot take ADVRT, JL MC or P R courses pass/not pass.
Minor in Advertising
Students cannot select more than one minor in the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication. Minors in the Greenlee School are not available to Greenlee majors.
For a minor in advertising, students complete 15 credits. The minor must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement.
| JL MC 101 | Mass Media and Society | 3 |
| ADVRT 230 | Advertising Principles | 3 |
| ADVRT 301 | Research and Strategic Planning for Advertising and Public Relations | 3 |
| 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Advertising Media Planning | ||
| Digital Video Production | ||
| Professional Skills Development | ||
| Mass Communication Theory | ||
| Media Management | ||
| Communication Technology and Social Change | ||
| World Communication Systems | ||
| Diversity in the Media | ||
| Special Topics in Communication | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
Advertising, B.A.
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| ENGL 150 | 3 | ECON 101 | 3 | ||
| JL MC 110 | 1 | LIB 160 | 1 | ||
| JL MC 101 | 3 | ADVRT 230 | 3 | ||
| Arts and Humanities | 3 | Arts and Humanities | 3 | ||
| Natural Science | 3 | International Perspectives | 3 | ||
| Social Science | 3 | Natural Science | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| ENGL 250 | 3 | JL MC 201 | 3 | ||
| STAT 101 | 4 | ADVRT 301 | 3 | ||
| Arts & Humanities/U.S. Diversity | 3 | Arts and Humanities | 3 | ||
| World Languages and Cultures or Elective | 4 | World Languages and Cultures or Elective | 4 | ||
| Natural Science | 2 | Social Science | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||||
| Junior | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| MKT 340 | 3 | ADVRT 334 or 336 | 3 | ADVRT 499A | 3 |
| ADVRT/JL MC/P R- 300 level choice | 3 | ADVRT/JL MC/ P R choice 300 level | 3 | ||
| Arts & Humanities | 3 | Minor/second major choice-300 level | 3 | ||
| Minor/second major choice | 3 | Minor/second major choice-300 level | 3 | ||
| Minor/second major choice | 3 | SP CM 212 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 3 | |||
| Senior | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| JL MC 462 | 3 | JL MC 460 | 3 | ||
| One of the following: | 3 | Elective or Minor/second major choice-300 level or above | 3 | ||
| Elective or Minor/second major choice-300 level or above | 3 | ||||
| Elective or Minor/second major choice-300 level or above | 3 | ||||
| Minor/second major choice-300 level or above | 3 | ||||
| Elective or Minor/second major choice-300 level or above | 3 | ||||
| 12 | 12 | ||||
For JL MC 300- and 400-level choices, please choose from the list of selected courses available from an academic advisor. You may schedule an appointment with an advisor by either calling 515-294-4342 or visiting with our front office staff at 101 Hamilton Hall. | |
University Requirement: Students in all ISU majors must complete a three-credit course in U.S. Diversity, as well as a three-credit course in International Perspectives. The approved course lists are found at the following web addresses: (U.S. Diversity) http://www.registrar.iastate.edu/students/div-ip-guide/usdiversity-courses and (International Perspectives) http://www.registrar.iastate.edu/students/div-ip-guide/IntlPerspectives-current. Students must also demonstrate their communication proficiency by earning a grade of C or better in ENGL 250. | |
College of LAS Requirement: Minimum of 120 credits, including a minimum of 45 credits at the 300-level and above. You must also complete the LAS World Language requirement and any unmet ISU admission requirements. | |
Minor or Second Major: Students are required to fulfill a secondary area of expertise. This requirement can be met by declaring a minor or a second major outside of the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication. |
Courses
Courses primarily for undergraduates:
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Historical, social, economic and legal aspects of advertising. Evaluations of advertising research, media, strategy and appeals. Study of the creation of advertising.
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: ADVRT/P R 301
Concepts of media planning and selection in the development, execution and evaluation of advertising campaigns. Characteristics and capabilities of the advertising media. Utilization of market segmentation, consumer buying and media audience databases.
(3-0) Cr. 3.
Prereq: JL MC 110; Minimum of C+ in JL MC 201; ADVRT/P R 301
Fundamentals of account management with emphasis on leadership, sales techniques, relationship building, presentation skills, and strategic thinking. Includes aspects of agency communications, team building, client management, evaluating creative concepts and media plans, and developing strategic proposals and campaign recommendations.
(Cross-listed with JL MC, P R). Cr. 1-3. Repeatable, maximum of 6 credits. F.S.
Prereq: Minimum of C+ in JL MC 201; other vary by topic. Instructor permission for non-majors.
Check with Greenlee School for course availability.
(Cross-listed with JL MC, P R). Cr. 1-3. Repeatable, maximum of 6 credits.
Focused short courses on timely concepts. Check with Greenlee School for course availability.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
Cr. 1-3. Repeatable, maximum of 3 credits. Alt. S., offered irregularly.
Prereq: Permission of instructor, Junior/senior standing strongly recommended
Preparation of materials for regional and national competitions.
(3-0) Cr. 3. S.
Prereq: Minimum of C+ in ADVRT 334, non-majors with instructor permission
Advanced advertising writing and design. May include campaign development for competitions. Other projects include creative development in a variety of media for an online portfolio.
Cr. arr.
Prereq: Junior classification and contract with supervising professor to register
Projects during which students may study problems associated with a medium, a professional specialization, a philosophical or practical concern, a reportorial method or writing technique, or a special topic in their field. Credit is not given for working on student or professional media without an accompanying research component.
No more than 3 credits of ADVRT/JLMC/PR 490 may be used toward a degree in the Greenlee School.
(Cross-listed with JL MC, P R). Cr. 1-3. Repeatable, maximum of 6 credits.
Prereq: Junior classification. See Schedule of Classes for possible pre-requisites.
Seminars or one-time classes on topics of relevance to students in communication.
Cr. 1-3. F.S.SS.
Prereq: JL MC majors: JL MC 110 and minimum of C+ in JL MC 302 or JL MC 303; ADVRT majors: JL MC 110, ADVRT/P R 301 and minimum of C+ in JL MC 201; P R majors: JL MC 110, ADVRT/P R 301 and minimum of C+ in P R 321. All students, formal faculty advisor approval.
See ADVRT/JL MC/P R 499A or 499B.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
Cr. 3. F.S.SS.
Prereq: JL MC majors: JL MC 110 and minimum of C+ in JL MC 302 or JL MC 303; ADVRT majors: JL MC 110, ADVRT/P R 301 and minimum of C+ in JL MC 201; P R majors: JL MC 110, ADVRT/P R 301 and minimum of C+ in P R 321. All students, formal faculty advisor approval.
Initial, required internship. A 400-hour (for 3 credits) internship in the student's specialization. Assessment based on employer evaluations, student reports and faculty reviews. Available only to Greenlee School majors.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.
Cr. 1-3. F.S.SS.
Prereq: JL MC majors: JL MC 110 and minimum of C+ in JL MC 302 or JL MC 303; ADVRT majors: JL MC 110, ADVRT/P R 301 and minimum of C+ in JL MC 201; P R majors: JL MC 110, ADVRT/P R 301 and minimum of C+ in P R 321. All students, formal faculty advisor approval.
Optional internship in the student's specialization. Assessment based on employer evaluations, student reports and faculty reviews. Available only to Greenlee School majors.
Offered on a satisfactory-fail basis only.