Program Overview

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Introduction to Strategic Communication

The Department of Strategic Communication offers majors in Advertising and Public Relations and minors in Advertising, Public Relations, and Strategic Communication.

Majors

• Advertising Creative Track
• Advertising Management Track
• Public Relations

Minors

• Advertising
• Public Relations
• Strategic Communication
• Strategic Social Media Communication

Major Cognate Area

• Advertising Management Track: People and Society
• Advertising Creative Track: People and Society, Arts and Humanities
• Public Relations: People and Society

Minor Cognate Area

• Advertising Minor: People and Society
• Public Relations Minor: People and Society
• Strategic Communication Minor: People and Society
• Strategic Social Media Communication Minor: People and Society

Degree Programs

The Bachelor of Science in Communication is offered in Advertising and Public Relations.

Admission to the Advertising and Public Relations Majors

• Students who have obtained the written approval of the Chair of Strategic Communication to use transfer credit hours to satisfy one or more requirements of that major may be required to complete additional courses in residence at the University before being admitted to that major.
• Upon completion of a student’s first 45 University credit hours while enrolled in the School of Communication, all University credit hours earned toward the major will be used in computing a student’s major cumulative grade point average; only those students with a cumulative average of 2.5 or higher will be admitted to a major.
• A student who has completed 45 credit hours while enrolled in the School of Communication, but who has not been admitted to one of the Communication majors, may be dismissed from the School. A student who has completed 60 University credit hours while enrolled in the School, but who has not been admitted to one of the Communication majors, will be dismissed from the School.

Courses

STC 102: Graphic Design for Strategic Communication

An introduction to the art of visual communication as it relates to design for advertising and public relations.

STC 103: Statistical Reasoning for Strategic Communication

An introduction to statistical reasoning for advertising and public relations.

STC 114: Principles of Advertising

An introduction to the principles and practice of advertising in a free-market economy.

STC 116: Principles of Public Relations

An introduction to the principles and practice of public relations.

STC 130: Writing for Strategic Communication

This class will introduce students to a variety of techniques used to effectively reach and communicate with specified target audiences.

STC 200: Advertising Strategy Development

Introduction to the development of effective advertising strategies.

STC 201: Public Relations Strategy Development

This course introduces students to research-based strategy development and planning at the core of public relations practice.

STC 202: Advanced Graphic Design for Advertising

This course will delve more deeply into the concepts of graphic design as they relate to the field of advertising.

STC 203: Advanced Graphic Design for Public Relations

Graphic design techniques for public relations and the use of computer software as layout and design tools.

STC 231: Creative Advertising Concepts and Copywriting

An introduction to creative advertising.

STC 232: Writing for Public Relations

Principles and techniques for the development of creative strategies, concepts, and writing of effective public relations messages for all types of media.

STC 233: Writing for Advertising Account Management

Introduction to writing for the business side of advertising.

STC 234: Social Media Messaging and Strategies

This course will examine the utility of major social media platforms as they relate to strategic communication.

STC 236: Social Media Content Creation

This course is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to create visually compelling graphics and content for social media platforms.

STC 290: Special Topics in Strategic Communication

This course subject matter varies according to announced special topic.

STC 291: Intro to Art Direction and Creative Problem Solving

Art direction is one of the fundamental skills for working as a creative in the advertising industry, and creates a direct path to becoming a creative leader.

STC 292: Design for Sustainability

This course introduces the principles and practices of sustainability, with a focus on their application in graphic design and advertising.

STC 301: Innovation in Advertising

This course explores the evolving landscape of digital advertising, integrating core concepts with innovative technologies such as AI and VR.

STC 302: Advanced Graphic Design and Photography

This course builds upon photography and image manipulation techniques for varied formats in graphic design, including print, outdoor and non-traditional media.

STC 303: Typography and Brand Design

This course will provide an advanced experience in the development and understanding of brand design and typography.

STC 304: Project Management for Strategic Communication

This course will introduce students to project management methodology, the use of project management tools in the advertising industry and in advertising campaign management, and the key components and approaches to successful project management.

STC 305: Fashion Public Relations

This course explores essential public relations practices in the fast-paced fashion industry, equipping students with tools for trend forecasting, crisis management, media relations, event execution and brand storytelling.

STC 306: Consumer Insights In US Hispanic Markets

This course explores the space that intersects marketing with the US Hispanic culture.

STC 307: Public Relations Event Planning

This course offers an introduction to the strategic and practical aspects of creating special events, including researching, brainstorming, marketing, implementation, budgeting and evaluation.

STC 311: Public Relations Research

Public relations research techniques focusing on applications of strategic planning, message evaluation, opinion research, and theory testing of public relations programs.

STC 312: Research Methods for Advertising

Application of research techniques used in the field of advertising.

STC 313: Artificial Intelligence for Advertising

This course explores the potential uses of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of advertising, focusing on how AI is transforming the creation, delivery, and measurement of advertising campaigns.

STC 314: Where AI Meets PR

This course explores the intersection of public relations and artificial intelligence (AI), equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to leverage AI tools effectively in their professional practice.

STC 316: Ethics in Strategic Communication

This course will focus on ethical issues as they relate to the fields of advertising and public relations.

STC 330: Travel and Tourism

Development of tourism and destination promotion strategies and initiatives.

STC 331: Advanced Copywriting

An advanced course in creative advertising concepts and copywriting.

STC 340: Digital and Mobile Advertising

This course will explore the use and effectiveness of digital and mobile advertising platforms for contemporary advertising campaign development.

STC 346: Public Relations Message Development and Execution

This course teaches students to integrate public relations writing and design techniques in order to effectively reach a desired target audience.

STC 350: International Advertising

This course is designed to assist students in acquiring knowledge and skills necessary to develop and implement advertising strategies in global markets.

STC 360: Multicultural and Inclusive Advertising

This course will explore the economic, political, and socio-cultural issues that drive the strategies behind identity-based niche targeting, and emerging trends of the “total market approach” and inclusive advertising in the U.S.

STC 380: Advertising Internship

Students select an internship in the field of advertising for on-the-job training.

STC 381: Public Relations Internship

Students select an internship in the field of public relations for on-the-job training.

STC 382: Social Media Internships

Students select an internship in the social media field for on-the-job training.

STC 384: Advertising Creative Strategy and Execution

This course will have students engaged in the development of creative advertising campaigns.

STC 388: Media Planning

An introduction to the principles and concepts of advertising media planning including media selection, media plan development, forecasting, and budgeting.

STC 389: Media Buying and Advertising Sales

Students will learn the art of buying media in all categories, as well as how to sell advertising space in these media.

STC 390: Advanced Art Direction

This course will teach students art direction skills highly focused on the conceptual development and execution of campaigns across multiple media platforms.

STC 404: Advertising Entrepreneurship

This course focuses on the entrepreneurial aspects of working in the advertising industry, from the perspective of assisting in the launch of a new brand or company, and from that of the process of defining and starting a new advertising agency business.

STC 405: Social Media Influencers

This course explores the dynamic world of social media influencers, examining their roles, impacts, and strategies across various platforms.

STC 414: Advanced Research Methods for Advertising

This course focuses on the application of advanced research techniques and methods related to the advertising field.

STC 415: Advanced Business and Advertising Strategy Development

This course focuses on the holistic understanding and application of concepts in developing contemporary marketing, advertising and business strategies.

STC 419: Women in PR

This course will expose students to the role of gender in the field of public relations and, in particular, the robust involvement of women in shaping the growth and future of the ever-changing public relations industry.

STC 423: Crisis Communication and Management

This course introduces the student to crisis communication and management from a strategies, theory-based approach steeped in case research from historical cases and business case studies.

STC 424: Media Relations

Students in this course will get the inside scoop on how to communicate with reporters, will learn why different media outlets cover the same story in different ways, and how fake news is impacting the field of journalism.

STC 425: Cases in Public Relations Administration

This course will examine the management and administrative functions of public relations using a case-study approach.

STC 426: Sports, Publicity, and Promotions

This course will provide a review, examination and practical application of sports communications, publicity and promotions in strategic communications.

STC 428: Public Relations Management

Principles and practice of public relations management in a variety of contexts including agency, consultancy, corporate, and nonprofit.

STC 434: Advertising Campaigns

Capstone course in which students develop a full-scale advertising campaign.

STC 435: Advanced Research Methods for Public Relations

This course examines the measures, mechanisms, and necessary considerations for measuring public relations outcomes and communication effectiveness, as well as evaluating the impact of public relations efforts.

STC 436: Public Relations Campaigns

The capstone course for seniors in their last year of study.

STC 437: PR and Politics

This course will examine the candidates in current political elections, their likability factors, truthfulness, strengths and weaknesses, and how they get their messages out to the world.

STC 444: AI-Enhanced Social Media Analytics

This course will provide an overview and practical application of various public and commercial social media analytics and tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), and will cover sources of data, metrics, analyses, tools, and the application of AI, in the development of successful social media campaigns.

STC 446: Social Media Strategy, Analytics and Paid Campaigns

Unlock the Power of Social Media for Business: Learn to craft winning strategies, analyze performance across diverse industries, and supercharge success with creative content and targeted paid campaigns in this intensive course.

STC 450: Strategic Communication in Health Care

This course provides a general introduction to the role of media and strategic communication in healthcare industry.

STC 460: Corporate Communication and Public Relations

This course focuses on exploring external and internal environment of organizations.

STC 482: International Public Relations

This course provides a general introduction to the study and practice of public relations within a global marketplace.

STC 488: Digital, Mobile, and Web Media Evaluation

Focus on the evaluation of digital, mobile, and web-based advertising as part of integrated advertising media plans.

STC 490: Special Topics in Advertising

This course subject matter varies according to announced special topic.

STC 491: The Business of Account Management

This course will to lead to a stronger understanding of the role of account management in marketing communication and advertising agencies.

STC 492: Advanced Advertising Creative Development

This course will provide an advanced creative experience working in teams, while focusing on the creation of award-winning work.

STC 493: Special Topics in Public Relations

This course subject matter varies according to announced special topic.

STC 494: Special Topics in Strategic Communication

This course subject matter varies according to announced special topic.

STC 495: Advertising Management

Students will learn to approach advertising problems at both micro and macro levels from the perspective of a manager in charge of solving such problems.

STC 496: Advertising Portfolio Development

This course will assist students in putting together a professional-quality advertising portfolio of their work.

STC 498: AAF National Student Advertising Campaign Competition

Students compete in the American Advertising Federation's National Student Advertising Campaign Competition.

STC 499: Projects and Directed Research

Individual study. No more than three credits may be counted toward a Communication major or minor.