• U of A
• Fulbright College
• Departments & Schools
• School of Journalism and Strategic Media
• Degree Programs
• Undergraduate Program
• Ad and PR Major

Advertising and Public Relations Major

 

Here, you’ll learn the theories and skills of how to create persuasive messages, how to ensure those messages reach the right audience and how to communicate persuasive messages in a socially responsible way.

Students in the Advertising/Public Relations major become professionals in developing and managing advertising and public relations campaigns and in designing and creating ads. They learn how research can help shape a project and how ethical judgment can help shape a career. They learn to define and reach an audience and to deal with clients. They can learn to work in all media, including radio and TV.

In classes, in internships and in special projects, students participate in advertising and public relations campaigns, many of which are real-world projects brought by local and regional businesspeople and non-profit organizations. Students also learn to conduct and use research for national advertising plans. Advertising and PR students are encouraged to work on the student publications, the Arkansas Traveler and the Razorback yearbook to learn ad sales and ad makeup. In recent years a number of students have participated in and won national competitions with their advertising plans.

Important advising information for students seeking to enter the Ad/PR major 

There are several important requirements in the Advertising / Public Relations (Ad/PR) major that were developed based on analysis of recommendations from professionals in the field, maintaining parity with other Ad/PR programs nationwide, and the performance of students in Ad/PR required courses. There are no exceptions to these requirements.

View Ad/PR Requirements >

Use the ADPR Career Advising Guide to prepare for ADPR classes and working in the ADPR field

View AD/PR Career Advising Guide >

Required courses for this major:

Course Number	Course Title
ADPR 3723	Advertising Principles*
ADPR 3743	Public Relations Principles*
ADPR 4143	Public Relations Writing
ADPR 4423	Creative Strategy and Execution
ADPR 4453  OR  ADPR 4473	Media Planning and Strategy | Account Planning
JOUR electives	Three upper-level journalism electives
MKTG 3433	Intro to Marketing
MKTG 3553	Consumer Behavior
MKTG 3633	Marketing Research

*An overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 is required to enter the Ad/PR Sequence and to enroll in JOUR 3723 and JOUR 3743. A grade of B or better is required in JOUR 3723 and 3743 for advancement in the sequence. Students must maintain the 2.5 GPA throughout their college careers.

Students must earn a B or better in Advertising Principles and PR Principles before proceeding to advanced courses.

Journalism Core Courses:

A minimum of 34 semester hours in journalism is required, including the following.

Course Number	Course Title
JOUR 1023	Media and Society
JOUR 1033	Media Writing
JOUR 3633	Media Law
JOUR 4333	Ethics in Journalism
JOUR 4981 (See advisor for enrollment)	Journalism Writing Requirement

A minimum grade of C is required in all journalism courses that serve as prerequisites for advanced journalism courses. In certain cases, a minimum grade of B is required. Students must select a sequence when they enter the department.

Cultural Diversity Requirement - All majors are required to complete a 3-credit cultural diversity course. Students should consult their academic advisor for approved courses.

Digital Requirement - Students should consult the University Catalog and their academic advisor for guidance on completing the digital requirement for each JOUR concentration or the ADPR major.