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Advertising and Public RelationsMajor

We place a heavy focus on media innovation as well as traditional communication foundations to prepare you for the ever-changing media landscape. Many of our graduates work in traditional agencies, but many go beyond the media industry to work in such places as NASA, Interscope Records and Audi.

By the numbers115

One of 115 programs accredited worldwide by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications

Overview

What is Advertising and Public Relations at WVU like?

Description

Advertising and Public Relations will teach you to develop and produce persuasive and educational messages and integrated communications campaigns that employ both public relations and advertising tactics. In this major, you will select an area of emphasis in either Advertising or Public Relations to complement your integrated strategic communications course work.

You will build skills in writing, research, design, event planning, direct marketing, media planning and campaign development and management. You will plan and produce promotional and educational campaigns and materials for actual clients, which include nonprofits, businesses, and special projects, gaining real-world experience that can lead to careers in advertising and public relations agencies, corporations, nonprofits, government, education, entertainment, sports, healthcare and other public-sector fields.

The College boasts a faculty-advised and student-run integrated communications agency, the Martin-Hall Agency, and an award-winning Public Relations Student Society of America chapter. These organizations offer you professional networking opportunities and application of advertising and public relations knowledge into campaign experience.

Advertising and Public Relations program highlights:

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At a Glance

Next Steps

Interested in this major? Here are some suggested next steps:

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Areas of Emphasis

Tailor this major to your interests by taking courses in one of these areas:

  • Advertising
    Students who select the Advertising AOE obtain a solid foundation in creative copywriting and design, media planning, audience insights and analysis, and campaigns. Additional courses in interactive marketing, strategic social media, and account management are available to round out students’ individual interests. They go on to work at advertising and marketing agencies, in media advertising sales, within corporate communications offices, as media planners, or as consultants and business owners. The advertising curriculum affords a solid foundation for law or other specialized graduate programs.
  • Public Relations
    Students who select the Public Relations AOE take courses in strategic writing and social media, media design, audience research and analysis, and campaigns. Other courses that apply to the major include web development, fundraising and foundation management, integrated marketing communications for sports, and blogging and interactive journalism. Graduates go on to work at communications agencies, in government, health care organizations, nonprofits, corporate communications and politics. Those students who wish to go on to graduate school have a solid grounding in writing, research, analysis and communications.

Fast Facts

What makes Advertising and Public Relations at WVU unique?

Research and Academic Opportunities

  • Classroom projects often include hands-on service learning projects with local nonprofit organizations.
  • Hands-on classes help you build a portfolio as you go through college.
  • A unique, flexible and adaptable curriculum allows you to pursue what you're passionate about within communications.
  • New technology and innovation in our classrooms prepare you for the changing media landscape.
  • The Public Interest Communication (PIC) Research Lab unites strategic public interest communication scholars within the Reed College of Media, across WVU and beyond.
  • Innovators-in-Residence - Innovators lead change from the field to the classroom.
  • Experimental Storytelling - Includes AR/VR, mobile-first design, app development, data-based reporting, sensor journalism, 360° reporting, 3-D modeling, drones and social news.
  • BrandJRNY - The Community Branding Initiative specializes in brand storytelling that enables independent entrepreneurship around a shared community brand.

3+3 Law Degree Program

This major is eligible for the 3+3 Law Degree Program that allows qualified students to earn a bachelor’s degree and law degree in six years instead of seven years.

Early College Program

Get a head start (and save money) in our High School ACCESS program for high school students. Choose from online, on-campus or dual credit courses that fulfill requirements for general education or Advertising and Public Relations. Online courses to consider for this major include:

  • HIST 153: Making of Modern America: 1865 to the Present
  • JRL 101: Media and Society
  • JRL 215: Media Writing
  • JRL 225: Media Tools & Applications
  • POLS 102: Introduction to American Government
  • STAT 111: Understanding Statistics

Living-Learning Communities (LLCs)

Live, study and pursue outside-the-classroom learning in a residence hall community that shares your interests:

Transfer Articulation Agreements

To simplify the transfer process, we have formal agreements with certain institutions. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to WVU. Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.

Student Organizations

Connect with other students who share your academic interests as a member of:

View all of the student organizations you can join.

Professional Organizations

Network with professionals in your field as a student member of:

Careers

How does this degree prepare students for a career?

The Reed College of Media helps place students in internships that offer hands-on experience beyond the classroom. Students participate in internships everywhere from New York advertising agencies to Capitol Hill to professional sports teams and London-based communications firms.

Graduates have gone on to become successful advertising and public relations account executives, social media directors, art directors, creative directors, corporate and nonprofit communication specialists, government public information officers, community relations directors, advertising directors, media planners and more. They work with top advertising and public relations firms, and some own their own agencies.

Possible Careers

Wondering what you can do with a degree from WVU's Advertising and Public Relations major? Check out these ideas from WVU Career Services and the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). A median salary is the midpoint of what people typically earn—half of those surveyed earned above the median salary, and half earned below.

This page includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

Employers

Graduates from this major have gone to work at:

Courses

What are the courses like in Advertising and Public Relations at WVU?

Plan of Study

Check out a program overview, learning goals, course descriptions and suggested plan of study for WVU's Advertising and Public Relations major.

View the Plan of Study
 

Popular Courses

ADV 401:
Creative 1

Principles and practices of advertising creativity. Focuses on creative ideation process and includes advertising graphics, copy preparation and layout, evaluation and selection of media.

ADV 403:
Media Planning and Strategy

Theory, evaluation and selection of advertising media for a variety of market situations. Market analysis, media characteristics, sources of media data, and development of a media plan.

ADV 455:
Creative 2

This course builds on the strategic and creative processes for strategic communication introduced in Creative 1, including design for print, digital broadcast mobile and other media.

PR 319:
Creative Design and Strategy

Editing and production techniques for public relations media (brochures, reports, newsletters, etc.,) including copy preparation, typography, graphic design, layout and desktop publishing.

PR 333:
Web Development

Using the web in PR campaigns, hand-coding HTML, design concepts, layout, hyperlinks, images, tables, web production software, establishing and maintenance of web server account, uploading files.

PR 455:
Strategic Event Planning and Promotion

PR: STCM 315 with a minimum grade of C-. This course provides a hands-on introduction to special event and festival management. Students will learn how to plan, implement and evaluate special events. Students will learn foundational concepts and professional skills of event planning, coordination, sponsorship, programming, vendor management, volunteer management and risk management and will creatively apply research techniques, writing and

STCM 315:
Strategic Advertising and Public Relations Writing

This class provides exposure to and practice in developing the kinds of writing required in advertising and public relations careers. (Course is equivalent to ADV 315 & PR 324.)

STCM 438:
Branded Content and Narrative

An introduction to how the role of content is evolving in the modern marketing landscape and how to apply different types of content generation to new and traditional marketing channels. Additional topics cover the pros and cons of content marketing vs. traditional marketing as well as an introduction to the processes and tactics to create and implement content marketing strategies.

STCM 439:
Strategic Social Media

This online majors only, course is an accelerated examination of the social media landscape with a focus on crafting messages and successful case studies.

Capstone Projects

Before graduating, all undergraduates in this major complete an academic project (or "capstone") to demonstrate their research, communication and critical thinking skills.

As part of their capstone experience, recent students have contributed to:

Cost and Aid

How much does Advertising and Public Relations at WVU cost? And how can you save?

Tuition and Fees

Estimated rates are available on our tuition website. Anyone who is not a current West Virginia resident, including international students, will be charged non-resident rates.

View Tuition and Fees
Scholarships

Estimate your eligibility for merit scholarships at WVU Morgantown.

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Net Price Calculator

Estimate your cost of attendance and eligibility for financial aid and scholarships at any WVU System campus.

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Ways to Save

Here are a few ways for you to save on the cost of attending WVU in addition to university scholarships.

Early College Program

Get a head start (and save money) in our High School ACCESS program for high school students. Choose from online, on-campus or dual credit courses that fulfill requirements for general education or Advertising and Public Relations. Online courses to consider for this major include:

  • HIST 153: Making of Modern America: 1865 to the Present
  • JRL 101: Media and Society
  • JRL 215: Media Writing
  • JRL 225: Media Tools & Applications
  • POLS 102: Introduction to American Government
  • STAT 111: Understanding Statistics

Learn About Our HS ACCESS Early College Program

Extra Merit-based Scholarships

Incoming freshmen to the Reed College of Media may qualify for Innovators scholarships based on GPA. No additional application is necessary. These scholarships are in addition to University scholarships.

See if You Qualify

Transfer Articulation Agreements

To simplify the transfer process, we have formal agreements with certain institutions. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to WVU.

Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.

Learn How to Transfer Course Credits

Requirements

What are the requirements to apply for Advertising and Public Relations at WVU?

To be admitted to WVU's Advertising and Public Relations major, you must meet WVU's first-time freshman admission requirements for the 2024-25 academic year. Interested in transferring? Review the transfer admission requirements.

Related Majors and Minors

What other options does WVU have?

What minors could I consider?

Related Pathways

What majors share similar career interests with this major at WVU?

Next Steps

I like this major. What are the next steps?

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Request Information

Want to know more about Advertising and Public Relations at WVU? Fill out the Request Information form to receive more information about the program and life at WVU.

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