The mission of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations is to prepare our students, through theory and practice, for success in public relations, advertising and related industries. The department offers two undergraduate degrees: a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Integrated Communications and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations.

The BA in Advertising and Integrated Communications prepares you for a future in advertising by considering the rapidly developing new technologies in persuasive communication, the increasingly engaged consumer and the consumer experience, interactive and digital media and its vast influence, and the emerging challenges brought forward by artificial intelligence (AI) in the service of the discipline. As a major in advertising, you will master key skills in innovative and creative thinking to shape and inform the strategic and tactical decisions needed for jobs in the industry. You will also develop expertise that can be applied to a broader network of related careers such as social media, brand management, media buying, public relations, audience and market research, corporate communications and more.

The BA in Public Relations program prepares you to succeed in careers in agency, corporate, government and nonprofit public relations. With an eye toward current best practices and upcoming industry trends, your classes will provide you with hands-on learning opportunities and portfolio-building projects. You will be tasked to develop and evaluate strategic communication plans that support the relationships between a brand and their key publics using paid, earned, owned and social media channels. Among the most important essential learning outcomes stressed in the major are critical thinking and reasoning skills. Our graduates offer strategic counsel to their employers and clients through writing, research and implementation.

ADPR faculty also regularly offer courses with an international travel component, including recent classes examining the role of the 'branding' of the city of London and the strategic communication efforts of luxury brands in France and Switzerland.

Advertising and Public Relations (ADPR)

ADPR 102. Introduction to Advertising and Integrated Communications.3 Credits.

This is an introductory course that provides a comprehensive overview of the practices of advertising and integrated communication (ADIC) as they are used by organizations to maximize the impact of unified messages and promotions on consumers and other stakeholders. The course introduces students to foundational principles and strategies, contemporary issues and practices, ethical considerations in the advertising industry, and the use of emergent technologies such as artificial intelligence, within the communications campaign planning process.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall and Spring
UC: Breadth Elective, University Curriculum Ele

ADPR 215. Web, Mobile & Interactive Design.3 Credits.

Students learn how to create desktop and mobile multimedia elements using web development software, HTML5, CSS3 and simple scripting. Students design projects that include functional websites, animated content and interactive experiences.

Prerequisites: None
Offered: Every year, Fall and Spring

ADPR 349. Media Relations.3 Credits.

This course gives students an understanding of the priorities and expectations of various types of contemporary media and how to successfully engage them through research-based strategies and tactics designed to reach key audiences. At the conclusion of the course, students should be well-practiced in various forms of working with journalists and the public via multiple media.

Prerequisites: Take ADPR 201.
Offered: As needed