Program Overview

Overview of the Advertising, BA Program

The Advertising, BA program at the University of Alabama focuses on the creative expression of strategic persuasive communication. As a marketing function, advertising emphasizes the promotion of products, services, companies, organizations, and ideas through paid media space or time. Students in this program develop critical and creative thinking skills, understanding of the intended audience, and the ability to create relevant messages using verbal and visual imagery.

Requirements for the Advertising, BA Program

• Students are responsible for ensuring they have met all University, College, major, and minor requirements.
• The program offers several options:
  • Advertising major (37 hours): prepares students for account management and media buying
  • Advertising creative concentration (40-42 hours): prepares students for careers in art direction or copywriting; students are competitively selected for this concentration based on an application process
  • Brand management concentration (37 hours): prepares students for careers in consumer research/insight development, brand value, etc.
  • Integrated channel planning (37 hours): prepares students for careers in media relations, media strategy, etc.

Core Curriculum and General Education Requirements

• First-Year Compass Courses: UA 101 (1 hour), UA College Compass Course 5 (2 hours)
• Written Composition: EN 103 or EN 104 (3 hours), or EN 101 and EN 102
• Humanities, Literature, Fine Arts, and World Languages: Literature (3 hours), Humanities, Literature, Fine Arts, or World Languages 1 (6 hours)
• Natural and Mathematical Sciences: Natural Science (8 hours), MATH 110 or higher (3-4 hours)
• History and Social/Behavioral Sciences: History (3 hours), History or Social/Behavioral Sciences 2 (6 hours), U.S. and Global Citizenship 3 (3 hours)
• Writing: 6 hours
• Total Hours: 44-45

Advertising Major

• Foundation Courses:
  • MC 101: Intro To Mass Communic (3 hours)
  • JCM 103: Mechanics of Media Writing (1 hour)
  • APR 241: Intro to Ad and PR (3 hours)
  • APR 280: Intro to Audience Analysis (3 hours)
  • APR 290: Intro to Channels and Msg (3 hours)
  • APR 302: Advertising Strategy (3 hours)
• Intermediate Courses:
  • APR 300 or APR 325: Basic Principles of Design or Social and Digital Media (3 hours)
  • APR 422: Channel Planning (3 hours)
  • APR 423: A+PR Management (3 hours)
  • Two APR 400-level or MC 400-level electives (6 hours)
• Capstone Courses:
  • One course chosen from MC 401, APR 451, APR 452, or APR 453 (3 hours)
  • APR 424: Advertising Campaigns (3 hours)
• Total Hours: 37

Ancillary Courses

• CIS 250: Intro to Design Software (3 hours)
• CIS 260: Intro to Research (3 hours)
• COM 123 or COM 124: Public Speaking or Honors Public Speaking (3 hours)
• EC 110 or EC 112: Principles of Microeconomics or Honors Prin of Microeconomics (3 hours)

Minors for Students Majoring in Advertising

• The A+PR department requires each of its students to complete a minor.
• C&IS students may choose to select any minor outside of the College.
• Within the College, no overlap of major and minor classes is permitted.

Residence in the College and in the Major and Minor

• While enrolled in the College of Communication and Information Sciences, students must earn a minimum of 30 hours on this campus.
• A minimum of 12 hours in each major and six hours in each minor must be earned at the 300- or 400-level in residence.

A+PR Department Requirements

• Students are asked to make special note of the following Department of Advertising and Public Relations requirements.
• Student Responsibility: As an A+PR student, you are here to become a leader — to shape the future of global advertising and public relations in a socially conscious manner.
• Prerequisites: A number of courses within and outside the department require other courses as prerequisites.
• Minimum Grade Requirement: A grade of C- or higher is required in all courses counted in the advertising major or minor.
• Minimum Grade Point Average: A 2.0 or higher overall grade point average is required of all students who have earned 45 hours or more of college credit and wish to transfer into the college.

Advertising Creative Concentration Requirements

• Application: Admission to the advertising creative concentration will be selective, and based upon a faculty panel’s evaluation of applications used to assess students’ unique qualifications for entry.
• Creative/Artistic Standards: Advertising students admitted to the advertising creative concentration will be required to produce work that meets creative/artistic standards (as evaluated by qualified faculty) in order to continue taking courses in the concentration.

Advertising Creative Concentration

• The 18-to-20-hour advertising creative concentration prepares students for careers in art direction or copywriting; students are competitively selected for this specialization based on an application process initiated after the first phase of coursework in the major.
• Advertising Creative Concentration Courses:
  • APR 300: Basic Principles of Design (3 hours)
  • APR 310: Concepting (4 hours)
  • APR 410: Portfolio I (4 hours)
  • Choose one: APR 323, APR 301, APR 401, or APR 322 (3 or 5 hours)
  • APR 411: Portfolio II (4 hours)
• Total Hours: 18-20

Brand Management Concentration

• The 15-hour brand management concentration prepares students for careers in consumer research/insight development and other brand management careers.
• Brand Management Concentration Courses:
  • APR 421: Account Planning (3 hours)
  • APR 422: Channel Planning (3 hours)
  • APR 423: A+PR Management (3 hours)
  • APR 453: Investigation and Insights (3 hours)
  • APR 454: Consumer Psychology (3 hours)
• Total Hours: 15

Integrated Channel Planning Concentration

• The 15-hour integrated channel planning concentration will teach students how to strategically integrate media channels from the perspective of both advertising and public relations disciplines in order to enhance client campaign outcomes and to better prepare them to become entry-level professionals in advertising and/or public relations.
• Integrated Channel Planning Courses:
  • APR 325: Social and Digital Media (3 hours)
  • APR 422: Channel Planning (3 hours)
  • APR 455: Advanced Media Strategy (3 hours)
  • APR 456: Media Relations (3 hours)
  • One APR 400-level or MC 400-level elective (3 hours)
• Total Hours: 15

Career Opportunities

• Graduates find employment at advertising or public relations agencies, advertising, public relations, or promotional departments of businesses, industries, and government agencies, and with traditional and nontraditional media outlets.
• Types of Jobs Accepted:
  • Copywriters
  • Art directors
  • Account executive assistants
  • Media sales representatives
  • Photographers
  • Researchers
  • Production specialists
  • Media consultants
  • Management advisers
  • Public opinion surveyors
  • Marketing researchers
• Jobs of Experienced Alumni:
  • Owners, presidents & CEOs of advertising agencies
  • Vice president–corporate communication
  • Professors
  • Art directors
  • Account executives
  • etc.