Our overall mission is to prepare students both theoretically and practically, and that’s what the advertising program is all about. As a student, you’ll emerge ready to enter the competitive business world with all of the skills, knowledge, and confidence that you need to land a job, make immediate contributions, and grow within the profession.
You'll find rich opportunities for hands-on experience throughout the comprehensive program. You’ll take at least 48 credit hours of fundamental advertising and marketing courses that will equip you for advanced and specialized advertising options. Elective courses allow you additional opportunities to customize your learning experience and develop the specific skills needed for your chosen career path—whether it’s creative, media, account management, or marketing.
Still, as anyone who watches commercial television or walks down a grocery aisle knows, advertising is an idea business. It’s more than just print or broadcast advertising—it’s product development, branding, packaging, promotion, online design. It can involve copywriting, art direction, graphic design, marketing, media planning and buying, research, and production.
Above all, careers in advertising are about creativity, the confidence to hatch ideas, and the knowledge to make them viable. Not surprising, preparing for advertising careers involves much more than just textbook work. At Ball State, it means you’ll be working in teams on practical projects and branching outside of the classroom to explore such opportunities as the student-led advertising/public relations agency, Cardinal Communications.