CONCENTRATION
UNDERGRADUATE
Public Relations and Advertising are taught as part of a fully integrated, professionally oriented media curriculum developed and implemented by professors with substantial professional experience as well as academic expertise. Students who major in Advertising and Public Relations can occur on both or either.
While all media industries are distinct, they also have much in common. Journalism, for instance, provides the template upon which Public Relations operates.
Like Journalists, Public Relations and Advertising practitioners must be able to analyze complex material, produce accessible messages for a variety of audiences and a variety of mediums. They must be able to write copy, design graphics and develop campaigns that effectively and ethically deliver messages targeted at specific audiences.
Fall Semester
| Course code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| JMA 401 | Introduction to Advertising | 3 |
| JMA 411 | New Media Production | 3 |
| JMA 412 | Media Ethics | 3 |
| JMA 413 | Media Law & Regulation | 3 |
Spring Semester
Major Core
| Course code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| JMA 420 | Introduction to Public & Media Relations | 3 |
| JMA 421 | Writing for Advertising or Copywriting | 3 |
| JMA 423 | Advertising, Writing, and Production | 3 |
| JMA 424 | Non-Profit Public Relations | 3 |
| JMA 425 | Public Relations Campaigns | 3 |
| JMA 426 | Media Research Methods | 3 |
Other Required Courses
| Course code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BUS 454 | Marketing Bootcamp | 3 |
| JMA 499 | Research Project in the area of specialization | 3 |
COURSE DESCRIPTION
JMA 401: Introduction to Advertising:
Surveys the contemporary practices and principles of the ever-changing nature of advertising across different media. Particular emphases on (1) the development of advertising as the economic lifeblood of media, (2) the evolving importance of advertising as an integral part of marketing, and (3) evaluating the quality and effectiveness of advertising messages and campaigns.
JMA 411: New Media Production:
New Media Production is an introductory course that provides a solid foundation for utilizing industry standard software to create New Media content. The major objective of the course is to use tools such as Dreamweaver, Illustrator, Photoshop, In Design and Premiere to develop a New Media advertising campaign for a real or hypothetical organization, including but not limited to, a Web site, a DVD, a logo, business cards and brochures
JMA 412: Media Ethics:
Examines ethical issues that challenge media professionals and consumers. By interpreting and applying ethical theory -- from the classicists to the contemporary -- students will analyze ethical challenges inherent in the modern media.
JMA 413: Media Law & Regulation:
At the end of this course, you should have: 1. Basic knowledge of applicable legal terminology and the fundamental laws, regulations, and policy affecting and concerning media. 2. A general understanding and deeper appreciation of the ways that laws, regulations, and policies are developed and implemented in the U.S. The appreciation includes the ability to rationally argue in favor of or in opposition to specific cases and situations. 3. The ability to practically apply basic legal knowledge.
MAJOR CORE:
JMA 420: Introduction to Public & Media Relations:
Covers the current nature and role of public relations in the mass media and within society, as well as provides an overview of the various strategies employed by public relations professionals to achieve organizational objectives. Topics to be covered include ethics, relevant corporate issues, crisis management, branding, media planning, and integration with other corporate departments.
JMA 421: Writing for Advertising or Copywriting:
Creating ad copy, touching on business writing, production finishing, and helping clients to deliver revenue generating messages.
JMA 423: Advertising, Writing, and Production:
Students will learn about the types of advertising campaigns, creating ad campaigns and the creative and conceptual nature of advertising planning. Students will execute a branding campaign by the end of the semester.
JMA 424: Non-Profit Public Relations:
Explores the role of public relations within organizations devoted to community service and interaction. In addition to gaining an understanding of the different types of non-profit organizations, students will also learn to adapt traditional public relations practices and techniques to the not for profit context. Additional topics to be covered include grant proposals, identifying funding sources and promoting fundraisers.
JMA 425: Public Relations Campaigns:
Students learn advanced internal and external public relations principles and multimedia production. Students will complete a PR campaign, learning strategy, writing and production.
JMA 426: Media Research Methods:
Provides training in gathering and analyzing data and designing research projects relevant to media industries and phenomena
OTHER REQUIRED COURSES:
BUS 454: Marketing Bootcamp:
This course focuses on the marketing concept which is a total customer-orientation. Everything a marketing-oriented company does revolve around the consumer. Students develop an understanding that within any organization every individual is a marketer. Students build a knowledge base with regard to the marketing concepts of: strategic marketing, relationship marketing, environmental scanning, market segmentation, marketing research, consumer behavior, business-to-business marketing, services marketing, new product development, product, promotion, pricing, and distribution strategies, international marketing, and nonprofit marketing. The challenges marketing manager’s face are identified and ethical ways of approaching them are analyzed. Through the use of group projects, case discussions, web site activities, and newsworthy marketing issues and trends, students are encouraged to organize their thinking to apply learned concepts of marketing to managerial opportunities.
JMA 499: Research Project in the area of specialization