Program Overview

Advertising Creative Certificate

Program Overview

The Advertising Creative Certificate is designed for students who are interested in working on the creative side of advertising. The program consists of 18 semester credit hours with courses that include both copywriting and art direction as well as the computer programs creative advertising professionals use in the industry. Students will work on developing their portfolios as part of their coursework.

Program Type

• Certificate

Format

• On Campus
• Online
• Hybrid

Estimated Time to Complete

• 2-3 semesters

Credit Hours

• 18

Program Highlights

• Provides additional advanced course options for students in advertising, interdisciplinary art and design, or communication design who are seeking careers as art directors or in creative agencies.
• Offers access to numerous outstanding internship opportunities at advertising agencies throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
• Student organizations are regularly recognized as among the best in the nation and provide students with valuable connections, mentorship opportunities, and the chance to learn from alumni and other working professionals.
• Teaches advanced art direction, creative portfolio development, visual strategy, and developing ads for television, print, and the web.
• Offers opportunities to participate in supervised, intensive practical experience working with SWOOP or GRAVITAS, the national advertising campaigns competition.
• Professional internships and practicum opportunities are also available.

Courses to Take

• Advertising Art Direction (3 hrs)
  • Introduction to tools and techniques for the visual expression of advertising.
  • Covers visualization for advertising in a variety of media, including print, outdoor, television, ambient, and interactive.
  • Hands-on class covering how to tap into and use creative assets to make advertising that is compelling and effective.
• Applied Design for Advertising and Public Relations (3 hrs)
  • Lab setting that incorporates lectures and demonstrations with hands-on experience where students learn and apply the fundamentals of core software applications used in the advertising and public relations industry.
  • Lectures also cover an appreciation of graphic design, typography, and other principles used by professionals in advertising and public relations.
• Advertising Portfolio (3 hrs)
  • Capstone course for advertising students in the creative track.
  • Students work in copywriting/art direction teams at a local agency with professional mentors to develop their entry-level portfolios.
  • Class meets once a week at a local agency.
• Broadcast Advertising (3 hrs)
  • Writing, producing, and editing radio and television scripts.
  • Lectures cover writing, preproduction, production, and examples of radio and television commercials.
• Advanced Art Direction (3 hrs)
  • Course teaches fundamental skills of advertising art direction.
  • Includes art directing photography, print production, paper school, selling creative to creative directors/account executives/clients (presentation), and strategic thinking.
  • Course also provides guest lecturers and on-site visits to studios and printing shops.
• Advertising Copywriting (3 hrs)
  • Advertising strategy and execution (writing) for print, broadcast, and other media.

Eligibility

• Students must have journalism major status, IADS major status, or communication design major status and meet specific departmental requirements.

Related Programs

• Advertising Journalism Degree
• Advertising Agency Leadership certification

Similar Areas of Study

• Arts & Design
• Business & Industry
• Communication & Media

Location

• Sycamore Hall, Room 206
• 1155 Union Circle, Denton, Texas