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Advertising

This is an archived copy of the 2021-2022 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

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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 101Mass Media and Society3
JL MC 110Orientation to Journalism and Communication1
JL MC 201Reporting and Writing for the Mass Media (C+ or better)3
ADVRT 230Advertising Principles3
ADVRT 301Research and Strategic Planning for Advertising and Public Relations3
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 460Law of Mass Communication3
JL MC 462Media Ethics, Freedom, Responsibility3
ADVRT 499AProfessional Media Internship: Required3

Advertising majors are also required to take:

MKT 340Principles of Marketing3
SP CM 212Fundamentals of Public Speaking3
STAT 101Principles 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 101Mass Media and Society3
ADVRT 230Advertising Principles3
ADVRT 301Research and Strategic Planning for Advertising and Public Relations3
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 Credits15

Advertising, B.A.

Freshman
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
ENGL 1503ECON 1013 
JL MC 1101LIB 1601 
JL MC 1013ADVRT 2303 
Arts and Humanities3Arts and Humanities3 
Natural Science3International Perspectives3 
Social Science3Natural Science3 
 16 16
Sophomore
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
ENGL 2503JL MC 2013 
STAT 1014ADVRT 3013 
Arts & Humanities/U.S. Diversity3Arts and Humanities3 
World Languages and Cultures or Elective4World Languages and Cultures or Elective4 
Natural Science2Social Science3 
 16 16
Junior
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MKT 3403ADVRT 334 or 3363ADVRT 499A3
ADVRT/JL MC/P R- 300 level choice3ADVRT/JL MC/ P R choice 300 level3 
Arts & Humanities 3Minor/second major choice-300 level3 
Minor/second major choice3Minor/second major choice-300 level3 
Minor/second major choice3SP CM 2123 
 15 15 3
Senior
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
JL MC 4623JL MC 4603 
One of the following:3Elective or Minor/second major choice-300 level or above3 
 Elective or Minor/second major choice-300 level or above3 
 Elective or Minor/second major choice-300 level or above3 
   
Minor/second major choice-300 level or above3  
Elective or Minor/second major choice-300 level or above3  
 12 12

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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.

(Cross-listed with P R). (3-0) Cr. 3.

Prereq: ADVRT 230 or P R 220
The use of primary and secondary research for situations, organizations and the public. Formation and development of strategic plans for public relations and advertising students.

(2-1) Cr. 3.

Prereq: JL MC 110; Minimum of C+ in JL MC 201; ADVRT 301/P R 301
Development and execution of creative advertising materials. Copywriting, art direction and computer applications. Creative strategy development, execution and evaluation.

(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.

(3-0) Cr. 3. F.S.

Prereq: Minimum of C+ in ADVRT 334 or ADVRT 336, and major status
Development of advertising campaigns including primary and secondary research, target audience analysis, campaign strategy, media planning, budgeting and creative execution.

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.