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Advertising

Major
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Create. Engage. Influence.

An Advertising major is all about learning how to create cool and engaging ads that grab people’s attention. You’ll explore how to use social media, videos, and other digital tools to tell a brand’s story. It’s like being a creative storyteller who knows how to make products and ideas look exciting and appealing to everyone.

Department of Strategic Communication

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Students in This Major Describe Themselves As

Tech-savvy

Creative

Collaborative

Curious

Friendly

Future Paths

  • Event Planner
    Organize corporate or private events for companies or individuals.
  • Marketing Representative
    Design, implement and monitor marketing campaigns to ensure that they address the needs of a company’s customers.
  • Social Media Manager
    Oversee a company’s interactions with the public through implementing content strategies on social media platforms.
  • Advertising Manager
    Oversee advertising projects, activities and channels used to reach customers.
  • Art Director
    Oversee the design and visual aspects of a project, usually in advertising or film industries.
  • Marketing Strategist
    Identify goals for marketing campaigns and develop the strategies and activities that will achieve those goals.
  • Media Planner
    Develop strategic plans for carrying out marketing campaigns using various media channels.

Major Requirements

120 Minimum Total Credits

Your program may include different courses. Consult with your academic advisor about the best combination of courses for you. Visit the WSU Catalog for a complete list of official Advertising Requirements.

General Education Requirements

College Core Requirements (18 credits)

COM 101 – Media and Society
COM 102 – Public Speaking in the Digital Age
COM 105 – Communication in Global Contexts
COM 138 – Introduction to Communication
COM 210 – Multimedia Content Creation
COM 300 – Writing in Communication

Strategic Communication Degree Requirements (27 credits)

COM 309 – Quantitative Research Methods
COM 486 – Crisis Communication
COMSTRAT 285 – Culture and Communication in the Workplace or COM 440 – Media Ethics
COMSTRAT 301 – Foundations of Persuasion
COMSTRAT 305 – The Creative Class: Creativity, Problem Solving, and the Role of the Creatives in the Idea Industry
COMSTRAT 310 – Digital Content Promotion
COMSTRAT 395 – Introduction to Integrated Strategic Communication and Management
COMSTRAT 477 – Message Design for Communication Campaigns

One Advanced Media and Society course from approved list

Advertising Major Requirements (15 credits)

COMSTRAT 380 – Advertising Principles and Practices
COMSTRAT 381 – Advertising Creative Strategy and Execution
COMSTRAT 382 – Media Planning
COMSTRAT 476 – Consumer Insights and Branding
COMSTRAT 480 – Advertising Agency Operation and Campaigns

Career Ready Milestone

Student must meet with the Murrow Career Ready Advisor once each year at various points in their path toward degree. Once in their sophomore year after 30 completed credits, once in their junior year between 60-90 credits and once in their final year of study between 91 and 120 credits. In addition to annual meetings with the Murrow Career Ready Advisor, all Murrow students must complete the Career Ready non-credit curriculum which consists of several experiential learning opportunities such as internships, practicums, clubs, leadership roles, competition team involvement, Crimson Creative, Rural Plunge, Religion Reporting, and others. Each student develops a Career Ready Plan in consultation with the Murrow Career Ready Advisor and works toward completion of the milestone through a Canvas Career Ready space. The Career Ready Milestone must be completed and approved by staff in Murrow Career Ready by the end of their final semester. If the Milestone is not completed, the student will not graduate with their degree from the Murrow College.

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WSU Catalog

Advertising Requirements

Communication (COM) Course Descriptions

Strategic Communication (COMSTRAT) Course Descriptions

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of communication concepts and issues
  2. Acquire and analyze information to address communication objectives
  3. Create effective communication products (writing, visual, and speaking) to address communication objectives via multiple media platforms.

Admit to Major

Admittance to The Edward R Edward R. Murrow College of Communication opens the door for upper-division courses in each of the two communication degrees: Strategic Communication and Journalism and Media Production.

Admittance

Students are admitted directly into their desired major in the College of Communication upon admission and enrollment at WSU.

To remain admitted to any major in the College of Communication, a student must complete all required courses and remain in good academic standing.

COM 300 must be completed with a “C” or better, and only two attempts are allowed and a “W” is counted as an attempt in this course. With an appeal to the department chair, a student may request to take COM 300 for a 3rd attempt during a summer session.

All pre-requisites must be met in order to move through the Murrow curriculum. If a student fails to complete the required curriculum, they will not be able to remain admitted to the Murrow College. If a student is failing to complete academic requirements in a reasonable timeline, an advisor will work with the student to identify another academic path.

Students must remain in good academic standing in order to graduate with a degree from the Murrow College.

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Transfer Students

After consulting a Murrow academic advisor, a student transferring with junior status (60 + credits), with a 3.0 + transfer GPA, and has completed COM 101 or COM 105, will be allowed to take COM 300 in their 1st semester at WSU with all remaining 100-level required courses.

Questions?

Contact the Murrow Center for Student Success about admission to the Murrow College.

Goertzen Hall 117
(509) 335-7333
comm.murrowcollege@wsu.edu