Public Relations and Advertising Communications Department Course Descriptions Courses by Semester Degree Requirements Robert W. Jeffers Advertising Program Chair Robert A. Carroll Public Relations Program Chair Public Relations and Advertising USI offers a major in public relations and advertising with emphasis in public relations or in advertising, a minor in public relations, and a minor in advertising. Entry-level jobs normally require skills in writing, editing, designing, and speaking. Through a carefully designed curriculum, students acquire these skills preparing them for these jobs and the ability to advance in their careers. Higher-level positions await the public relations practitioner with appropriate knowledge and experience. Among those positions are counseling management, conducting public opinion and marketing research, media relations, employee or member relations, community relations, public affairs involvement, governmental affairs, issues management, financial relations, industry relations, development and fund raising, multicultural affairs, special events, and marketing communications.
Students compete for state and national scholarships and other honors.
Advertising emphasis Students are encouraged to study advertising theory in the classroom before practicing the techniques and skills required of the profession through internships in the industry. Ad campaigns Courses range from an introduction class to an ad campaign class which requires that students implement all their acquired advertising and marketing skills to produce all aspects of a campaign. Students produce advertisements in computer labs, at the University radio station WSWI-AM, in the Television Center, in the classroom, and for the student newspaper, The Shield .