What it’s about:

Advertising majors learn to create and distribute paid massages in communication media in order to persuade people to accept an idea, change attitudes, or to take action. Your studies include analysis of customers, markets, and media, as well as advertising’s history, regulation, and social and economic effets.

What the study of this major is like:

Advertising programs are usually found in schools of journalism and mass communications and are influenced by the strong liberal arts emphasis in such institutions. Don’t surprised to find out that you will probably be required to choose two-thirds of our courses from outside the major. A typical major consists of four or five advertising courses; a few courses in new writing, mass media law, and ethics; and many liberal arts courses. You are advised or required to take at least one course in marketing, usually taught in a school of business.

Advertising courses are a mix of theory and practical experience. You are introduced to concepts and principles that you will use when you develop advertising campaigns. In most courses, you will be expected to make oral presentations, an essential part of advertising. Because much of the work in advertising is done by teams of people, advertising courses typically require groupprojects. All advertising courses stress clear, concise writing.

Source: CollegeBoard 2012 Book of Majors

Courses in the major cover such areas as copywriting, in which you learn to create the text of your ads; media planning, in which you decide where your ads will appear (TV, online, and so on); and research, in which you explore ways to conduct surveys and other analyses of your “targets”: those whom the ads are intended to persuade. Advertising art and design is usually not a big part of this major at most colleges. If you have artistic talent and intend to pursue a career in advertising art, you should consider majoring in commercial art or graphic design instead.

You should be prepared to balanced several responsibilities and assignments at one time. In addition, you may be frustrated occasionally by the difficulty of arranging project meetings will group members who are equally time-pressed (this is actually good preparation for the real world). Courses in research or in media planning require some quantitative analysis, so you might have to brush up your math skills.

It may be difficult to land a full-time job after graduation without some experience. Opportunities to get experience include internships at an advertising agency, newspaper, or broadcasting station, and part-time jobs with a campus newspaper or radio station. Colleges in or near cities can usually offer more internship and employment opportunities than rural colleges can. Although studying advertising in an accredited program is not essential for employment opportunities than rural colleges can. Although studying advertising in an accredited program is not essential for employment in the profession, the major can help open doors for you. Because of its stress on broad knowledge critical analysis, and communication skills, it can be valuable preparation for other careers as well.

Career options and trends:

Copywriter*; media planner*; account executive*; advertising salesperson; account planner.

After graduate study, you may pursue work as an advertising research specialist.

When businesses suffer, advertising budgets often take the first hit. However, with more advanced in technology and other non-traditional means of advertising and promotion, employers will be looking for new and different ways to better reach their customers. If you understand how the various forms of media are evolving and can apply that understanding, you will be at an advantage.

Source: CollegeBoard 2012 Book of Majors