Advertising Program Requirements
Students completing the requirements for a bachelor of arts (BA) or bachelor of science (BS) degree in advertising will be prepared to enter the business and nonprofit advertising and communications world as ethical leaders, able to work well with diverse groups of people, and able to communicate effectively in professional settings.
Major Requirements
Required semester hours (BA)
40 hours of major course work
120 total credits for graduation
An internship is strongly recommended
Required semester hours (BS)
68 hours of major course work
120 total credits for graduation
Students are required to complete an internship (BSE 4970) or to provide documentation of other work experience.
Academic Catalog Core Curriculum
Course Descriptions
The following descriptions are a sample of courses you may take as an advertising major. For a complete list of required courses, please review the academic catalog.
An introduction to the important problems and topics in the area of business and professional ethics, e.g., job discrimination, corporate responsibility, environmental obligations, professional codes of ethics, power, and accountability.
An introduction to the methodology and the major content areas of psychology.
Introduction to applied statistical analysis. Descriptive, correlational, and inferential statistics; concepts of population, sample, sampling distribution; elements of probability; parameters of discrete distributions; hypothesis testing: analysis of proportions, means, and variance; linear regression. Computer applications required. Cross-listed with MATH 1490.
The introductory course will give students an overview of America's nonprofit sector as it relates to both the for-profit business and government sectors. Emphasis will be on the history, purpose, and theories of the sector; the legal and regulatory environment; efforts to improve ethics and accountability; the sector's economics and funding environment; trends in evaluation and outcome measurement; and general management problems and principles. The course will also discuss opportunities for personal growth and career advancement available in the sector and highlight skills and training needed to succeed.
Introduction and application of the elements of visual language. Studies in shape, color, line, texture, and value as they relate to two-dimensional art.
This course is an introduction to the basic principles of visual communication, including an introduction to problem-solving strategies, symbolic association, and the problem of effective communication in a global culture. Students will explore the relationships between form and content, word and image, and practice the selection, organization and presentation of information in the form of text and images.
This course considers advanced concepts in visual communication, including an introduction to user-based design theory. Students will explore the world of print media through a series of case studies, and practice single page compositions, multi-page compositions, and the integration of form, image, and text. Lab.
An introduction to basic economic concepts and models. An aggregate and analytical view of economic analysis focusing on national income, employment, the price level, and economic growth. The theory of income determination, fiscal policy, monetary policy, and the international economy. Current issues and policies in macroeconomics including studies on labor force and job structure. Historical review and development of economic doctrines.
This course emphasizes the importance of communicating effectively and ethically in the workplace. Emphasis will be placed on multiple modes of communication; written, oral, and, non-verbal. Students will provide resumes developed through the Career Development and Internship Office programming to assess readiness for personal interviewing. Strategies for professional presentation methods such as Prezi or PowerPoint will be explored. Business writing will also include an executive summary of a persuasive speech, sales pitch, or fundraising request using qualitative and quantitative data.
This course will provide an introduction to information systems (IS). It will cover an overview of IS, the structure and management of data, and the impact of IS in business and related enterprises. Within businesses and enterprises, the course will focus on critical primary and support business processes and how IS enables and drives performance to become more efficient and effective. The course will also address personal productivity, the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), data management, e-commerce, business intelligence, cyber security, shared service organizations as well as IS investment and management.
An introduction to the marketing function in private and public organizations, designed to provide students with an overview of marketing concepts, tools, and methods of analysis. The course takes a practical, managerial approach to managing the marketing process. Steps in the marketing process, including market research, segmentation, targeting, positioning, and the four P's (product, place, price, promotion) are explored, along with concepts of customer value and satisfaction, competitive analysis, brand strategy, consumer behavior, advertising, and the impact of the internet on marketing strategy and implementation.
This course provides an introduction to principles, techniques and tools of advertising. Key topics include media planning and strategy; creative development; customer research and campaign evaluation; and account management.
This course covers public relations and corporate communications strategies. Topics include agency management, crisis strategies, personnel strategies, branding, and ethics. Analysis and writing of print, electronic, and oral messages to achieve organizational objectives i.e., writing backgrounders, boiler plates, fact sheets, press releases, speeches, newsletters, brochures, feature stories, annual reports, and intro bytes.
An introduction to marketing research strategies and consumer behavior models. Students identify consumer needs and desires. Qualitative research techniques: research design, sampling, statistical analysis, focus group interviews, demographic analysis, sensory and perpetual analysis, attitude analysis, and psychographics are investigated.
An analysis of marketing communication with an emphasis on business communication. Marketing decisions concerning message design, target markets, and media audiences. Evaluation of media vehicles, perceptual, social, cultural, and technological determinants of message and writing form, style, and content.
Advanced study of the creative advertising process, both theoretical and practical. The development of creative strategies for products and services, demonstration of copy platforms, review of various execution approaches, and instruction in writing skills needed for the development of headlines, subhead, body copy and scripts. Advertisements, including rough layouts and storyboards, are crafted. Students develop and prepare creative portfolios in preparation for entering the creative areas of the advertising industry.
An introduction to the theory and practice of public speaking. Topics include types of speeches, types and uses of source material, organization, performance, and speech criticism.
This course develops students' media, digital, and news literacy skills. Students construct a media product and learn to critique media messages and technologies. Required for admission to the Media Studies major and prerequisite for most upper-level courses in the major.
This class familiarizes students with the vocabulary, tools, and methods of vector-based drawing and reinforces ties to traditional media. Advanced concept in illustration software programs.
This class familiarizes students with the vocabulary, tools and methods of raster-based drawing and photo editing, and reinforces ties to traditional media. Advanced concepts in photo editing programs.
This course provides an introduction to principles, techniques and tools related to interactive marketing in the for-profit and nonprofit environments. Emphasis is placed on search engine marketing and optimization, social media marketing, email marketing, mobile marketing, and customer relationship management (CRM). Students will learn how to utilize data and technology to create a long-standing relationship with customers.
The Internship Program provides an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience and to explore career options in their chosen field. The student earns a minimum of 1 semester hour for their internship. A maximum of 8 semester hours may apply toward graduation. The internship program is open to any North Park student who has completed at least one full year of study at North Park, has third- or fourth-year status and has a minimum GPA of 2.5 in their major. In addition, the student must apply and be accepted by a faculty sponsor and the Internship Committee. The faculty sponsor will monitor the student's progress throughout the internship, including meeting periodically with the student and maintaining contact with the site supervisor. During the course of the internship, interns must fulfill certain requirements. Interns will keep a daily journal of their activities throughout the internship. The faculty sponsor and the site supervisor may, at their discretion, assign certain reading materials to the intern. In addition, the faculty sponsor may assign a final paper. Finally, the intern must work for a minimum of 15 hours per week for one semester. Tuition is charged at the same rate as for other courses, based on the number of semester hours the student is requesting. Grading for all internships is Pass/Fail.
A study of the interaction of mass communication and society. Emphasis on critical and cultural theory, the interplay of programming, business, politics and other aspects of American culture. May include field trips to television stations.
Elements of visual language as they apply to three-dimensional art. Projects based on the study of volume, space, line, color, and texture.
Study of the art produced on the continent of Africa. This course will include analysis of social and cultural traditions and how they have shaped visual arts from region to region. This course may cover art from any period, ancient through contemporary.
The art of the first half of the 20th century produced primarily in Europe and America. All forms of modern visual expression will be included but the primary focus will be upon the arts of painting, photography, sculpture, and architecture.
The art of the second half of the 20th century and the art of the 21st century. The course will study all forms of visual expression including new media as well as covering art theory. A substantial portion of the course will focus on the art produced in America but art from around the world will also be studied.
This course will introduce students to camera mechanics, digital processing techniques and photographic criticism. Students will explore creative techniques and operations with digital cameras.
Continuation of Drawing I with the human form as subject matter. Drawing in various media directly from the figure.
Advanced study of figure drawing. This is a studio course that incorporates discussion of assigned readings and investigates the conceptual aspects of drawing. The course includes the use of the computer.
Intermediate studies in digital photography and alternative processes, as well as photographic theory and criticism.
The course will teach the basic skills for producing, recording, and editing a variety of material(music, voice) using a Pro Tools digital audio workstation. The course also covers basic principles of acoustics and the basic laws of physics that affect sound.
Advanced projects in audio production.
The production of documentary film using techniques of field production and linear video editing.
Develops skills in the production of digital media for the internet and other new media.