Strategic Communication and Media, Bachelor of Science (BS) - Concentration in Advertising
Advertising is a broad field that includes account management, brand strategy and management, copywriting, and media planning. Thus, our concentration takes a business and strategic communication approach that addresses targeted messaging across multiple platforms. Students will learn to develop strategies to persuade and appeal to an organization or institution's consumers or constituents. Electives will allow the student to be introduced to advertising production or to develop complementary interest areas. This concentration prepares students for jobs at advertising and public relations agencies, companies, or news outlets like newspapers, magazines, and radio and television stations. The program requires 54 credits, leaving room for students to pursue minors or second majors in complementary academic areas. Slippery Rock University offers the only stand-alone advertising concentration among the PASSHE schools.
WHY CHOOSE ADVERTISING?
Slippery Rock University's Department of Strategic Communication and Media offers six concentration areas: Advertising, Converged Journalism, Digital Media Production, Integrated Marketing Communication, Public Relations, and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. Advertising is a strategic communication discipline that attempts to shape the public’s perception of an organization’s products, services, brands, or ideas. Advertising is the most visible and easily identifiable part of the marketing communication process. It focuses on promoting products, services, brands, companies, people, and ideas through paid media space in newspapers, magazines, broadcast, outdoor, direct marketing, and digital platforms. Courses developed for the advertising concentration are shared across IMC and public relations curricula, thus strengthening both programs.
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
This major will largely focus on teaching students the communicative fundamentals of advertising design, development and production. As such, students will learn to develop compelling concepts, visual messages and creative content to persuade and appeal to an organization or institution's consumers or constituents. This major will prepare students for jobs at advertising agencies, for and non-profit organizations, educational institutions, government agencies, political figures and organizations, or with news outlets like newspapers, magazines, and radio and television stations. These students may work as graphic designers, editors, account executives or production specialists.
CAREERS IN ADVERTISING
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "overall employment of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is projected to grow six percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations.” Advertising, promotions, and marketing campaigns will continue to be essential for organizations to maintain and expand their market share. “The median annual wage for advertising and promotions managers was $125,510 in May 2019. The median annual wage for marketing managers was $136,850 in May 2019.”
PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES
Strategic COMMUNICATION and Media - ADVERTISING, BS
- Advertising Production: Students will produce appropriately targeted advertising materials in a variety of formats. (SRU SLO 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 10)
- Advertising Strategy: Students will understand the role of advertising and how advertising messages solve communication problems by informing, changing attitudes, and motivating behavioral change among an organization’s target audiences. (SRU SLO 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 10)
- Advertising Campaigns: Students will develop a research-based creative advertising campaign that includes strategic planning, writing creative briefs, planning, and preparing advertising copy and design and campaign evaluation. (SRU SLO 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 10)
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA DEPARTMENT, OVERALL
- Writing competency: Students will demonstrate the ability to write and present messages clearly and effectively. (SRU SLO 1)
- Ethics and legal issues: Students will understand ethical and legal issues facing communicators in the 21st century. (SRU SLO 8)
- Research and analysis: Students will demonstrate the ability to design and implement research studies and critically analyze research data. (SRU SLO 2)
RELATED LINKS
Strategic Communication and Media - Advertising, BS Program Page
CURRICULUM GUIDE
GPA REQUIREMENT
Major GPA: 2.0 or higher
Overall GPA: 2.0 or higher
SUMMARY*
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Rock Studies 2 Requirement | 42 | |
| Other Basic Requirements | 0-3 | |
| Major Requirements | 54 | |
| Electives | 24 | |
* All undergraduate degree programs require a minimum of 120 credits. Some courses meet multiple requirements, but are only counted once toward the 120 credit total required to graduate.
ROCK STUDIES 2 REQUIREMENTS
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| The Rock | ||
| SUBJ 139 | Foundations of Academic Discovery 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 102 | Critical Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 104 | Critical Reading | 3 |
| MATH 117 | Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Civil Discourse: Theory & Practice | ||
| Ethics and Civil Discourse | ||
| Civil Discourse and Democracy | ||
| Subtotal | 15 | |
| Integrated Inquiry | ||
| Creative and Aesthetic Inquiry | ||
| Select 3 Credits | 3 | |
| Humanities Inquiry | ||
| Select 3 Credits | 3 | |
| Social Science Inquiry | ||
| Select 3 Credits | 3 | |
| Natural Sciences Inquiry | ||
| SCI 101 | Science of Life | 3 |
| Physical Sciences Inquiry | ||
| SCI 102 | Understanding the Physical World | 3 |
| Subtotal | 15 | |
| Thematic Thread | ||
| Select 12 Credits 2 | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 42 | |
- 1
Course offered in multiple subjects; cannot take course in first major subject.
- 2
One course from each category; six credits must be 300-level or above; no more than 4 credits from one subject area; specific courses required in first major, regardless of prefix of course, cannot be used to satisfy thread requirements; any course with same prefix as first major cannot be used to satisfy thread requirements, even if it is not a course in the first major.
Basic Math Requirement
Check with your adviser or a current degree audit report to see if you have been exempted from this course. The credit earned in this course will not be counted toward the 120 credit hour minimum needed to earn a degree.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following: | 0-3 | |
Meet required minimum SAT or ACT math score OR | ||
| Beginning Algebra | ||
| Total Hours | 0-3 | |
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION REQUIREMENT
Students must take and pass a course with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) designation prior to graduation. Students can meet this requirement by taking any DEI - designated course in any program at any time during their undergraduate career.
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
- 27 major credits must be taken at SRU or PASSHE
- 27 major credits must be taken at the 300 level or above
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| COMM 110 | Communication Concepts 1,2 | 3 |
| COMM 242 | Media Writing | 3 |
| COMM 310 | Communication Research Methods 1,2 | 3 |
| COMM 410 | Communication Law 1,2 | 3 |
| COMM 497 | Senior Capstone Seminar 1 | 3 |
| Subtotal | 15 | |
| Advertising Requirements | ||
| COMM 115 | Visual Literacy 1 | 3 |
| COMM 228 | Principles of Creative Advertising 1 | 3 |
| COMM 235 | Introduction to Digital Design 1 | 3 |
| COMM 256 | Message Preparation 1 | 3 |
| MRKT 230 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| MRKT 334 | Advertising Management 1 | 3 |
| COMM 434 | Advertising Production 1 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Media Project Management 1 | ||
| Advertising Campaigns Capstone 1 | ||
| Subtotal | 24 | |
| Electives | ||
| Select four of the following: | 12 | |
| Introduction to Digital Photography 1 | ||
| Video Production 1 | ||
| Mass Media and Society 1 | ||
| Publication Production 1 | ||
| Strategic Brand Communication 1 | ||
| Digital Imaging 1 | ||
| 2-D Design 1 | ||
| Intermediate Studio Graphic Design 1 | ||
| Advanced Studio Graphic Design 1 | ||
| Senior Studio Graphic Design 1 | ||
| Consumer Behavior 1 | ||
| Subtotal | 12 | |
| Internship | ||
| COMM 450 | Internship 1 | 3 |
| Total Hours | 54 | |
- 1
Course counts for 50% of Major and Major GPA
- 2
A grade of 'C' or higher must be earned in these courses
- *
Some courses may require pre-requisites. Please see course descriptions to determine if there are any pre-requisites for that specific course.
Important Curriculum Guide Notes
This Curriculum Guide is provided to help SRU students and prospective students better understand their intended major curriculum. Enrolled SRU students should note that the My Rock Audit may place already-earned and/or in progress courses in different, yet valid, curriculum categories. Enrolled SRU students should use the My Rock Audit Report and materials and information provided by their faculty advisers to ensure accurate progress towards degree completion. The information on this guide is current as of the date listed. Students are responsible for curriculum requirements at the time of enrollment at the University.
PASSHE - Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Institutions
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION & MEDIA- BS (2119)
Concentration in Advertising (ADVR)
This program is effective as of Summer 2024
Revision date: 05.16.2024
UCC 04.16.2024
RECOMMENDED FOUR-YEAR PLAN
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| COMM 110 | Communication Concepts | 3 |
| COMM 263 | Mass Media and Society | 3 |
| ENGL 102 | Critical Writing | 3 |
| ESAP 101 | FYRST Seminar * | 1 |
| SUBJ 139 | Foundations of Academic Discovery 1 | 3 |
| Creative & Aesthetic Inquiry | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Civil Discourse: Theory & Practice | ||
| Ethics and Civil Discourse | ||
| Civil Discourse and Democracy | ||
| COMM 115 | Visual Literacy | 3 |
| ENGL 104 | Critical Reading | 3 |
| MATH 117 | Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| Humanities Inquiry | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Advertising Elective | 3 | |
| COMM 235 | Introduction to Digital Design | 3 |
| SCI 101 | Science of Life | 3 |
| Social Science Inquiry | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Declare a Thematic Thread 2 | ||
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMM 228 | Principles of Creative Advertising | 3 |
| COMM 256 | Message Preparation | 3 |
| SCI 102 | Understanding the Physical World | 3 |
| Social Science Inquiry | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Advertising Elective | 3 | |
| COMM 310 | Communication Research Methods | 3 |
| MRKT 230 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| Social Science Inquiry | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Advertising Elective | 3 | |
| MRKT 334 | Advertising Management | 3 |
| Social Science Inquiry | 3 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Advertising Elective | 3 | |
| COMM 410 | Communication Law | 3 |
| COMM 434 | Advertising Production | 3 |
| Social Science Inquiry | 3 | |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Advertising Elective | 3 | |
| COMM 450 | Internship | 3 |
| COMM 453 or COMM 464 |
Media Project Management or Advertising Campaigns Capstone |
3 |
| COMM 497 | Senior Capstone Seminar | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours** | 121 | |
- 1
Course offered in multiple subjects; cannot take course in first major subject.
- 2
Work with your Academic Adviser to declare a Thematic Thread by the end of your fall semester in your second year.
- *
Students are encouraged to take ESAP 101 as a Free Elective.
** This document is meant to serve as a guide. Some planners may show more than 120 credits because faculty have created flexibility in choosing courses. However, only 120 credits are required to obtain a degree. Please consult with your academic adviser and refer to your curriculum guide prior to registering for courses. This plan should be reviewed, and verified, by you and your academic adviser at least once each academic year.
Major Code: 2119
Concentration Code: ADVR
Revised: 05.10.2023