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Department of Mass Communication, Advertising & PR

The Department of Mass Communication, Advertising, and Public Relations offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication. Within that degree program, students can select a concentration in advertising, public relations, or communication studies. The curricula in advertising and in public relations prepare students for careers in those fields, and the communication studies option provides a foundation for roles as professional communicators in other fields or for further education at a more advanced level.

Graduates have gone on to careers in a variety of occupational fields, including advertising, public relations, marketing, health communication, employee relations, media research, and sales promotion. Typically, graduates work in such settings as corporations, nonprofit agencies, government, educational institutions, or other organizations within the labor force. Many have started their own businesses or agencies. The department's required and elective courses include a foundation in communication theory and research plus practical skills that are relevant not only for entry-level jobs but, more important, for continuing professional development. They prepare students to write clearly, speak effectively, and think critically - all of which are essential for continuing career success.

The combination of required and elective courses in the curriculum is designed to produce generalists who can design effective communication content and apply a variety of problem-solving techniques to achieve a broad range of real-world goals.

Classroom work is supplemented by both internships and participation in AdLab or PRLab, which are student-run communication agencies. These activities provide on-the-job experience for academic credit. Internships place students in for-profit or nonprofit agencies and other settings where they gain practical experience in handling professional communication problems, and where they can develop important personal contacts.