Advertising/Public Relations, Major
B.A. with a major in advertising and public relations
Careers in journalism and mass communications are increasingly multilayered as technology and new media outlets spur fresh job titles and responsibilities in social media, web management, multimedia, video production, and data analysis in addition to traditional positions. Majors in SOJMC are configured to reflect new realities of the industry, provide a foundation for all JMC fields that then fan into specializations. This major prepares students to create ads, plan and execute media buys, and complete campaigns. Advertising trains students for agency positions but many graduates work for small businesses, corporations and their own enterprises. Students will learn how to publicize products and services for companies and organizations by employing skills in writing, designing and planning.
Admission Requirements
Prospective students who wish to apply for admission to the Bachelor of Arts program in Advertising/Public Relations must meet the general admission requirements for Marshall University.
Graduation Requirements
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts program in Advertising/Public Relations are required to complete all coursework in the respective majors with a minimum grade of C. Course grades of D and F are not counted toward graduation requirements and must be replaced with a grade of C or better before graduation or before using that course as a prerequisite for another required course.
Students must earn at least 120 credit hours.
Candidates for graduation must have a Grade Point Average of 2.0 or higher in all work attempted at Marshall University.
Thirty-nine (39) credit hours must be earned in courses numbered 300-499.
Course Requirements
The Core Curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking skills and introduce students to basic domains of thinking that transcend disciplines. The Core applies to all majors. Information on specific classes in the Core can be found at https://www.marshall.edu/gened/.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | ||
| Core 1: Critical Thinking | ||
| FYS 100 | First Yr Sem Critical Thinking | 3 |
| Critical Thinking | 3 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3 | |
| Core 2 | ||
| ENG 101 | Beginning Composition | 3 |
| ENG 201 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| CMM 103 | Fund Speech-Communication | 3 |
| Core II Humanities | 3 | |
| Core II Mathematics | 3 | |
| Core II Natural/Physical Science | 4 | |
| Core II Social Science | 3 | |
| Core II Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Additional University Requirements | ||
| Writing Intensive | 3 | |
| Writing Intensive | 3 | |
| Multicultural/International 1 | 3 | |
| Capstone: JMC 439 | ||
| MAJOR REQUIREMENTS | ||
| Journalism Cognizance Area | ||
| Modern Language | 3 | |
| Modern Language | 3 | |
| Select one of the following Cultural courses: | 3 | |
| Cultural Anthropology (CT) | ||
| Intro to Human Geography (CT) | ||
| Understanding Society (CT) | ||
| Multicultural/International 2 | 3 | |
| History Elective | 3 | |
| Literature Elective (WI) | 3 | |
| Literature Elective (WI) | 3 | |
| Journalism Core | ||
| JMC 101 | Media Literacy | 3 |
| JMC 102 | Media Toolbox | 3 |
| JMC 103 | Language Use for Media (recommended) | 1 |
| JMC 241 | Media Design | 3 |
| JMC 260 | Digital Imaging for JMC | 3 |
| JMC 345 | Mass Comm Law and Ethics | 3 |
| JMC 361 | Digital Presence | 3 |
| JMC 455 | Race Gender & Mass Media | 3 |
| JMC 490 | Jrn & Mass Comm Internship I | 3 |
| JMC 499 | Professional Portfolio | 1 |
| Advertising/Public Relations Major Requirements | ||
| JMC 300 | Reporting and News Writing | 3 |
| JMC 330 | AD & PR Principles and Ethics | 3 |
| JMC 380 | AD & PR and Continuity Writing | 3 |
| JMC 383 | Content Creation | 3 |
| JMC 408 | Research Analytics | 3 |
| JMC 415 | Advertising Strategy | 3 |
| JMC 424 | Media Strategy | 3 |
| JMC 437 | Public Relations Planning | 3 |
| JMC 438 | Public Relations Case Studies | 3 |
| JMC 439 | AD & PR Campaign Management | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
- 1
Students may not count JMC 436 International Mass Comm as an International-designated course.
- 2
If the student takes an International-designated course to satisfy their university requirements, they should take a multicultural-designated course to satisfy their journalism cognizance area and vice versa.
Major Information
- All journalism and mass communications majors must demonstrate proficiency in grammar before admission to any JMC courses at the 300/400 level. This may be accomplished by:
- No more than 4 hours of non-JMC electives may be completed in PEL.
- All SOJMC majors must complete 3 credit hours of internship. Ideally, internships should be completed during the summer between the junior and senior years. To ensure your work is properly credited, you must work through the internship director.
- Submit a complete internship application.
- Secure approval of the employment or other work.
- Get permission to enroll in JMC 490 Jrn & Mass Comm Internship I .
- Maintain weekly contact, attend scheduled meetings and submit a final report and a portfolio.
Four-Year Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credit Hours | |
| FYS 100 | First Yr Sem Critical Thinking | 3 |
| JMC 101 | Media Literacy | 3 |
| JMC 103 | Language Use for Media | 1 |
| CMM 103 | Fund Speech-Communication | 3 |
| ENG 101 | Beginning Composition | 3 |
| Core II Fine Arts | 3 | |
| UNI 100 | Freshman First Class | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| Core II Mathematics | 3 | |
| JMC 102 | Media Toolbox | 3 |
| JMC 241 | Media Design | 3 |
| CT-designated Course | 3 | |
| Core II Social Science | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| JMC 260 | Digital Imaging for JMC | 3 |
| JMC 300 | Reporting and News Writing | 3 |
| ENG 201 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| CT-designated Course | 3 | |
| Core II Physical/Natural Science | 4 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| JMC 330 | AD & PR Principles and Ethics | 3 |
| JMC 380 | AD & PR and Continuity Writing | 3 |
| History Elective | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Cultural Anthropology (CT) | ||
| Intro to Human Geography (CT) | ||
| Understanding Society (CT) | ||
| Literature Elective (WI) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| JMC 383 | Content Creation | 3 |
| JMC 361 | Digital Presence | 3 |
| JMC 408 | Research Analytics | 3 |
| Literature Elective (WI) | 3 | |
| Modern Language | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| JMC 424 | Media Strategy | 3 |
| JMC 455 | Race Gender & Mass Media | 3 |
| JMC 490 | Jrn & Mass Comm Internship I | 3 |
| Multicultural/International 1 | 3 | |
| Modern Language | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| JMC 415 | Advertising Strategy | 3 |
| JMC 437 | Public Relations Planning | 3 |
| JMC 438 | Public Relations Case Studies | 3 |
| Non-JMC Elective | 3 | |
| Non-JMC Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| JMC 345 | Mass Comm Law and Ethics | 3 |
| JMC 439 | AD & PR Campaign Management | 3 |
| JMC 499 | Professional Portfolio | 1 |
| Multicultural/International 1 | 3 | |
| Non-JMC Elective 300/400 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 121 | |
- 1
Students may not count JMC 436 International Mass Comm as an International-designated course. If the student takes an International-designated course to satisfy their university requirements, they should take a multicultural-designated course to satisfy their journalism cognizance area and vice versa.
- 2
JMC 490 Jrn & Mass Comm Internship I recommended summer between semesters 6 & 7 (3 hours).